CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
TWENTY-FIRST COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-14-21 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Isaac Benton
RESOLUTION
title
Appropriating Sixty Six Thousand Dollars ($66,000) In Funding For The Acquisition Of Water Rights For The Los Poblanos Fields Open Space (Benton)
body
APPROPRIATING SIXTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS ($66,000) IN FUNDING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF WATER RIGHTS FOR THE LOS POBLANOS FIELDS OPEN SPACE.
WHEREAS, Los Poblanos Field formerly 'Anderson Field', is a significant 138 acre parcel purchased by the City of Albuquerque in 1997 as a Major Public Open Space. By purchasing this property the City preserved lands of historic importance to the community and the traditional agriculture cultivated at the field. Los Poblanos Field provides opportunities to watch sorghum, corn, sun flowers, vegetables and other crops grow with the seasons, while viewing the cranes, geese, and ducks, feeding in the furrow rows and the kestrel hawks and songbirds roosting in the surrounding cottonwood trees. The field is the site of an annual October corn maze, now in its seventh year, a large community garden, hands-on educational activities and an annual celebration of World Tai Chi Day <http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/current-events>. Walking trails, running courses, and prescription trails are also available; and
WHEREAS, the Open Space Division irrigated the field using water leased back from the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility under a ten year agreement. The agreement expired in 2011 and the Open Space Division was able to lease water rights from the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's Water Bank to irrigate the field. However, during these times of drought the water bank is the first water source that is curtailed, which occurred in 2013, and the Conservancy District will have limited to no water available from this source for the 2014 growing season; and
WHEREAS, to continue to irrigate the field, and until permanent water rights can be purchased, the City's Open Space Division is proposing to lease 139 acre feet of water rights from the Albuquerque Public Schools, 96 acre feet from the Town of Bernalillo and approximately 70 acre feet from Bernalillo Public Schools. For this water to become available for the March 2014 start of the cultivating season these leases must be completed in February of 2014.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. That Sixty Six Thousand dollars ($66,000) in unappropriated, unencumbered fund balance within the General Fund (110) is hereby appropriated as follows:
GENERAL FUND - 110
City Support Functions
Transfer to Capital Acquisition Fund (305) 66,000
Section 2. That Sixty Six Thousand dollars ($66,000) is hereby appropriated within the Capital Acquisition Fund (305) as follows:
CAPITAL ACQUISITION FUND 305 - PARKS
Los Poblanos Fields Water Rights Transfer from Fund 110 66,000
The scope of this project includes the purchase, lease or other acquisition of water rights for the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space.
X:\CITY COUNCIL\SHARE\CL-Staff\Legislation\Twenty-first\R-21final.docx