are political subdivisions of the State and are composed of a board of private land owners that are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the acequias and for monitoring and administering surface water rights along the acequia. (14) In New Mexico, acequias have created a cultural landscape and way of life centered around local agriculture, water governance, and a custom of sharing scarce water. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Community users The term community user means— (A) with respect to a qualified acequia, an individual who is the legal owner of a water right on a qualified acequia