MayordomoAKA: Majordomo, Ditch Boss. Officer in charge of the acequia irrigation system, as is still common in many of New Mexico's smaller communities. As water is a precious resource shared by the community the "ditch boss" holds an important position, in charge of scheduling access and adjudicating disputes over water usage. (Many acequias are spring-fed and/or subject to limited supply in the fall and during drought periods, so judicious usage becomes essential.) The mayordomo oversees not only the ditch system (sometimes intricate, even in small communities) but has to bear in mind the snowpack that feeds the system, the weather that might affect water supply, the ripening period of different crops, and the protection of the watershed from contamination.