During the Corrales Village Council meeting May 27, Pueblo of Sandia Gov. Felix Chaves told the council the Pueblo of Sandia and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District have reached a landmark agreement, clearing the way for construction to begin on the long-delayed Corrales siphon replacement project.
The two sides signed off on a term sheet that clears the way for repairs to the Corrales siphon after years of delays over land access. The non-binding deal outlines land access, addresses past trespass and sets up future cooperation. With the agreement in place, construction can begin while lawyers finish the final contract.
“Let me be clear, in no time did the Pueblo idly choose to wait, as this has been suggested by others,” Chaves said. “We did, however, insist on a process that clearly identified the issues and legal obligations that respected the Pueblo’s ability to fully evaluate the situation and find solutions.”
In a statement to the Corrales Comment, MRGCD Board of Directors Chairman John Kelly said, “We are encouraged by the recent discussions and progress made between the MRGCD and the Pueblo of Sandia regarding access for the construction of the Corrales Siphon. Additionally, our team is grateful for the cooperation we have received from the Pueblo’s leadership on the issue. While the formal agreement is still in progress, we are hopeful that we will be able to announce additional project details soonbeing finalized, we’re hopeful we’ll be able to share more project details soon.”
After nearly a century of unauthorized use was uncovered, the Pueblo insisted on a legal process that respected their sovereignty while supporting the project’s urgent water needs.
According to Chaves, MRGCD knew the siphon was failing as early as 2016 — a fact reported by the Corrales Comment — but didn’t consult the Pueblo until after it had secured funding. In 2023, the district hired an engineering firm and asked for access to Pueblo land, but neither the Pueblo nor the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) could find any record of a legal right-of-way.
“The Pueblo was not able to encumber their trust lands without involvement with the BIA,” he said.
The BIA took nine months to confirm no right-of-way existed; this caused a significant delay for the MRGCD, which would need the right-of-way.
“They had been in trespass for nearly 100 years on tribal lands,” Chaves said. “It’s unfortunate that BIA took so long, but the Pueblo took measures to speed things along, fully aware of the impact of the siphon’s failure on the village of Corrales.”
Chaves said the Pueblo couldn’t authorize construction but allowed the process to move forward when MRGCD asked to do test borings along the river to check soil conditions.
With the agreement in place, Chaves said Sandia is working with BIA to let early siphon construction move forward while final paperwork gets finished. He said the Pueblo will coordinate with district crews to allow access and set up staging on tribal land.
Sandia is an agrarian community, Chaves said. And water is central to its culture, religion, livelihood and economy. He said the Pueblo has worked hard to protect its water while continuing to share with neighbors in Corrales and across the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
“I want you to know that it never occurred to us to withhold cooperation or stall the siphon replacement for any reason,” he said. “We acted in good faith to do what we could to expedite the solution while preserving important sovereign and legal interests associated with the use of our tribal lands.”
Chaves said the Pueblo raised concerns with New Mexico’s congressional delegation, including Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Sen. Ben Ray Luján and Sen. Martin Heinrich’s office, all of whom helped push BIA to act.
He said the Pueblo is now watching the federal budget fight in Washington and doesn’t know how agencies like BIA will be affected, but leaders will keep pushing to make sure their concerns are heard.
Chaves said as soon as the tribal council approved the agreement, he contacted Mayor James Fahey’s office to share the good news. The council had real concerns, especially around the trespass issue, and he said he respected how firmly they stood their ground.
“They’re my supervisors, and I answer to them,” he said. “I just wanted to let the Village of Corrales know — things are moving forward.”