The Acequia Madre del Cerro de Guadalupe is a historic and vital irrigation association based in Cerro. It is one of several community ditch systems in the area that sustain local agriculture and preserve the traditional way of life.
The Acequia Madre del Cerro de Guadalupe isn’t just a ditch; it’s a 170-year-old lifeline. While many neighboring villages were built alongside natural streams, the early settlers of Cerro took a different path in the 1850s. They used their hands, their tools, and vision to essentially “bend” the water to their will, diverting the Rito Latir and joining it with three other mountain creeks to create a man-made river that brought water to the Cerro community.
Today, the association operates much like it did in the 19th century—as a community-run government where every voice matters. Governed by president Rick León, vice president Ruby Ortiz, secretary Mason Hiatt, treasurer Rachel León, and mayordoma Marianna (Marti) Segura, the association ensures that water is shared fairly among the parciantes (water rights owners). Like many, parciante Irma Cisneros has been a member for many years along with her husband Milton who was a vital part of the board of commission representing the Cerro community.
“El agua es la Vida,” president Rick León shares. “On an average year with snowfall we normally see a runoff starting at the end of March. The last few years we haven’t seen a runoff. We are surviving off of what God gives us.”
Every March, the community prepares for la Limpia—the annual spring cleaning. It’s a scene that has played out for generations: neighbors gathering with shovels in hand to clear the winter’s debris. “We are looking for more young people to become involved with the cleaning and overall interest of how the acequias work,” Rick says. “In recent years we’ve had about 20 people who show up to clean the ditches.”
“Our ditch used to always have water,” Cisneros says. “We even had frogs in the water.”
“The water used to run all the way down to the gravel pit, the area leading into the Wild Rivers Recreation area,” Rachel says. For the past few years, users can expect to have one to two irrigations.
Currently the Acequia Madre has 200 members with only about half utilizing the water. Owners who are not currently using their water rights can bank their water which allows them to protect their water rights so they don’t lose them.
Acequia Madre del Cerro de Guadalupe Association is looking to continue to spread information by newly established newsletter as well as through their spring and fall meetings. “We hope to soon have a website and maybe even offer online bill payment,” says Rachel.
“We are planning on having our annual acequia meeting on Apr. 11 at the Cerro Community Center at 4 p.m.,” Rachel mentions. “At this time we’re not sure when the official irrigation will begin.”
The Acequia Madre has sustained Cerro families for generations. By continuing this tradition and passing this knowledge down, the association helps ensure the water remains in local hands while teaching the next generation that what mattered in 1850 is even more vital today. ¡Que viva la acequia!
