Sponsored by PRNNP Management Project & CTIC. Lower Pecos River Watershed Alliance

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1 Sponsored by PRNNP Management Project & CTIC Lower Pecos River Watershed Alliance

2 LPRWA Mission To protect and improve the watershed health for all users/uses of the Pecos River watershed by identifying watershed health concerns including, but not limited to, water quality and water quantity by developing strategies to address those concerns and seeking resources to implement practices that resolve the concerns of the watershed.

3 LPRWA Function Serves as an overall umbrella for projects dealing with watershed health and/or restoration Works through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Operates with an executive board of directors Primary liaison for interagency projects to maintain continuity

4 LPRWA Goals Water Quality/Quantity Reduce Sediment loads Reduce phreatophytes Improve river conditions Range and Grasslands Reduce woody vegetation Reduce erosion Improve grass and range conditions Forest Lands Reduce through thinning methods Improve forage Increase wildlife and grazing areas

5 LPRWA Objectives Each resource concern is identified, and include strategies of what changes are needed. These are located in each section of the plan. Geographic areas contain the resource concern and identify it to a specific location, where improvements can be made that will greatly impact the watershed. Concerns identify specifics; where, how bad, and what is needed to rectify the problem. Identified changes for each area show what is needed on the ground and how it is going to be accomplished to rectify the problem.

6 LPRWA Land Status Owner Area (Mi 2 ) Private 8713 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 4700 State 2574 U.S. Forest Service 1251 Tribal 489 National Park Service 73 NM Game and Fish 55 Fish and Wildlife Service 38 Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) 37 State Parks 7 Military 6 Total 17,943

7 LPRWA Boundaries Boundaries for the alliance are: North boundary- Santa Rosa Reservoir (Guadalupe County) South boundary- Texas/NM State lines (Eddy County) East boundary Eastern edge of Pecos River Watershed West boundary- Sacramento mountains (west County lines of Lincoln and Guadalupe Counties)

8 LPRWA Members Federal Agencies - BLM, BOR, NRCS, RC&D, US Army Corp of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service Other Agencies - Chaves County Flood Control, Cities and Villages, Counties, Irrigation Districts, Community Ditches, Mescalero Apache Tribe, PVACD State Agencies - NMED, NM Game and Fish, NM Soil and Water Conservation Districts, NM State Engineer s Office, NM State Forestry Division, NM State Land Office, NM State Parks, NMSU; Agriculture Experimental Station, (NMDA), Extension Service Organizations NMACD, NM Farm Bureau, NM Watershed Coalition, Pecos River Non-Native Phreatophyte Management Program, Sandia National Laboratories, Ruidoso River Association, Water Resources Application Project (WRAP), Walthall Environmental, LLC

9 LPRWA Structure Members Advisors Stakeholders

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11 Water Quality/Quantity Goal The Pecos River Watershed will maintain an adequate base flow that meets the needs of the users and uses with water that meets the water quality standards by 2025.

12 Water Quality/Quantity Before Ft. Sumner Irrigation Diversion

13 Water Quality/Quantity Resource Concern Water Quality & Quantity Strategies for Change Improve vegetation management Improve water quality (reduce sedimentation) and stream bank protection Improve water retention for base flow and streams Improve groundwater retention and storage in major aquifers

14 Water Quality/Quantity After Ft. Sumner Irrigation Diversion 2005

15 Range and Grasslands Goal The range and grasslands of the Pecos River Watershed will support diverse native plant communities that resist brush invasion, abate erosion, increase infiltration, enhance groundwater recharge and stream flow, provide habitat for wildlife and livestock, and sustain rural and urban economies by the year 2025.

16 Range and Grasslands before

17 Range and Grasslands Resource Concern Range/Grass Lands Strategies for Change Education of public to show benefits of rangeland health Increase collaboration on diverse ownershippromote management by watershed boundaries Funding for assistance on Range Best Management Practices and Implementation get earmarked funds to implement - focus on priority areas

18 Range and Grasslands Resource Concern Range/Grass Lands Strategies for Change Brush reduction to increase rain capture through improved infiltration, therefore making more water available, reduces sediment load, increases native vegetation, diversifies wildlife habitat Tracking changes and progress of improvement in range land health

19 Range and Grasslands after

20 Forest Lands Goal The forest community within the Pecos River Watershed will have a suitable number of stems/acre and adequate ground cover (i.e. perennial grasses) to sustain the economy/ecology and keep perennial streams flowing by 2015.

21 Forest Lands Before

22 Forest Lands Resource Concern Forest Land Strategies for Change Change public perception of what a healthy forest is and what it looks like Increase/improve management practices: chemical treatment and prescribed burns; thinning; grazing; responsible harvest and wildlife management

23 Forest Lands After

24 Forest Lands After- increased native vegetation

25 For more information about the Lower Pecos River Watershed Alliance Contact: Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District (505) or visit the website at