Legal Notices-Non-government

Valencia County is the County affected by the diversion and in which the water has been or will be put to beneficial use. This notice is ordered to be published in the Valencia County News-Bulletin (Valencia County).

Under this application, per lease agreement under NMSA 1978 Section 76-6-1, the co-applicants propose to temporarily discontinue the diversion and use of a farm delivery requirement (FDR) of 6.4875 acre-feet per annum of surface water, inclusive of a consumptive irrigation requirement (CIR) of 4.5412 acre-feet per annum, from the El Cerro Acequia, with a point of diversion on the Rio Grande at the Isleta Diversion Dam (SP-1690-3), on land owned by the Pueblo of Isleta, at a point where X=346,037 meters and Y=3,863,880 meters intersect, Zone 13N, UTM (NAD83), for the irrigation of 2.1625 acres of land. The water right is owned by the Nancy Margaret Lewis Revocable Trust. The move-from land is described as Tract 7B1 (2.1625 acres), owned by Dominic E. Trujillo and Danielle N. Trujillo, on MRGCD Map 78, located within Section 1, Township 6 North, Range 2 East, NMPM. These move-from lands are generally located 0.15 miles northwest of the intersection of Country Rose Lane and Bloom N Shine Rd., Los Lunas, Valencia County, New Mexico.

The co-applicants further propose to transfer said water right and commence diversion from the New Belen Acequia with a point of diversion on the Rio Grande at the Isleta Diversion Dam (SP-1690-3), on land owned by the Pueblo of Isleta, at a point where X=346,037 meters and Y=3,863,880 meters intersect, Zone 13N, UTM (NAD83), for the irrigation of 2.1625 acres of land described as the eastern portion of Tract C-2, Lands of Gillie Sanchez, located on MRGCD Map 87, located within Section 19, Township 6 North, Range 2 East, on land owned by Ronald Steinke and Elizabeth Steinke. The physical address of the move-to lands is 09 Gilema Lane, Belen, New Mexico. The move-to lands are generally located 1.20 miles northwest of the intersection of NM State Road 314 and Square Deal Road, Belen, Valencia County, New Mexico.

This Application is filed under the Water-Use Leasing Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 72-6-1 through 72-6-7. The Nancy Margaret Lewis Revocable Trust and Ronald Steinke and Elizabeth Steinke have entered into a lease to purchase agreement whereby Ronald Steinke and Elizabeth Steinke will lease 4.5412 acre-feet per annum consumptive use of irrigation water rights, for a period of two years, beginning June 15, 2023, and ending June 15, 2025.

Application is made for a permit that, if granted, would expire on June 15, 2025. Upon termination or expiration of the desired permit, the subject water right will automatically revert to the move-from place of use pursuant to the applicable provisions in that permit.

To view the application and supporting documentation contact the State Engineer District 1 Office to arrange a date and time for an appointment at (505) 383-4000 located at 5550 San Antonio Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.

Any person, firm or corporation or other entity asserting standing to file objections or protests shall do so in writing (objection must be legible, signed, and include the writer’s complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address). If the protest does not include the complete name, phone number, email address, and mailing address, it may be deemed invalid and not accepted for filing unless Protestant provides with the protest an affidavit stating that it does not have one of the above-listed elements/requirements (phone number, mailing address, email address, etc.). The objection to the approval of the application must be based on: (1) Impairment; if impairment, you must specifically identify your water rights; and/or (2) Public Welfare/Conservation of Water; if public welfare or conservation of water within the state of New Mexico, you shall be required to provide evidence showing how you will be substantially and specifically affected. The written protest must be filed, in triplicate, with the State Engineer, 5550 San Antonio Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, on or before Friday, September 15, 2023. Facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted as a valid protest if the hard copy is hand-delivered or mailed and postmarked within 24-hours of the facsimile. Mailing postmark will be used to validate the 24-hour period. Protests can be faxed to the Office of the State Engineer, (505) 383-4030. If no valid protest or objection is filed, the State Engineer will evaluate the application in accordance with the provisions of Chapter
72 NMSA 1978.