SUN Staff Report
Rio Arriba County has declared central parts of the County disaster areas following heavy rains Aug. 17, that left at least four acequias heavily silted.
Emergency Manager Mateo DeVargas said he’s seeking upwards of $10,000 in state money to help repair the ditches.
“Most of the costs will cover the manual labor to return the ditches back to their original state,” he said. “We want to get water flowing back to the crops.”
Affected areas include Tierra Azul, Mendanales, Abiquiú and Rio Chama, according to the disaster declaration.
It’s the first time this year the County has declared a disaster area, DeVargas said, but the County has in the last several weeks incurred some overtime expenses after heavy rains along the Highway 84 corridor made several roads impassable.
“A lot of the run-off is due to the last two fires we had,” he said. “There is a lot of loose dirt and it’s making a mess.”
DeVargas said the County often receives calls from residents with private roads that have been washed out, but the state’s anti-donation clause prohibits the County from helping make those roads passable.
“Unless it’s a life and limb situation, we aren’t able to help,” he said.