Ridge to River
Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance Newsletter
Summer 2014
On the Ground in Gallinas
Throughout 2013 and 2014 we’ve been working hard in Gallinas to begin the
efforts that were recommended in our 2012 Watershed Based Plan for the Upper Gallinas
River (see hermitspeakwatersheds.org for a copy). It’s the first phase of our On-theGround projects to improve management and do restoration to help the Upper Gallinas
Watershed function better to provide clean, cold, and abundant water for us all. Here’s a
snapshot of this work.
ABOUT HPWA
The mission of the Hermit’s Peak
Watershed Alliance is to foster
land stewardship to ensure the
long term vitality of the human
and natural communities of the
Hermit’s Peak region.
Tecolote
If you would like to submit content,
receive this newsletter by email, or to
be removed from the mailing list please
contact Katie Withnall at kwithnall@
hermitspeakwatersheds.org
Livestock Management. How
we manage the land in our watershed
must first be improved to address the
root causes of degradation. We’ve been
working with five landowners to help
them refine the management of their
livestock in practical and watershed
friendly ways. Livestock that have free
access to the river, riparian areas, and
floodplains have the capacity to do
significant damage to our water supply.
Over grazing of these fragile areas
reduces protective plant cover, increases
erosion and sedimentation, and can
cause stream channels to entrench or
become overly wide.
Building a water catchment system in Gallinas
Improved livestock management often consists of fencing sensitive river and
wetland areas so livestock can be carefully controlled. Then a livestock management plan
is developed which lays out the best times to graze and how much grazing is acceptable
to prevent negative consequences. Next, off river watering systems, including rainwater
catchment and storage, are designed and built so that water is available for livestock
outside of the riparian area. Finally, improving the productivity of upland pastures (weed
control and pasture restoration) is pursued so enough forage is available to support
livestock.
Riparian Planting. During the spring of 2014 with the help of many volunteers, a
total of 1000 cottonwoods, willows, alder, New Mexico olive, and other riparian plants were
planted to help restore the river’s protective vegetation. When these plants mature they
will shade, cool, and reduce evaporation from the river. This riparian vegetation will also
hold streambank soils together keeping
the river channel configuration optimal
and will reduce river sedimentation.
Furthermore, the vegetation will feed the
fish and other organisms in the river so
that it is a complete and sustainable–
living, breathing ecosystem– providing us
with a fun fishing sport.
This newsletter is available on our
website at:
www.hermitspeakwatersheds.org/
newsletters
HPWA OSM/VISTA volunteer building a willow fascine
Instream Restoration. Working in
conjunction with experts like Watershed
Artisans Inc., we’ve carefully engineered
and installed, naturally inspired rock
and log structures in the stream channel,
helping to restore (continued on page 6)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Ben Gillock, President
Deanna Einspahr, Treasurer
Sharon Franklet
Joseph Gonzales
Dr. Edward Martinez
Rhonda Paynter
STAFF:
Lea Knutson, Exec.Dir.
Katie Withnall, Project Coordinator
Lorraine Garcia, OSM/VISTA
Kevin Murphy, ARMAS intern
HPWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization.
HPWA
HC 68 Box 11
Sapello, NM
87745
505-425-5514
www.hermitspeakwatersheds.org
DO NO RS
We are looking for board members,
particularly in the area of finance and
fundraising, but other expertise is
also welcome. If you are interested in
becoming a board member contact
Lea for details.
Dear Fellow Watershed Steward,
WOW, so much is going on to make positive
improvements in the health of our watersheds! Together with
many landowners, we’ve been so busy On-the-Ground that
we sometimes neglect to keep you in the loop. Hopefully
this newsletter will catch you up a bit, as well as explain what
future projects are in store.
The joyous rains this year have given us all some
hope that the grass can grow abundantly again and the river
can run full (or at least fuller than the last few years). How
great it is to see the green landscape! But that can’t make us
complacent. We still have a lot to do to brace for the next
really dry period or flood.
Gallinas Watershed restoration projects are well underway as our Phase
I On-the-Ground work comes to a close. We’ve branched out into the Lower
Mora Watershed where we’re in the middle of studying watershed conditions and
developing a Watershed Based Plan that will lead to restoration work in the future.
Our Land Stewardship Series composed of 10 workshops, presentations, and tours
during the last year with many more planned is helping to support landowners in
their challenging work to care for their land in a watershed friendly way. And our
new VISTA volunteer is working fiercely to put together the Watershed Olympics,
develop educational programs for our schools, and to help us expand our
membership drive and volunteer coordination.
If you’d like to help us with public relations, on-the-ground work, events, or
educational efforts, please don’t hesitate to step forward. It takes a community to
care for its Watersheds.
Thanks for your help!
Lea Knutson, Executive Director
Piñon <$100
Rebecca Helianthus
Jim and Marci Matlock
Leslie Broughton
Cottonwood $100$500
Ponderosa $500$5000
Michael Gullberg &
Jennifer Rowland
Kelly & Matt Stricherz
Glenda Overfelt
Community First Bank
Leslie & Brad Turk
Southwest Capital Bank
Eileen Goldwyn
Kris Wilson
Alumbra Women’s Health
& Maternity
Betsy & Don Chamberlain
Mary Shaw
Joseph Baca
Anastasia Fredlund
Ruth Kendrick
Anonymous (4)
Ginny Gable
Diana Springer
Linda McNeil in memory
of Betty Schwede
Tom Snyder
Linda McNeil in memory
of Luis Martinez
Deanna Einspahr
NE Regional Community
Foundation
Carrie McNeil
Joyce Litherland
Ben Gillock
KathrynMcNeil
Percyne Gardner
Sunrise Kiwanis
Eleanor Sandoval
Lorraine Garcia
Ray and Barbara Zimmer
Jason, Brandy, & Mars
Mcintosh
Patricia Sheehan
Oreg Foundation
Ted Maestas
2
Letter from the Director
Elizabeth Ratzlaff
Vivian Dullien
Pat Galligan
William Slick
Joseph Whiteman
Adam & Sonya Berg
Paula Zimmer
Community First Bank
Sharon Franklet
Blumenthal Family
Philanthropic Trust
Santa Fe Community
Foundation
Aspen $10,000 +
Meredith and Tory Taylor
Many thanks
to all o f o u r
s up po rters!
Naturalist Corner
by Molly Wright, NMHU student
Every spring, the wetlands in
New Mexico come alive with the
croaking calls of Leopard frogs.
With their green spotted backs and
cream colored bellies, this medium
sized frog species (usually 2-5
inches in length) has an extensive
home range across the United
States, including one subspecies
in our very own backyard known
as the Northern Leopard Frog
(Lithobates pipens). This species is
an impressive predator consuming a
variety of insects, and other aquatic
life including the obnoxious mosquito. Despite this subspecies extending across several
states, they have recently become threatened due to
a combination of factors, including
predation by the invasive American
Bullfrog, a fungal infection known
as chytrid fungus, increased rates
of habitat loss, and the list goes
on and on from there. Therefore, if
you are lucky enough to see these
spotted creatures or hear their
croaking call on a spring evening
give them their due and help
protect them by providing habitats
Northern Leopard Frog
within
your own neighborhoods.
Photo by Justin T. Saiz
HPWA Initiates Mora River Water Quality Project
Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance has been awarded funds from the New Mexico Environment Department
to do a variety of projects to improve water quality and overall watershed health in the lower Mora Watershed.
The project that HPWA will focus on is in the lower Mora Watershed; which consists of the drainage from near
Golondrinas to east of I-25 near Shoemaker, an area made up of 477 square miles that includes 36.6 miles of the
Mora River and 130 miles of tributaries.
“Water in the Mora River has higher nutrient levels, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, than we’d
like to see. While nutrients occur naturally and are needed to insure productive aquatic ecosystems, in high
concentrations they result in lower levels of oxygen in the stream. When nutrient levels get too high, oxygen levels
plummet and this can be harmful or even fatal to fish and to other organisms that depend on the stream,” explains
Katie Withnall, Project Coordinator for HPWA. Beyond toxicity to aquatic organisms which reduces biological
diversity in streams, high nutrient levels affect the clarity and smell of river, water compromising that clean, cold, and
pure look to our river. “We suspect the situation in the Mora is related to low flows, sedimentation/erosion problems
and over grazing. Inputs from upstream areas and drought definitely make the situation worse.”
HPWA has spent the summer studying the problem and working with residents along the Mora River and its
tributaries to learn more about factors that are leading to increased nutrients and to identify projects that could help
reduce nutrient levels in order to support a healthy river ecosystem. While water quality is the focus of this project,
HPWA will continue to look for other problems along with solutions that improve the overall health of the Mora
Watershed.
“Our goal is to identify projects we can do to help landowners meet their needs while improving the river’s
condition and that of its watershed,” says Lea Knutson, director of HPWA. “Once we put together a plan with a good
set of projects that will reduce nutrient levels, we will then be eligible to receive funding to pay for these projects.”
Possible projects may include improvements to livestock watering and grazing systems, planting trees along the river,
and even building rock and log structures in the river to help restore natural flow patterns. All projects will be
developed in conjunction with landowners so everyone benefits.
This project will include working with NM Highlands University, Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge, Fort
Union National Monument, High Plains Grassland Alliance, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, as well as, all
other government and private stakeholders in the region. It’s a major effort to bring together as many resources as
possible for the benefit of the lower Mora watershed and the communities that depend on it.
If you are a resident along the Mora River or its tributaries between Golondrinas and Shoemaker, NM and
would like more information on this project or would like to get involved please contact Katie Withnall at 426-7505.
For more information on HPWA visit www.hermitspeakwatersheds.org.
3
Watershed Stewards
People together with the land, water, plants and animals make up our vibrant watersheds. Here we feature some
of the locals that care for their lands in ways that benefit us all.
Diego Romero
A native of Ojitos Frios, Diego works as
photographer and director. Fifteen years ago
Diego recalls there being springs along the
side of the road in Ojitos Frios, which produced
clean and clear water that was drinkable. “I
used to go to the springs near the house and
drink water there, and hang out there all day.
Now there is no water and people buy it from
the city.” Although, there seems to be consistent
shortage of water in the area, Diego stills enjoys
living in the community, “it is nice being a part
of this culture and society, but also to be away
Diego Romero
from big society, to be near the mountains, and
the desert.” “As a photographer, I love the light; it is beautiful here, the
sunsets and sunrises. Night photography is also something I enjoy, and
you can get shots of the Milky Way almost constantly out here.”
Jane Lumsden
“La Espiritu de Bernal”
Born in California, Jane has lived in the Las Vegas area for about
45 years. Jane owns Semilla Natural Foods, but being a business
owner is not what drew Jane into settling in the area, instead it was
the open space and her love of horses. Now she is a self-described
land steward of a couple hundred acres in Sapello. She worked with
Tierra y Montes on building a fence along the riparian edge as a way
to protect it against grazers. She has planted many trees and has
allowed beaver to create a wetland. “Initially when the beavers came,
they took down all of the big cottonwoods. But, then they created a
five acre wetland. So it was a trade-off.” Now the sounds of the river
have changed to that of a wetland, the sounds of geese and heron.
Elk come down the valley, like bugling “land whales.” The US Fish and
Jane Lumsden
Wildlife Service used to dynamite beaver dams to let the water loose.
“Now we realize that beavers store water, allowing the water table to
rise,” beavers are tremendous workers at restoration.
Looking toward the Sangre de Cristos cresting above
the valley, she says, “that mountain would have been
covered with snow ten years ago,” “the springs were full
and waterfalls cascaded down the ridge.” “It’s an awful
feeling,” Jane says of the drought, “when you hit July and
it is crackly dry. I even take the shoes off of the horses so
that they do not create a spark on a rock while we walk
through the forest.” Jane looks towards her hill, at the
vast forest behind her house. “Part of the reason we live
here is to be in the trees. We know we are taking that
risk.” So she’s done some thinning to help improve the
health of her patch of forest.
Hundred year old oaks, Sapello
William Gonzales
William Gonzales was born in Lourdes, New Mexico, a village along the lower
reach of the Rio de Gallinas, it’s a true “hidden gem of the valley”. William,
though retired, is managing his ranch in Lourdes, for livestock, wildlife, a
healthy pinon-juniper-pine forest and small agricultural production. He harvests
pinon nuts like his dad did and thins the trees to create a healthier forest while
generating
firewood, fence
posts and more
abundant grass for
livestock. Forest
thinning has been
an important
William Gonzales
part of his land
management,
especially during the drought. William lives in
a sturdy adobe ranch house, tends a productive
orchard and maintains a life giving acequia
system. Here “we are receiving water already used
by others in the upper basins. Our main source
of water is from water released by the city water
treatment plant. We do not really see the natural
flow of the Gallinas.” So he’s acutely aware of the
Orchard in Lourdes
quality of water coming out of Las Vegas.
David Blagg
A landowner and current Mayordomo near Sapello, David
bought his property 20 years ago; “this land was dying or dead
before we got it, there were no trees” he says. It takes about 15
years or so to restore health to the land but there is so much
you can do to help
that process, David
explains. “You can
cut contours, deep
furrowing the soil,
rotate livestock, plant
trees, and put logs
in the river to force
meandering.”
David Blagg
He has no livestock on
this property, but has
a lot of wildlife that help keep the land healthy; mule deer, bob cat, elk,
prairie dogs, beaver, birds and coyote.
David is also a great proponent of planting both upland and riparian
vegetation to decrease erosion, increase wildlife habitat, increase water
retention and quality, and overall increase the health of his land. David
plants 50-100 trees each spring, and although not all of them survive,
he takes many precautions while they are young protecting them from
beavers, mice, elk, and other wildlife. By placing welded wire and
collars around tree bases, David greatly improves their survival rates.
“I am not sure I’ll have any trees at the end of my life, but I am still
planting. That either makes me the biggest fool or the greatest optimist.”
Photos by Diego Romero, www.rayodelalma.com
Planted tree with wildlife fence
On the Ground in Gallinas, cont.
the health of the Gallinas River. In the words of Pat
Galligan, landowner of our largest instream restoration
project, this restoration work “has turned a torpid, tepid,
muddy trench of a river back into a vibrant bubbling,
gurgling, cool and clean river. It has given me hope that
we can restore the health of our river and the land that
feeds it”. This type of stream restoration helps raise the
level of entrenched stream channels so that river water
can better moisten streambanks and floodplains, especially
during floods. It also brings back the deep, cool pools
increasing fish habitat and
creating swimming holes for
the hot summer months. More
importantly, it helps create
essential structural diversity
in the stream channel that
slows water flow during floods,
continually oxygenates the
water, and supports the aquatic
animals that are part of that
system.
.
Landscaping and
Low-Water Crossings.
Backyards with the Gallinas
River running through them are
both wonderful and problematic
as many riverfront landowners
saw during the September
2013 floods. Bridges washed
out, massive amounts of rock
and debris were moved, and
the river moved its path in
unexpected ways. A well
anchored river, with abundant
woody and herbaceous
vegetation, as it flows thru
backyards, is important to
reducing these impacts. Water
crossings that are constructed in a way to withstand floods
and improve rather than degrade instream conditions are
also critical. We’re working with four landowners, to the
best of our ability, to rebuild their backyards so the next
flood isn’t as damaging and so their riverfront land is
beautiful and functional for the watershed and landowner.
River Make-Over. With the help of river
restoration consultants, Riverbend Engineering and Zeedyk
Ecological Consulting, we designed a full blown river
and floodplain restoration project at the City of Las Vegas
property in the Village of Gallinas. This River Make-Over
will help restore pools and riffles,
off-channel wetlands, riparian
habitat, and stream meanders
in the ½ mile of river that runs
through the property. It will
also allow flood waters to again
bathe the floodplain that has
become dry and infested with
weeds. Floodwaters will now be
able to spread out, slow down,
and deposit sediment and debris
before the cleaned water returns
to the river. This will help reduce
flood damages downstream
River Restoration in Gallinas, before (above) and after (below) and keep a more sustainable
flow of water in the river. This
restored area will then be used to
demonstrate the benefits of river
and floodplain restoration work.
With this River Make-Over design
in hand, we are now searching for
funding to make it happen.
If you own river property
or lands that feed our beautiful
Gallinas River and want to do
some On-the-Ground work to
improve its health – contact us.
Meet the Staff: Lorraine Garcia
Lorraine Garcia is the newest addition to the HPWA staff. She is the third and final AmeriCorps
OSM-VISTA assigned to HPWA by the Western Hardrock Watershed Team. A native New Mexican
Lorraine was raised in Albuquerque, but has lived in Las Vegas, New Mexico several years
receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Geology and currently finishing her Master’s
Degree in Natural Resource Management at New Mexico Highlands University. While working
with HPWA Lorraine will be focusing on Outreach and Education. Over the course of her yearlong
service term, she hopes to be able to make an impact on the youth of the community in the way
of environmental education and conveying to them the importance of our watersheds.
If you would like to contact Lorraine to learn about opportunities with AmeriCorps, or with ideas
on Education or Outreach for HPWA, please email at [email protected].
Lorraine Garcia, OSM/VISTA
6
Kid’s Corner
Water Facts
•
It takes more than ten gallons of water to
produce one slice of bread
•
Over 713 gallons of water go into the
production of one cotton T-shirt
•
1000 gallons of water are required to produce 1
gallon of milk
•
Roughly 634 gallons of water go into the
production of one hamburger
•
A five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons
•
Each American resident uses about 100 gallons
of water per day
•
Approximately 400 billion gallons of water are
used in the United States per day
•
Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh water, 97% of
the water on Earth is salt water
•
Water covers 70.9% of the Earth’s surface
•
Water makes up between 55-78% of a human’s
body weight
Words of the Watershed
source: http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/water_
trivia_facts.cfm
Events Around the Watershed
• Gallinas River Restoration Tour - August 24th @ La
Placita Fire Station, Gallinas
• Grazing Workshop & Pasture Management October 29th @ Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge
• Volunteer Invasive & Native Plant Surveys - early
September (date TBA) @ Rio Mora National
Wildlife Refuge
• Land Stewardship Series: Living with Beavers November (date TBA)
• 3rd Annual Gallinas Watershed Olympics October 4th @ Las Vegas River Walk
• Mora 319 Public Meeting & US Fish and Wildlife
Landowner Workshop - October 18th @ Rio Mora
National Wildlife Refuge
Please check our website for event details
www.hermitspeakwatersheds.org
7
Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance
HC 68 Box 11
Sapello, NM
87745
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HPWA is a 501(c)3 organization. Please make checks payable to:
Hermit’s Peak Watershed Alliance
HC 68 Box 11, Sapello, NM 87745
You can also sign up to be a member or make a donation on our
website www.hermitspeakwatersheds.org
Support HPWA
No other organization in our area looks at the Gallinas,
Sapello, and Tecolote Watersheds with a holistic perspective, like
we do at HPWA. Other groups, whether private, nonprofit or
governmental, tend to have a narrow focus on one part of our
watersheds; like roads, fire protection, timber and agricultural
production, or recreation. HPWA strives to look at the whole
watershed, its people, land and water, and balance the needs
of all. Solutions that meet the needs of many are the ones we
pursue.
To have this broad and synergistic perspective means
we need help and participation from diverse, progressive and
similarly broad minded people. Also, to be effective in pursuing
often complex solutions, we need to work with a long-term
approach, not a quick fix.
The work we attempt is best done with the engagement and
support of our entire local community. Everyone has something
to contribute whether it is in the form of volunteering with events,
educational programs or restoration efforts; responsibly using
the land in a watershed friendly manner; or providing financial
support so we can keep working.
Become a member, offer to volunteer your time, or donate
what you can; all are essential to helping to keep our watersheds
healthy!