Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Despite recent rainstorms that raised the level of Conchas Lake, the Arch Hurley Conservancy District board of directors voted again last week to not allocate water for its irrigation system because lake levels still are too low.
Franklin McCasland said in his manager’s report during the June 8 board meeting the lake’s elevation stood at 4,159.8 feet that day — more than 10 feet lower than a year ago.
McCasland reported Conchas Lake received 4,840 acre-feet of inflow during the month of May. In that time frame, it experienced evaporation or other losses of 2,845 acre-feet.
“This is the first time in over a year that the inflow was greater than evaporation,” McCasland wrote. “The elevation of Conchas Lake has increased 1.3 feet since our meeting in May; however we are still 2.2 feet below the 4,162 elevation where we stop gravity flowing into the irrigation canal.”
McCasland said water can be pumped from the lake until the 4,155-foot level, but that option is not economically feasible because of fuel costs. He said the pumps are used occasionally for inspections.
It is the first time since 2017 no water has been allocated to area farmers during growing season. Arch Hurley’s board also voted to not allocate water during its April and May meetings.
Also in his report, McCasland said Dan Austin conducted the district’s audit exit conference on May 26. No findings were reported in the audit, which was submitted to the state auditor’s office.
Quay County Clerk Ellen White, on the invitation of the board, explained how the Local Election Act of 2018 likely will affect future elections of the board.
White said the district’s previous rules for election — that only Class A landowners could run — represents taxation without representation and thus were unconstitutional.
Starting in 2023, those who are eligible to run for the board have to only live within the Arch Hurley district boundaries.
White noted there is a contradiction in state election law regarding Class A landowners’ eligibility to run for Arch Hurley offices that probably will have be resolved during the New Mexico Legislature’s next session in January.
Several people attending the meeting voiced objections that those who own land inside Arch Hurley boundaries but reside outside the district would be unable to vote in in the 2023 election.
White said because Arch Hurley has that unique problem, the board likely will have considerable input with lawmakers who will draft an amended election law to resolve that.
