Currents: The latest from Stream Dynamics

Stream Dynamic's Bog Springs project featured in Ruidoso News:

A planned project to restore wetlands along Warrior Drive and further enhance the ecology in the area of Ruidoso High School has turned into an education for students. The proposed Bog Springs Drainage Restoration is a collaborative initiative that includes high school departments, individual teachers and classes of pupils.

"It's really exciting to see the amount of enthusiasm especially as I'm going from class to class," said Jen Zawacki, an ecologist educator with Stream Dynamics, a stream and wetland restoration company in New Mexico. "We have engagement from the history department looking at oral history where students could interview community members and kind of compile and document looking at both listening and written skills. I've met with the Spanish classes who are translating the project into their Spanish newsletters. I've met with both the web design class, who's looking at putting forth a website for the project so that would be available to the community, and through the school's tech support we've even got a camera that can be mounted to take time-lapse photography of kind of the Entrance Park as it is constructed. Students want to post that on the website so the community has a continual update of that part of the project."

See the rest in the Ruidoso News.

See the full Watershed Management Group 2012 Annual Report PDF here. Text copied from report below.

A few years ago, Van Clothier went to a Green Infrastructure conference in Las Cruces, NM. “I met an intense young man who did a killer presentation.” That killer presenter was Catlow Shipek, WMG co-founder and Senior Program Manager.

“I had been doing stream restoration in wild areas for ten years. Learning about urban water harvesting changed my perspective and helped me pull it all together. Now I’m doing both,” says Van, who has taken WMG’s Water Harvesting Certification Course.

“After seeing Catlow at the conference, I wrote a grant to bring him to the NM Watershed Forum. Since then I’ve been using WMG as a resource and implementing their methods here in my home town.”

Now Van teaches workshops for WMG, including “Urban Stream Restoration,” offered this past January. Participants included natural resource managers, Prescott College students, and faculty from the Instituto Tecnologico Superior Cananea, Mexico.

“In the course, we teach people how to read the landscape, how to see subtle changes in topography and vegetation, and become a forensic hydrologist. Where is the water coming from and where’s it going? Where did it go and where did it come from prior to urbanization? How can we make best use of the water when it does rain?”

Van is delighted to be involved with WMG, which he considers a true give-and-take partnership: “I’m passionate about partnering with WMG because, of all the intractable problems in the world, water scarcity is one that actually has a graceful resolution that simultaneously benefits people, the environment, our economy, and our ecology. WMG shows us that all you have to do is make a small change, like cutting a little hole in the curb, and you can harvest a great resource for people.”

News from Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cananea:

Sky Island Alliance e Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cananea continúan haciendo un esfuerzo binacional en la educación ambiental, conservación y amistad.  
English: Sky Island Alliance and Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cananea continue a binational effort in environmental education, conservation and friendship.

Una vez más, el rancho La Esmeralda, la propiedad privada ubicada al suroeste de Nogales, Sonora y a pocos kilómetros al sur de la frontera, ha sido testigo de una nueva actividad de restauración conjunta, liderada por Sky Island Alliance, la organización grassroots, dedicada a la protección y restauración del diverso patrimonio natural de especies nativas y hábitats de la región de las islas serranas del suroeste de Estados Unidos y noroeste de México y apoyada por el Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cananea, quien colabora estrechamente en distintas labores de conservación y restauración desde marzo del año 2012, gracias al mutuo interés en el medio ambiente y que se ha visto fortalecido gracias al convenio de colaboración entre las mencionadas organizaciones.

El rancho tiene una larga historia de colaboración con Sky Island Alliance. En esta oportunidad ha albergado del 22 al 24 de febrero del año en curso a un grupo de once profesores y estudiantes del Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cananea, cinco de ellos Involucrados por primera vez en actividades de voluntariado, siete miembros y voluntarios de Sky Island Alliance, así como al instructor Van Clothier de Stream Dynamics Inc. responsable del taller, entrenamiento y supervisión de las obras realizadas.

See the rest

Sky Island Alliance, Stream Dynamics, and volunteers worked to restore damaged riparian bird and wildlife habitat at Rancho La Esmeralda in Sonora, México.

Extra moisture was evident across the landscape, providing beautiful working conditions for the restoration weekend February 22-24 at Rancho La Esmeralda in Sonora, Mexico.

Sky Island Alliance staff and restoration practitioner Van Clothier of Stream Dynamics, Inc. reforested two of the ranch’s riparian (a.k.a. stream-side) drainages along with a group of 16 bi-national volunteers.

The process focused on harvesting willow saplings or “whips”from established stands on the ranch and replanting them at other appropriate sites, a highly successful method for propagating many native willows and cottonwoods. An increase in woody plants along the banks anchors soils into place, allows water to better infiltrate and also provides additional wildlife habitat.

(Text revised from SIA email.)

A project designed to create a wetland and capture rainwater for irrigation at Ruidoso High School could get underway as early as April, said the founder of the company handling the work.

Nora Midkiff, chairman of the Ruidoso River Restoration Committee, which is charged by the courts with selecting $850,000 worth of projects aimed at improving the quality of water in the Rio Ruidoso, last week introduced Van Clothier to village councilors. Clothier, the founder of Stream Dynamics Inc. based in Silver City, gave the board an overview of the Bogs Springs project, the first approved by the RRRC.

"We are trying to craft a graceful resolution to a difficult water problem," Clothier said. "There has been some squabbling in the past and were looking to move forward with all the partners with minimum pain. The in-kind is an important part of that."

"I do watershed restoration and harvesting, and I know how to fix creeks and to turn erosion problems into water harvesting solutions. My company was awarded a contract two years ago to do an assessment of 28 miles of Ruidoso creeks. I have flown over your town twice and taken 1,000 air photos. Me and my partner, Steve Vrooman, walked Cedar Creek, Gavilan, Rio Ruidoso, all over the place and I have 1,000 (Global Satellite Position) points. We ended up proposing 28 possible projects to the committee."

"We interviewed longtime community members, conducted elevational surveys, analyzed our photos, met with the principal and teachers of the school and the school board, and took people on tours of the property." Clothier said.

"Bog Springs Creek is undercutting Warrior Drive and Warrior Drive will fall into the creek one day, if we don't stop it," Clothier told councilors. "So we propose to move the creek away from the road and create a wetland habitat up there. A little farther down along the creek, we will do grade stabilization of the creek and one of the concepts for this plan is called Entrance Park at the entry to the high school. We were talking to the principal and other administrators and they have an access problem at certain times and they've been wanting to move this road over anyway. This is great because we needed a little more room to do a water feature at the entrance to the school."

Read the rest at Ruidoso News website.

This workshop is hosted by Sky Island Alliance. It is February 22-24, 2013 at Rancho La Esmeralda, Sonora, Mexico (west of Nogales).  
   
Join us on this trip south of the border to kick off our 2013 Sonoran riparian restoration projects! We will be camping at the beautiful Rancho La Esmeralda and doing our part to improve creek-side habitat for neotropical migratory birds. Activities will include transplanting riparian trees and hands-on instruction from Van Clothier of Stream Dynamics.

The plan is to fill up the Sky Island Alliance van with as many people as possible, saving you from having to purchase Mexican car insurance. The fee for each U.S. participant is $40 and will be consistent for all of our Sonoran restoration trips for this project. This does not go to SIA but instead supports the ranch owner for allowing us to camp. Meals are not included and a valid passport is required for U.S. participants.

See a map, info, and photos from a previous trip.

"Last semester I was one of eight lucky students who worked with Van Clothier as he taught our Aldo Leopold High School (ALHS) Water Harvesting YCC crew the tricks of his trade. Van, who owns Stream Dynamics, has been helping landowners and public places decrease runoff and erosion problems while at the same time using that water for irrigation for over ten years."

"This was the second time Van has led a YCC crew for ALHS. In 2006, Van worked with a YCC crew at the Silva Creek Botanical Garden. There the crew redirected water that was running into the Big Ditch into rock lined basins, al- lowing the water to seep into the ground."

Read the rest below in the Aldo Leopold High School News on page 6.

Jane, a property owner in northwest Tucson, recently had a hands-on workshop run by Stream Dynamics and Watershed Management Group. Dozens of college students and other participants learned strategies and techniques, then carefully planned and installed drainage and earthworks on her property.  Just over a week later a heavy storm tested the efforts. The planning and work payed off preventing further erosion in problem areas and harvesting runoff to quench parched soil.

Jane "...was very pleased with all your work and grateful for the rain. Thanks."

It began to rain as the crew arrived Saturday at 2pm to landscape the previously constructed water catchment system on 10th just up from West St. Not to be deterred the group from WNMU Sustainability Club and some helpers laid out an array of wild flowers, shrubs, spineless Nopale ("non-prickly" pear) Cactus and trees native to this area.

See the rest on the Gila Community newswire

Silva Creek Botanical Garden achieved a "Sheet Flood Irrigation Event" today after the neighborhood received 1.4 inches of rain. This photo was taken today by Tim Bell standing on State St looking into the park, past the catchment ponds, beyond a raised walkway that defines one side of the catch pond and into the flooded open field of the park. This "Sheet Flooding" deep waters the trees and native plants growing in mound planters that help contain the flooding from the neighbors and Virginia St.

See the rest on the Gila Community newswire

Above is an example of an infrastructure problem that needs improvement and there are many besides this drainage originating from one Town owned street. From sidewalks to trails, streets, sewers and everything that is collectively owned by the people of Silver City, both ideas and money are needed. Ideas can be new or redoes of existing infrastructure, even new ideas for old problems. Each year the Town applies to the State for money from taxes collected by the State But, the Town must have an "Infrastructure and Capital Improvement Plan" that lists the specific project the Town is asking funding for. If the project is not in the "Plan" an application for funding won't be considered by the State. Got a project? Now is your chance.

And the winner is Ben Altimirano Sports Complex at 3.9 million gallons for the month of August at a cost of $15,769.00 for 4 baseball fields and 2 soccer fields. In an agreement between the Town of Silver City, owner of the complex, and Silver Consolidated School District the School District maintains and controls the Complex and the Town/Taxpayer pays the water bill. Above, a ball field watered during a down pour.

As the Town takes up the issue of water conservation as recommended by the Mayor's Climate Committee and not exactly knowing what to do the Town began by analyzing the biggest water users. See below for their top 10 as printed out from their data base after my amended list of the top ten.

See the story on the Gila Community newswire

By way of comparison to other big water users:

1. 1a - The 476 water users of the Arenas Valley Water Association used 4.078 million gallons in August. An average of 8.5 thousand gallons per household. About average if you don't have a lawn. Although #1 in total gallons used it is only 178,000 gallons more than the above Sports Complex.
   1b - The Pinos Altos Water Associations 136 households used 803 thousand gallons in August (a steady decrease over the summer from 1.1 million gallons in May) for an average of 5,944 gallons per household and down from 8,000 per household in May.
2. The 10 water meters at WNMU registered a total August use of 5.09 million gallons with their dorms, lawns, sports fields and pool. Some big users on campus are 1.3 million gallons for the Police Academy and the Fine Arts Building at 1.2 million (down from Julys 1.8 million gallons). Obviously the fine arts building doesn't have a lawn but may water the lawn across the street. The Police academy waters the Old James Stadium but not the New Stadium which used 334,000 gallons in August with a steady decrease over the summer from a high of 1.2 million gallons in May. There are 5 individual WNMU meters that are in the top 10 water users.
3. Parks, excluding the swimming pool: although there are 12 Parks that have a water meter only 10 show a water use for a total June (highest month) use of 852,000 gallons with Gough Park the highest with 26,000 Gallons or about 3 average households use per month.
4. Swimming Pools, The Towns outdoor swimming pool used a modest 9,000 gallons in August, down from a high of 30,000 in June and 11,000 in July. The WNMU indoor pool, #10 in the un-amended top 10, used a total of 2.4 million gallons for May - July for an average of 800,000 gallons per month. For August, when it was shut down do to a leak the usage went down to 310,000 gallons, dropping it from the top 10 at least for now.
5. LDS Mormon Church on Swan St moves into the top 10 with an August use of 747,000 gallons. See: Amended Top 10 list below for May-July usage.
6. Scott Park, 3 baseball fields: Although included in the Parks Total these Ball parks are not watered in the winter and had no water in August. Two fields are now neglected and one is mowed and still alive and used. Although they were never in the top water users the separate issue with watering these fields is that it allegedly raised the ground water level under the old landfill next door and created potential pollution problems into the ground water. May- 21,000; June- 26,000; July- 11,000; August- 0.
7. The Golf Course: The biggest user of all receives their water from the Sewer Treatment Plant as reclaimed/cleaned waste water.
8. In an Amended 10 List I removed the Water Associations from the list since individual users are at or below the average per household use. And, as above I removed WNMU Pool. This moved LDS Church, Grant County Courthouse Lawn and Gough Park into the top 10.

Amended Top 10 Water Users for the months of May; June; July; 3 month Total; (August) 2011 (billed Gallons) Without Water Associations Included. As a comparison, below this is the original top ten as printed out from the Town Database.

1. Ben Altimirano Sports Complex: May- 3,359,000;    June- 3,304,000;    July- 2,407,000;    Total- 9,070,000 (August- 3,932,000 )( Silver School 32nd St.)
2. WNMU Fine Arts Building:    May - 1,446,000;    June- 2,061,000;    July- 1,868,000; Total- 5,375,000;- (August- 1,252,000) (WNMU)
3. 3500 N Silver St. B:    May - 1,744,000;     June- 1,588,000;    July- 1,081,000;    Total- 4,413,000; -(August- 1,441,000 )(Silver High School )
4. 1101 N. Louisiana St:    May - 1,367,000;    June- 1,550,000;    July- 997,000;    Total- 3,914,000; -(August- 822,000 ) (WNMU Womens Dorms etc)
5. 3 Burro MTN:    May -1,219,000;    June- 1,125,000;    July- 500,000;    Total- 2,844,000; - (August- 1,351,000 ) ( WNMU Police Academy)
6. 929 N. F. St:    May -1,293,000;    June- 859,000; July- 686,000;    Total- 2,838,000; -(August- 334,000 ) ( WNMU Altimirano Memorial Field/New James Stadium)
7. 2810 N. Swan St:     May - 1,254,000;    June- 1,052,000;    July- 501,000;     Total- 2,807,000; -(August- 857,000) ( Silver Schools Fox Field )
8. LDS Church at 3755 N Swan: May- 448,000; June- 822,000; July- 789,000; Total- 2,059,000; -(August- 747,000 ) Note: compare this 2.05 million with the 1.99 Million for the Rosedale Mutual Water Association for the same 3 month May - July.
9. Grant County Court House Lawn: May- 383,000; June- 505,000; July- 458,000; Total- 1,343,000; -(August- 176,000)
10. Gough Park: May- 325,000; June- 431,000; July- 517,000; Total- 1,273,000 --(August- 194,000)

Original Top 10 Water Users for the months of May thru July 2011 ( billed Gallons ) With Water Associations Included.

1. Arenas Valley Water Association: May- 4,420,000;    June- 4,888,000;    July- 3,186,000; Total- 12,494,000 (August- 4,078,000)
2. ( 476 Residences )
3. Ben Altimirano Sports Complex May- 3,359,000;     June- 3,304,000;     July- 2,407,000;     Total- 9,070,000
4. ( Silver School 32nd St.)
5. WNMU Fine Arts Building     May - 1,446,000;     June- 2,061,000;     July- 1,868,000; Total- 5,375,000
6. (WNMU)
7. 3500 N Silver St. B     May - 1,744,000;     June- 1,588,000;     July- 1,081,000;     Total- 4,413,000
8. (Silver High School)
9. 1101 N. Louisiana St.     May - 1,367,000;     June- 1,550,000;     July- 997,000;     Total- 3,914,000
10. (WNMU Womens Dorms etc)
11. Pinos Altos Water Altos Water Association:    May - 1,102,000;    June- 1,109,000; July- 940,000;     Total- 3,151,000
12. ( 136 Residences )
13. 3 Burro MTN     May -1,219,000;     June- 1,125,000;    July- 500,000;     Total- 2,844,000
14. ( WNMU Police Academy)
15. 929 N. F. St.     May -1,293,000;     June- 859,000;     July- 686,000;     Total- 2,838,000
16. ( WNMU Altimirano Memorial Field/Neww James Stadium)
17. 2810 N. Swan St.     May - 1,254,000;     June- 1,052,000;     July- 501,000;     Total- 2,807,000
18. ( Silver Schools Fox Field )
19. 1100 N. Kentucky St     May - 860,000;     June- 833,000;     July- 784,000;     Total- 2,477,000
20. (WNMU Swimming Pool) Note: in August the Pool usage went down to 310,000 Gallons when a leak was discovered and it was shut down.

These numbers were culled from a review of the top 96 water users as recorded in the Town Records. Help in my attempt to determine what meters did what was supplied by Chris McNeil, Meter Service Foreman and 11 years with the water department.