Atrisco Acequia Madre Project

Hello Neighbors,

We are excited that the Atrisco Acequia Madre project will be developing an outdoor site near our neighborhood. See below for more information.

- PHNA

The goal of the Atrisco Acequia Madre project is to develop a plan for an educational, outdoor site near Central Avenue and the Rio Grande River to celebrate the acequia culture and to protect & preserve the agricultural traditions of the Rio Grande Valley. This project is a collaboration between Bernalillo County, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD), the City of Albuquerque, and the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA), with direction and support from South Valley Regional Association of Acequias (SVRRA) and CESOSS (Center for Social Sustainable Systems). This project strives to meet the following objectives:

• Improve connections to trails, open space and amenities along the bosque and on both sides of the Rio Grande

• Celebrate the history and culture of the acequias in the South Valley

• Educate the public about this history and the connection between water and community

• Cultivate a sense of stewardship for our shared water systems

• Foster a relationship between culture, open space, and the economic vitality of surrounding area 

Since the fall of 2021, the planning team has used several methods to better understand the vision and amenities that the community would like to see here. A Kickoff Celebration was held at the site of the headwaters in the fall of 2021, where dozens of local residents, community groups and elected officials joined to show their support and share their ideas for the plan . Throughout the fall and winter of 2021, the planning team met with community and economic development groups and local neighborhood associations, as well as other key stakeholders to discuss the project and solicit input. The team also had a pop-up table for quick input at local growers’ markets and holiday events. In February of 2022, a community design workshop was held where participants began to identify and design a future community space at the project site. Since, the team has been coordinating with partners to identify steps for phase 1 design and implementation.

Learn more about this project at: https://www.acequiamadreplan.org/