Introduction
The Lower Rio Grande River, situated in the tail end of the Rocky Mountains, is the lifeblood of the Mesilla Valley. The Master Watershed Conservationist program is a volunteer based education program focusing on the river’s watershed from Caballo Dam to the New Mexico Texas border. This region sustains a fertile agricultural industry, is a crossroads for a growing international trade zone with Mexico, home to the City of Las Cruces the state’s second largest city and home to the state’s Land Grant University, New Mexico State University. A changing climate brings increasing temperatures, extended droughts, and diminishing water supplies that threaten our way of life. The rapid changes demand an informed engaged citizenry to make the decisions necessary to conserve our water for current and future generations.
Goal
Equip citizens of New Mexico's lower Rio Grande River watershed with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions in the planning and management of the watershed. Engage and empower volunteers to implement conservation projects that address one or more critical conservation issues of the New Mexico Lower Rio Grande watershed. Empower volunteers to engage in leadership roles and organize educational efforts that promote the stewardship of the New Mexico lower Rio Grande watershed.
Topic | Organizer | Organization |
---|---|---|
1. Watershed & Watershed Planning | Connie Maxwell | NM Water Resources and Research Institute |
2. Weather, Climate, Droughts & Flooding | John Gwynn | Dona Ana County Flood Commission |
3. Hydrology, Stream Processes and Ecology of the Southern NM Rio Grande | Kurt Anderson & Nikki Dictson | Dona Ana Soil and Water Conservation District |
4. Soils and Geologic Processes | Steve Kadas | NRCS |
5. Watershed Management & Water Quality | Rhonda Diaz, Peter Bennett & Zach Libbin | City of Las Cruces & Elephant Butte Irrigation District |
6. Water Laws and Regulations | Josh Smith | Dona Ana Soil and Water Conservation District |
7. Water Supply Management | Leslie Kryder | Spring Rains Consulting |
8. Working Together & Project Ideas | Craig Fenske & Jerry Schickedanz | Dona Ana Soil and Water Conservation District NMSU |