WildEarth Guardians

Friday, May 18, 2007
Santa Fe Living River Fund Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions regarding the Santa Fe Living River Fund
Contact: City of Santa Fe

Q. What is the Santa Fe River Fund? A. The Santa Fe River Fund is a program the City of Santa Fe established to collect donations from the community on behalf of the Santa Fe River, in order to purchase or lease water rights to provide for flow in the Santa Fe River.

Q. Why is the City of Santa Fe collecting donations from the community on behalf of the Santa Fe River? A. The city of Santa Fe was founded on the banks of the Santa Fe River because its flows sustained the community’s agricultural lifestyle. As the City of Santa Fe has grown less agricultural, we still recognize that our health and development depend upon the ecological integrity of the river that sustains us.

Q. How can I donate to the Santa Fe River Fund? A. There are three ways to donate to the fund. If you are a utility customer of the City of Santa Fe, you can give one-time donations whenever you are inspired to do so by checking a box on your monthly bill indicating the amount you’d like to donate and including that amount in your check. As a utility customer, you can fill out an application, easily acquired from the City’s Utility Billing Division or from the City’s website, to sign up for the monthly addition of a donation to your utility bill. If you are not a utility customer of the City of Santa Fe, you can donate to the fund at the cashier’s window at City Hall or the Water Division Office on San Mateo.

Q. What is the City’s commitment to this program? A. The City will match your donation dollar for dollar, will coordinate the numerous details associated with water rights acquisition, and will manage the funds until a time when there are sufficient funds to acquire water rights and appropriate water rights are available. The City will make public the management of the fund on an annual basis through a written report and an associated public meeting..

Q. Is this donation tax-deductible? A. The City recommends that donors contact a tax advisor to determine whether your donation is tax-deductible.

Q. Is there a minimum donation? A. No, donations in any amount are accepted. However, monthly donations will have to be made in the increments indicated on the continuous monthly donation application which are $50, $25, $15, $10, $5, or $1.

Q. Where will the water rights be acquired? A. First priority will be given to water rights that become available in the Santa Fe River Watershed (between Lake Peak and Cochiti Lake). Second priority will be given to water rights from surrounding areas, such as the rest of the Rio Grande Watershed.

Q. When can we expect to see results (acquisition of water rights) of this program? A. Water rights in this region, the desert southwest, are scarce and expensive. Therefore we expect the process to take several years to accrue sufficient funds for water rights acquisition.