MRGCD Board Candidate John P. Kelly: Keep the Valley Green

This is a guest blog by John P. Kelly, who is one of six candidates running in the June 7 non-partisan race for the Board of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District “MRGCD” in Bernalillo County. The MRGCD manages the network of irrigation canals, ditches, drains, levees, and diversion dams from Cochiti Reservoir to the Bosque del Apache, south of Socorro. It is funded by taxes paid by property owners who live along the river.  Only those property owners can vote in Tuesday’s election.

There’s no doubt Albuquerque is special place, and our river and green valley are part of the reason why. The Rio Grande is our region’s life-giving water, what sustains and defines us. I was born and raised in Albuquerque, and grew up fishing in the clear ditches, catching carp, and sometimes trout. I value our Middle Rio Grande valley, our water, and long standing rural traditions.

Recently retired as the Executive Engineer at the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (AMAFCA), I chair the New Mexico Watershed and Dam Owners Coalition. I am running for the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) Board because I am passionate about serving and believe we must do a better job managing our water if we are going to “keep the valley green.”

As our state’s largest irrigation system, the Conservancy should lead in water management and making the most of every drop of this valuable resource in our desert environment. However, the Conservancy has fallen short in its mission. For far too long the agency has been run from within, with major issues hidden from the Board and public. Clashes over communication, conflicts-of-interest, and never ending lawsuits must end. It’s going to take new leadership to reform the Conservancy District and tackle tough problems like managing our water in times of shortage, balancing urban and rural interests, and increasing accountability so we use our tax dollars responsibly. 

As a MRGCD Board Member, I will: 

• Improve how we manage our water 
• Balance rural and urban interests and the use of our canals and ditches
• Stand up for increased accountability and efficient use of our tax dollars

I am honored to have the support of Senator Dede Feldman, Representative Bill O’Neill, City Councilor Debbie O’Malley, and many other prominent Democrats. Many of you know that Senator Feldman has been working for years to bring accountability to the MRGCD. She and I have worked together on issues involving the District, including legislation ultimately sponsored by Senator Linda Lopez, to create the Middle Rio Grande Levee Task Force.

The District should be accountable to all of its ratepayers. Bernalillo County ratepayers fund the majority of the MRGCD budget. Many of them are non-irrigators; they use the MRGCD system for walking, horseback riding, and enjoy the tranquility of the ditch network. As a Board member, I will be sure that the MRGCD rights-of-way are managed for multiple uses. These uses include pedestrians, equestrians, and wildlife habitat in the Valley. Neighborhood ditches should be preserved as they are, with access control preventing ATV and motorcycle use, while allowing pedestrians and equestrians to enjoy this lovely, tree-lined network of dirt paths.

The MRGCD works are 80 years old and the District has a responsibility to keep the system -- essentially running all the way from Cochiti Lake to Bosque del Apache -- functioning and in repair. A condition assessment of the MRGCD’s irrigation and flood control infrastructure is needed, followed by a rehab program on the major structures - gates, levees, and main canals. Better maintenance and rehab can be carried out in a manner that respects the important environmental and aquifer recharge features of the MRGCD system. I believe that through better maintenance and rehab of the system, we can improve the efficiency of water delivery to farmers and improve our ability to meet the needs of future water supply of the Valley. As the region heads further into the ongoing drought, delivery of irrigation water and preserving agriculture in the Valley is critical.

As a Board member, I will re-establish the MRGCD Board’s primary purpose of policy making, and will ensure that the MRGCD staff and legal team carry out those policies. In my role as Executive Engineer of AMAFCA, I was able to forge solutions among agencies for storm water management that addressed multiple needs: flood control, environmental stewardship, storm water quality improvements, and multi-use, ranging from passive and active recreation; to agricultural leases and community gardens within flood control ponds on the valley floor. I would like to bring this experience to the Board of the MRGCD.

Tuesday is Election Day
Finally, the MRGCD election process, where there are 47,000 qualified voters with less than 5% voter turnout, is in need of significant reform. I will support actions that will increase voter turnout, such as moving the election to coincide with other local elections, or mail-in balloting.

I encourage you to go to my website (www.kellyforthevalley.com) to find out more about me, my priorities, and voting.  Feel free to contact me at 362-1270. 

I would appreciate your support.

John P. Kelly

This is a guest blog by John P. Kelly. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link at the upper left-hand corner of the page. Publication of a guest blog does not necessarily mean that we agree (or disagree) with the points made.