Arch Hurley elects officers, swears in new member

The Arch Hurley Conservancy District board of directors swore in a new member and chose officers during its first meeting of 2023 last week.

Quay County Clerk Ellen White administered the oath of office to new trustee Jason Box, a farm manager at the Rex E. Kirksey Agriculture Science Center who was appointed during the board’s December meeting from two applicants.

Justin “Slik” Knapp also was an applicant, but he withdrew himself from consideration and recommended Box’s appointment after the board indicated it would continue as a four-person body until voters chose a successor during the November 2023 election. After Knapp’s withdrawal, the board appointed Box.

Box replaces longtime board member UV Henson, who stepped down last fall due to health reasons. Box will hold the position through at least 2023.

Robert Lopez and Larry Perkins were re-elected as president and vice president respectively. Debra Mitchell was elected secretary-treasurer to replace Henson.

In other business during the board’s Jan. 10 meeting:

— District manager Franklin McCasland reported Conchas Lake’s level that morning stood at 4,162.9 feet, slightly lower than the previous month.

He said the lake in December received 515 acre-feet of inflow and experienced evaporation and other losses of 1,279 acre-feet.

“It’s been holding steady for two years now,” Lopez said.

The district has gone two straight growing seasons without allocating water to farmers because of drought. The district typically diverts water from the lake to its irrigation canals only when the level is above 4,174 feet.

The U.S. Drought Monitor as of Jan. 12 showed eastern New Mexico in extreme, severe or moderate drought conditions. More than 80% of the state was in some sort of drought.

— In his manager’s report, McCasland said the district’s 2000 John Deere excavator would need up to $20,000 in repairs, though he was looking for a way to accomplish that for less money.

— McCasland said the district’s maintenance department was removing sediment from a canal on the T-4 Ranch and cutting and treating woody vegetation on the main canal. He said they would begin burning vegetation from canals if wind and weather permit.

— The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was scheduled to inspect five district tunnels from March 6 to March 10.

— The board approved a final budget for 2023 that lists $1.2 in revenue and $1.1 million in expenditures. McCasland said the budget reflected no changes from an interim budget approved earlier.

— The board approved a contract for its annual audit by Dan Austin CPA of Ruidoso.