SAN LUIS — The Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association will be holding their annual Congreso on Saturday, January 20. The theme for this year’s event will be Keeping the Acequia Tradition Alive!

The event will host a variety of topics and speakers that are pertinent to acequia irrigators. Topics will include Blessing of the Acequia Waters, Acequia Traditions in a Modern Context, Colorado Water Law and the Acequia, Bylaws and Incorporation: Why or Why not Establish Bylaws, Understanding the New Mexico Acequia’s, A Hemp Panel: Understanding the Possibilities of this Crop, and the annual SDCAA meeting. 

Doors open at 8 a.m. for registration and the Congreso will commence promptly at 8:30 a.m. The Acequia Association will be providing a light breakfast and a full lunch to all participants. The Aceguia Association will also be giving out door prizes throughout the day and there will be a chance to purchase tickets for a drawing for a rifle, semi-load of wood and $500 to pay for the annual acequia cleaning. There will also be a variety of vendors present to chat with and get the latest information on a variety of topics.

The Acequia Association will also be hosting a reception on Friday, evening at the Costilla County Water Conservancy office at 6 p.m. Come learn, laugh and share with other Acequia Parciantes. Light refreshments will be served, and local foods door prizes will be given out. For information please contact Matthew Valdez at 719-672-0810.

This event is made possible by these great partners and sponsors: Costilla County Water Conservancy District, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, San Luis Valley Conservation Fund – the LOR Foundation, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Colorado Open Lands, Colorado Division of Water Resources, Rezolana Farms and IHS Bija Hemp.