CARLSBAD SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Annual Report

July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006

The Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) presents this annual report of the activities within the District during the past fiscal year, to inform those interested in our efforts to conserve our natural resources.

Mission Statement

To facilitate programs that conserve our district�s natural resources for all citizens and future generations by utilizing any available funding technical and educational resources and through voluntary efforts.

The governing Board of Supervisors were:

Nathan Jurva Chairman

Max Vasquez Vice-Chair

Ron Head Secretary/Treasurer

Ridley Gardner Member

James Walterscheid Member

William Stanley Member

Jimmie Cisneros Member

District Staff:

Bill See District Manager (Retired 12/31/2005)

Aaron Curbello Assistant Manager/District Manager

Judy Bock Assistant District Manager

Judith McCollaum-Ortego Administrative Assistant

During the year the Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District was assisted by the following Natural Resources Conservation Service Staff;

Garth Grizzle District Conservationist

Raquel Miller Soil Conservationist

Tracy Hughes Technician

Becky Cribbs Technical Service Provider/Technician

John Fajardo FT Civil Engineering Tech

Natural Resource Improvements in 2006 - Summary

� Received $215,000 in Capital Improvement Funding from the NM Legislators

� Coordinated efforts for improvement to local irrigation system

� Conducted quarterly meetings and was principal coordinator for the Eddy County Coordinated Weed Management Group

� Lead agency for non-native phreatophyte management along the Pecos River and its tributaries

� Provided administrative oversight to Hackberry Draw Watershed District

� Provided matching funds for 32 acres of vegetation control

� Coordinated the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Lower Pecos River Watershed Alliance and continued as lead agency

� Designed a windbreak and drip irrigation systems for two local projects

� Provided information and education to the public through a number of avenues

� Signed a Government Services Agreement with the Interstate Streams Commission (ISC) to develop management plans for purchased farmlands

Farm Bill Implementation

� Located and hired a Technical Service Provider for the local NRCS office

� Provided leadership in the local work group in setting priorities and determining factors that affect EQIP, WHIP, etc.

Capital Improvement Funding

� Received an additional $130,000 for the Avalon-Alacran Watershed Improvement and Management Project

� Received an additional $85,000 and continued working with the Happy Valley Blue Bird Water Supply Company on the replacement of approximately 4,000 feet of the main concrete mortar-joint pipeline with 12-inch PVC plastic pipeline

Local Funding

� Coordinated approximately 900 acres in spraying for the Eddy County Coordinated Weed Management Group (i.e., African rue, Malta Star thistle)

� Provided $28,200 in herbicide for control of noxious weeds to be split between the Bureau of Land Management and the Eddy County Road department

� Provided $1,200 in matching funds for 32 acres of vegetation control under the District�s vegetation management program

� Provided chemical for treatment of 20 acres of saltcedar in coordination with the Carlsbad BLM field office as a project for a local cooperator

Non-Native Phreatophyte Funding

� Coordinated the restoration work on 746 acres of treated saltcedar

� Coordinated ground spraying of 124 acres of salt cedar and Russian olive along the Pe�asco River; to date approximately 239 acres has been treated from the Otero county line all the way to the Pecos River

� Received $200,000 in specially appropriated funds from Senator Bingaman�s Riparian Restoration Program for restoration work, at this time approximately 500 acres have been designated for these funds

� Currently working with the NRCS Plant Materials Center on two demonstration areas through Senator Bingaman�s Riparian Restoration Program through the coordinating of the extraction of 25 acres of treated salt cedar and assisting with the vegetation planting and monitoring

� Coordinated 120 acres of restoration work through the NRCS-Wildlife Habitat Incentives Programs on the Pecos River

� Coordinated with the Carlsbad BLM field office the burning of 21 river miles of treated salt cedar

Soil & Water Conservation Commission Water Quality/Water Conservation Funding

� Completed the portion of irrigation pipeline replacement for the Happy Valley Blue Bird Water Supply Company that was funded through the NMSWCC Water Quality/Water Conservation funding

� Submitted application and received $4,500 for the Xeric Gardening Demonstration Area to be placed at the District�s office

New Mexico Finance Authority

� Requested and received a loan agreement for the purchase of equipment to assist with re-vegetation of lands purchased through the ISC land buyout program

Watershed Conservation/Habitat Restoration

� Followed through with the development of the Lower Pecos River Watershed Alliance Strategic Plan and twenty three signatories from various federal and state government agencies and various other agencies and organizations within the watershed signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Strategic Plan

� Developed management plans for approximately 4,723 acres of farmland purchased by the ISC

Other Federal Funds

� Have applied for an NRCS Grazing Lands Initiative Grant for Gopher control - potential $50,000 in funds

� Applied for and received NMED 319 Grant for brush control and watershed coordinator through the LPRWA � $366,250 to Carlsbad SWCD and $40,000 to Otero SWCD for a total of $406,250

� Completed agreement with the BOR to assist them with revegetation demonstration plots and monitoring � $65,000

� Continued with the working agreement with the BLM to provide monitoring and noxious weed control work - $300,000 over 5 years

Community Collaboration & Coordination

� Completed the joint agreement with Eddy County and the Malaga Volunteer Fire Department to design and help install 600 foot windbreak and drip irrigation system at Malaga Park - $3,000

� Designed 480 foot windbreak and drip irrigation for a newly proposed animal refuge (Noah�s Ark)

� Went before the Eddy County Commission requested and received an additional $15,000 in noxious weed funds for the right-of-ways in Eddy County

� Through a coordinated effort with the Carlsbad BLM office, Dawson Geophysical donated $5,000 to the Coordinated Weed Management Area for noxious weed treatment

Information/Education

� Distributed 3,000 book covers to the 6^th � 7^th grades in Carlsbad and Loving

� Distributed 2,000 annual newspaper inserts

� Distributed 30 printers to Loving Schools in conjunction with the Sureste RC&D

� Quarterly distribution of 500 newsletters

� Distributed 2006 Soil Stewardship Week materials to thirteen elementary schools

� Produced the �Speaking of Conservation� and �What�s New in Carlsbad SWCD� newspaper articles

� Participated at the Eddy County Fair and Earth Day events with a booth

� Coordinated with NMDA on Grant Writing Workshop for the soil and water conservation districts

� Provided the Rolling Rivers Trailer for approximately 1,500 children at the Children�s Water Festival, the NM Environmental Science & Education Fair, US Park Service Park Kids summer camp at Carlsbad Caverns, and local schools

� Gave an informational talk to: Leadership Carlsbad; Riverblitz; and the NM Vegetation Management Conference

� Provided an information presentation on what the District has to offer for local educators

� Conducted a tour of District projects for the Chihuahuan Desert Conservation Alliance

� Our web site is updated and used as an informative center for the public to see what is going on in the District

� Developed several information pamphlets for a handout to also explain what the District offers to the public

The Carlsbad SWCD hereby acknowledges the assistance of our volunteers that serve on our standing committees and assist in our program delivery. Their efforts are greatly appreciated.

The Carlsbad Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors submit this report and hereby acknowledge the work done by all cooperating agencies and their contributions to the Districts overall programs. With continued support, this District will carry on a strong conservation program throughout the coming years.

_____________________________ _________________________________

Nathan Jurva, Chairman Ron Head, Secretary/Treasurer