Board of Directors

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Position No. 1  At Large | Chair Stephanie Russo Baca | Term 2023-2027

1055 Miller Rd, Los Lunas, NM | Ph. (505) 916-8681 | russobaca@mrgcd.us

Madam Chair Russo Baca comes from a family with a long and proud tradition of living close to the land. She and her husband own a small plot of land in Los Chavez, raise livestock, and their kids are in 4-H. During the growing season they help family farm hay. Stephanie and her husband also own Caballero Crafters, a small custom leather and beadwork business. In their spare time you might also find them riding their mules and donkeys along the ditches. Stephanie has a degree in Ag and is the Staff Attorney and Program Director of the Joe M Stell Ombudsman Program housed at the UNM School of Law.

Karen DunningPosition No. 3 – Bernalillo County | Vice Chair Karen Dunning | Term 2021-2025

1004 Ortega NW, Albuquerque, NM | Ph. (505) 264-2855 | kdunning@mrgcd.us

Vice Chair Dunning is a Los Ranchos resident and former community planner for the City of Albuquerque

John P KellyPosition No. 2 – Bernalillo County | Director John P. Kelly | Term 2023-2027

713 Camino Espanol NW, Albuquerque, NM | Ph. (505) 362-1270 | jpkelly@mrgcd.us

During his 8 year tenure at the MRGCD, Director Kelly has brought a better balance between the urban and rural interests, the agriculture community and environmental interests; as well as focusing on long term facility rehab and drought resiliency.

Prior to retiring in 2010, Mr. Kelly was Executive Engineer for the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority (“AMAFCA”).  Prior to AMAFCA, Mr. Kelly managed the City’s Storm Drainage Maintenance program.  Mr. Kelly is well known for incorporating aesthetics, multiple-use, and storm water quality features into the flood control projects he worked on.  He was recognized as Engineer of the Year by the NM Society of Professional Engineers in 2014.

Mr. Kelly is married to Susan Kelly, a respected water attorney and planner in Albuquerque.  They have two children; Molly and Emma, both heading toward careers in the law and water science fields.

Position No. 4 – Bernalillo County | Director Colin T. Baugh | Term 2024-2025

3017 Camilo Ln, Albuquerque, NM 87104 | (505) 301-4419 | cbaugh@mrgcd.us

Colin Baugh grew up in Albuquerque’s North Valley where he and his wife are raising their family today. A graduate of Valley High School and UNM School of Medicine in Occupational Therapy, Colin is full-time school-based occupational therapist.  Growing up, Colin spent more time on the ditch bank than he did anywhere else. His lifelong experiences in and around the waterway systems of his hometown have created a passion for local agriculture and deep understanding for what makes the Rio Grande Valley unique.

Colin helped form Acequia de Los Alamos de Los Gallegos, one of the first re-established acequia associations in the North Valley in 2008. Ever since, Colin has been a leader in the valley’s ongoing efforts to infuse more effective sustainability practices into local farming, orchard production, and overall water use. He helped create the first Acequia Association in the Los Duranes neighborhood of Albuquerque, and he was elected mayordomo of the Pierce Lateral Acequia Association in 2019.

Position No. 5 – Valencia County | Director Brian Jiron | Term 2023 – 2027

11 Tribal Rd 5, Bosque Farms, NM | Ph. (505) 553-2387 | bjiron@mrgcd.us

Director Jiron comes from a long line of farmers. He is a Pueblo of Isleta Tribal member and full-time farmer. He worked for the Pueblo of Isleta Natural Resource Department for 10 years, in the Range and Irrigation Department. He has farmed alfalfa, oats, sudan and winter wheat and raised cattle all his life.

 

 

Director Glen DugginsPosition No. 6 – Socorro County | Director Glen Duggins | Term 2021-2025

590 NM Hwy 408, Lemitar, NM | Ph. (505) 385-4029 | glenduggins@gmail.com

Director Duggins is a life-long resident of Socorro County and a farmer for over 30 years.  He raises alfalfa, corn, wheat and chile on a 600-acre farm in Lemitar.  He has an associate degree in agriculture from New Mexico State University and serves on the Board of Socorro County Commissioners.

Michael T SandovalPosition No. 7 – Sandoval County | Director Michael T. Sandoval | Term 2021-2025

PO Box 612, Algodones, NM | Ph. (505) 331-2067 | msandoval@mrgcd.us

Director Sandoval is a former governor and Lt Governor of San Felipe Pueblo (2003, 2007, and 2016). He’s a lifetime Tribal Council Member for the Pueblo of San Felipe and the pueblo’s water resources specialist since 2006. He’s worked as a Civil Engineering Technician on water rights and irrigation infrastructure with the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1978 – 2006. He comes from a family of farmers and has experience as a traditional farmer himself.

 

 

Latest News

MRGCD Construction Update – February 2024

This presentation was given by Alicia Lopez, MRGCD engineering and mapping manager, during the 2024 February board meeting; it highlights major construction projects throughout the District.

2024 Irrigation Season Starts Feb 26

Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Announces Start of 2024 Irrigation Season Water managers will begin charging the irrigation system on February 26   Albuquerque, NM – Water managers at the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District are preparing for the...

February 2024 Water Outlook Report

This video is a presentation of the February MRGCD water report. The presentation was made during the February board meeting by Anne Marken, who oversees MRGCD's water operations. It covers the water outlook, El Vado Dam/storage, Rio Grande Compact and water supply. 

MRGCD Introduces New Water Gauging Website

This is an instructional video on MRGCD’s new water gauge website – it’s user friendly and a great way for middle Rio Grande valley water users (and anyone else) to monitor flow data, upstream levels and more.

The new website can be found here: https://mrgcd.onerain.com/.

Farmers Meeting Informational Video

Beginning in November of 2023, the MRGCD board and staff began visiting counties throughout the District to meet with MRGCD farmers and irrigators. This video is a brief overview of what has been covered at those meetings.

MRGCD Announces New Service Request Process

MRGCD’s Irrigation Systems Operators (ISO) are most in tune with middle Rio Grande valley water users and their needs and expectations. Their focus is working with water users to ensure water is delivered in a timely and equitable fashion. In order to keep ISO’s...