No person who has, after due notice, failed or refused to do his work, or pay the amount assessed against him in lieu of the work upon the acequia or ditch, shall be allowed to take or use any water from the same or any contra acequia or lateral thereof, while default on the payment of failure to do work continues. Any person who continues to take or use any water after having been given notice of failure or refusal to do his work, or pay the amount assessed against him in lieu of the work shall pay a civil penalty for the benefit of the ditch or acequia of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200). The penalty may be recovered in an action by the ditch officials before the magistrate court in the county where the ditch is located.
History: Laws 1895, ch. 1, § 5; C.L. 1897, § 12; Code 1915, § 5755; C.S. 1929, § 151-425; 1941 Comp., § 77-1423; 1953 Comp., § 75-14-24; Laws 1977, ch. 184, § 1.
Cross references. — For penalty for failure to furnish laborers required by mayordomo, see 73-2-31 NMSA 1978.
For disposition of fines and forfeitures, see 73-2-32 NMSA 1978.
For provisions governing certain counties, see 73-3-5 and 73-3-6 NMSA 1978.
The 1977 amendment added "penalty" to the section heading, added the last two sentences and made minor changes in phraseology in the first sentence.
Generally as to remedy provided by section. — No remedy is provided for collection of assessments levied by acequia commissioners except the deprivation of delinquent party of the right to the use of water until payment is made. If party, after default and notice to quit takes and uses water, he is guilty of a misdemeanor. La Mesa Cmty. Ditch v. Appelzoeller, 1914-NMSC-033, 19 N.M. 75, 140 P. 1051 (decided before 1977 amendment of this section and the enactment of Section 73-2-26 NMSA 1978).
Statutory remedy exclusive. — Community officers are necessarily confined to remedy given. La Acequia de San Rafael del Guique v. Lopez, 1963-NMSC-134, 72 N.M. 349, 383 P.2d 826 (decided before 1977 amendment).
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 28 C.J.S. Drains § 96.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 73 - Special Districts
Article 2 - Ditches or Acequias
Section 73-2-1 - [Right of construction; damages.]
Section 73-2-2 - [Condemnation of lands.]
Section 73-2-3 - [Taking of lands for construction.]
Section 73-2-4 - [Preference right for irrigation; obstruction.]
Section 73-2-5 - Ditch over land of another; easement; right of servient owner; penalty.
Section 73-2-6 - [Ancient ditches protected.]
Section 73-2-7 - [Ownership; right to water.]
Section 73-2-8 - [Management of ditches crossing county line.]
Section 73-2-9 - [Acequias declared public.]
Section 73-2-10 - [Ownership of plants on banks.]
Section 73-2-11 - [Community ditches made corporations; ditches taking water from common source.]
Section 73-2-12 - Officers, election, bonds and vacancies in certain counties.
Section 73-2-13 - [Vacancies in office of commissioner.]
Section 73-2-14 - Ditch elections; votes.
Section 73-2-15 - [Failure to hold election; calling of special election.]
Section 73-2-16 - [Disqualifications.]
Section 73-2-17 - [Disqualifications.]
Section 73-2-18 - [Pay of mayordomo.]
Section 73-2-19 - [Mayordomo; not to lease lands.]
Section 73-2-20 - [Mayordomo not to lease lands; penalty.]
Section 73-2-21 - Commissioners' powers and duties; mayordomo's duties.
Section 73-2-23 - [Reimbursement of commissioner's expenses.]
Section 73-2-24 - [Maximum charge in lieu of fatigue work; excepted counties.]
Section 73-2-25 - Persons delinquent not to use water; penalty.
Section 73-2-26 - Actions for collection of assessments.
Section 73-2-27 - [Community ditches defined.]
Section 73-2-28 - Acequia and community ditch associations.
Section 73-2-28.1 - Acequias and community ditch associations; insurance coverage.
Section 73-2-30 - [Duty to furnish laborers.]
Section 73-2-31 - Failure to furnish laborers.
Section 73-2-32 - [Disposition of fines.]
Section 73-2-33 - [Duty to work.]
Section 73-2-34 - Common labor; failure to work.
Section 73-2-35 - [Obligation to work continues until completion.]
Section 73-2-36 - [Duty to furnish laborers; mayordomos to superintend work.]
Section 73-2-37 - [Penalty for abandoning work.]
Section 73-2-38 - [Labor to be in proportion to land ownership.]
Section 73-2-39 - [Duty to furnish laborers; duty of absent landowner.]
Section 73-2-40 - [Failure to furnish laborers; penalty.]
Section 73-2-41 - Indians; rights and duties.
Section 73-2-42 - Blind persons; free irrigation.
Section 73-2-43 - [Bridges across roads.]
Section 73-2-44 - [Payment for bridges.]
Section 73-2-45 - [Persons delinquent for bridges not to use waters.]
Section 73-2-46 - [Mayordomo failure to perform duties; penalty.]
Section 73-2-47 - [Several ditches from one stream; joint meeting of commissioners.]
Section 73-2-48 - [Organization; rules and regulations.]
Section 73-2-49 - [Distribution of water.]
Section 73-2-50 - [Neglect of duty; penalty.]
Section 73-2-51 - [Not applicable on Rio Grande.]
Section 73-2-52 - [Spillways; place; work on excess water.]
Section 73-2-54 - [Joint spillways or degaguas; use of water without consent; penalty.]
Section 73-2-55 - [Joint spillways or degaguas; use of water; authority of majority of mayordomos.]
Section 73-2-55.1 - Water banking; acequias and community ditches.
Section 73-2-57 - [Crossing lands in reconstruction; compensation; determination; procedure.]
Section 73-2-58 - [Appraisers; oath.]
Section 73-2-59 - [Appraisement; notice to landowners; contents; service; return.]
Section 73-2-60 - [Report of appraisers; contents.]
Section 73-2-61 - [Payment of appraised value; right to possession; forcible entry and detainer.]
Section 73-2-62 - [Appeal from appraisement to district court.]
Section 73-2-63 - [Change in place of diversion; permit unnecessary.]
Section 73-2-65 - Acequia commission; created; membership; terms.
Section 73-2-66 - Powers and duties.