1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Acequia Communities Empowered by Qualifying Upgrades for Infrastructure Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Water delivery systems known as acequias, or community ditches, are a centuries-old system used for water distribution. (2) A combination of Spanish and Indigenous irrigation methods, acequias were expanded in New Mexico during the 16th century to allow for farming to sustain the needs of the community. (3) Acequias are a vital component of the economy of the State of New Mexico (referred to in this section as the State ). (4) Acequias are a centuries-old form of water governance and are recognized as political subdivisions of the State. (5) Acequias consist of water rights holders, often called parciantes, who are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the acequias and who internally elect a board to monitor and administer surface water rights. (6) In the State, acequias have created a cultural landscape and way of life centered around local agriculture, water governance, and a custom of sharing scarce water. (7) Acequias— (A) play an integral role in maintaining forest and watershed health; (B) serve as examples of responsible land and water stewardship by providing benefits such as groundwater recharge, flood attenuation, and groundwater contaminants filtration