Published by the New Mexico Natural Resources Conservation Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture Fall 2002

Hugh Hammond Bennett (right), first

Chief of the Soil Conservation Service.

natural resources

REPORTER

 The new Farm Bill is having its impact on conservation

in New Mexico as additional projects are funded and

cost-share is increased. It is anticipated that additional

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

projects will be funded as this issue of Natural Resources Reporter is going to press. This is in addition

to an increase of cost-share to 75% from 50% for

existing contracts. All of this means more opportunities

for conservation of our natural resources, particularly on

the farm and ranch lands throughout the state.

 EQIP is the keystone of conservation funds for

private lands in New Mexico. New Mexico has approximately 2000 EQIP contracts between NRCS and private

producers currently in effect. About $20 million of federal

funds are committed to these contracts.

 Typically the state has been receiving about $5.2

million a year in EQIP monies. The new Farm Bill puts

additional monies into the program bringing the money

available to New Mexico conservationists to $10 million

this year. This is money for brush control, installation of

efficient irrigation systems, erosion control, and other

conservation practices.

 NRCS is in the process of ranking and funding additional applications for FY2002 as this article is being

written. The agency anticipates it will fund 400 contracts

this year. It is completing commitments made to 27

special emphasis areas with this year’s funding.

 The statewide concerns in place for FY2002 have

been grazing lands, water resources, and tribal lands.

Added to these because of the new Farm Bill have been

wildfire impacted lands and livestock manure handling.

(Continued - Page 2)

Farm Bill Puts More Conservation On The Ground

Grassland withstands drought in Rio Arriba county this summer thanks

to good conservation practices.
Natural Resources Reporter

( 2 )

Leadership Charts

Course for NRCS

 New Mexico was fortunate

to receive visits in August from

USDA Assistant Secretary

Lou Gallegos and UnderSecretary Mark Rey - both of

whom are helping chart the

course of NRCS.

 Mr. Gallegos attended an

Advisory Council on Historical

Preservation meeting and

addressed how RC&Ds can

assist in New Mexico historical preservation efforts.

 Mr. Rey addressed NRCS and U.S. Forest Service

and complimented the two agencies on their joint efforts

as evidenced by their teamwork in fire rehabilitation. He

spoke extensively about the urban enroachment of

agricultural land, citing it as the number one environmental

problem that is facing the West.

 Both leaders shared their enthusiasm for the new Farm

Bill and the many opportunities it presents.

 With our new opportunities have come challenges

which our staff is stepping forward to meet. As always, if

you have questions about the Farm Bill, our agency, or

our programs call or visit your local USDA-NRCS

service center for more information.

Natural Resources Reporter - Fall 2002

Permission is hereby granted to reprint all or any portion of this

publication. Credit to NRCS is requested for any material reprinted.

Barbara Garrett, Editor - Albuquerque (505)761-4406

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation

or martial or family status. (Not all prohibited basis apply to all

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means

for communication of program information (Braille, large print,

audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at

(202)720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-2,

Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington D.C.

20250-9410 or call (202)720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an

equal opportunity provider and employer.

Published product contains recycled materials

Farm Bill - Continued From Page 1

 Looking ahead to future years, the new Farm Bill

ramps up the amount of funding authorized for EQIP until

it reaches a nationwide level of $1.3 billion in FY2007.

An important point to remember is that while the Farm

Bill authorizes higher levels of funding, such monies must

still be appropriated in the budget.

 In FY2003 NRCS anticipates that it will receive about

1000 applications for funding, and the amount requested

will total over $30 million. So while opportunities have

increased, there still will be unmet needs.

 The new Farm Bill offers many opportunities in

addition to the significant expansion of EQIP. Two of

these are the Conservation of Private Grazing Land

Program and Conservation Security Program.

 The Conservation of Private Grazing Land Program

will be a new program that helps owners and managers of

private grazing land address natural resource concerns. It

will enhance the economic and social stability of grazing

land enterprises. This will in turn impact the rural communities that depend on the ranches.

 The Conservation Security Program provides payment

for addressing resource concerns on working land.

Resource concerns include water quality and quantity, soil

erosion, air quality, plant management, and animal management. The program rewards ongoing stewardship on

working lands and helps producers increase their level of

conservation treatment. It helps owners and operators of

agricultural lands maintain conservation practices and

install additional practices.

 Responding to the many new changes is both exciting

and challenging for NRCS staff. Rules need yet to be

drafted, experience gained, and monies secured to know

the full ramifications of the new Farm Bill. It is most

importantly an exciting time for producers as they see

opportunities ahead.

 For additional information contact Ken Leiting

(505)761-4425.
Natural Resources Reporter

( 3 )

NRCS Releases Funds for Wildlife Habitat

on Private Lands

 Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

released $105,725 in August to improve wildlife habitat

on private lands in the state under the Wildlife Habitat

Incentives Program (WHIP). Seven projects will be

funded to improve habitat for elk, turkey, bear, shorebirds, grouse, desert bighorn sheep, and other species

including the endangered willow flycatcher.

 Three projects will be funded in the Cuba Soil and

Water Conservation District, two in the Upper Chama

Soil and Water Conservation District, one in the

Quemado Soil and Water Conservation District, and one

in the Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation District. All

projects are on private land with voluntary participation of

the landowner.

 The landowners will receive funding for constructing

water supplies for wildlife, fencing to exclude livestock

from creeks and ponds, and establishing permanent food

plots. Solar pumps will be installed, sagebrush removed,

trees thinned, and erosion controls installed.

 WHIP is a voluntary program that encourages creation

of high quality wildlife habitats through cost-share payments for development and protection of upland, wetland,

riparian, and aquatic habitat areas.

 For more information contact Cliff Sanchez at

(505)761-4403.

Mule deer photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Natural Resources Reporter

( 4 )

 One of the products of this year’s horrific fire season

is a growing awareness of defensible space. Even less

known, but equally important, is the emerging technology

of dry hydrants. Together dry hydrants and defensive

space are making significant inroads into rural fire safety.

Dry Hydrants

 A dry hydrant is a non-pressurized pipe permanently

installed in existing lakes, ponds or streams that provide a

suction water supply to tank trucks. The success of

fighting fire in rural areas, in many cases, hinges on the

distance tanker trucks must travel to water fill-up points.

Dry hydrants are fill-up points that can economically be

placed around a rural area to shorten water-hauling

distances in the event of a fire.

 In many rural areas, a lack of water mains and

domestic fire hydrants can sometimes impair a fire

department’s ability to do its job quickly and efficiently.

Tanker trucks must be used to carry large amounts of

water to the fire scene. If the tanker fill-up points are a

long distance from the fire, the firefighters may be unable

to retain an uninterrupted water supply to the scene of the

fire.

 Dry hydrants can be placed at a variety of sites where

there is a water source. Adjacent to a water source such

as a stream or pond, dry hydrants use steel, iron or PVC

pipe that sticks out of the ground to give tanker trucks a

hose connection. The other end of the pipe has an intake

strainer section and is submerged in the stream or pond.

(See Diagram 1.) A pump on the tanker truck provides

the suction to draw the water from the stream into the

tanker.

 Because of the Northern Rio Grande Resource

Conservation and Development Council (RC&D), many

small communities in northern New Mexico are adopting

dry hydrant technology. As a result of the RC&D’s

assistance Taos County has installed 59 dry hydrants, Rio

Arriba County 17, and Santa Fe County 14. The RC&D

assisted in securing water rights, easements, and Corps of

Rural Fire Fighting Just Got Easier
Natural Resources Reporter

( 5 )

Engineers and New Mexico Environment Departments

permits. It has worked with the U.S. Forest Service,

local volunteer fire departments, State Fire Marshall’s

Office, county grant administration offices, local

contractors, soil and water conservation districts, state

legislators, and designers and inspectors. The RC&D is

fiscal agent for funds that have been appropriated by the

state of New Mexico.

 If anyone needs convincing of the value of dry

hydrants consider homeowner insurance. The insurance

rates of homeowners in El Rito, Rio Arriba County

decreased because of the installation of the dry hydrant.

Fire insurance premiums depend on an area’s Insurance

Service Organization (ISO) classification. These

classifications rely on the area’s ability to fight fires, so as

an area’s fire-fighting capability increases insurance

premiums decrease. With a dry hydrant, insurance rates

can decrease 45 to 50 percent.

 Dry hydrants are a win-win situation. Rural fire

departments and homeowners gain. And the state of

New Mexico and RC&D achieve their stated purpose of

supporting the development of rural New Mexico.

Defensible Space

 Defensible space is a perimeter around your home

that you can defend in the event of a wildfire. It means

clearing brush away, moving woodpiles and propane

tanks away from buildings, installing fireresistant roofs,

and generally depriving any potential fire of fuel near your

home.

 There are several tips from the Fire Safe Council that

you can follow to make your home fire safe:

Roof

Remove dead branches overhanging your roof.

Remove any branches within 10 feet of your chimney.

Clean all dead leaves and needles from your roof and

gutters.

Install a roof that meets the firesistance classification of

“Class C” or better.

Cover your chimeny outlet and stovepipe with

nonflammable screen of 1/2 inch or smaller mesh.

Construction

Build your home away from ridge tops, canyons, and

areas between high points on a ridge.

Build your home at least 30 feet from your property line.

Use fire resistant building materials.

Enclose underside of balconies and above ground decks

with fire resistant materials.

Limit the size and number of windows in you home that

face large areas of vegetation.

Install only dual-paned or triple paned windows.

Landscape

Create a defensible space by removing all flammable

vegation at least 30 feet from all structures and

replacing it with fire resistive plants.

On steep slopes, remove flammable vegatation out to 100

feet or more.

Space native trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart.

For trees taller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within

six feet of the ground.

Choose ornamental landscaping plants that are fire

resistive.

Reduce the number of trees in heavily wooded areas.

Maintain all plants by regularly removing dead branches,

leaves, and needles.

 This summer’s fire season was devastating, yet many

lessons were learned that can help rural residents in the

future. Dry hydrants and defensible space are two critical

steps.

 For further information contact David Manzanares,

Northern Rio Grande RC&D coordinator, (505)753-

6412.
Natural Resources Reporter

( 6 )

 How to increase survival of transplanted shrubs with

very limited irrigation in the arid Southwest is the topic of

an NRCS Plant Materials Center research project

currently underway. The Plant Materials Center is

successfully using a combination of tall-pots and

superabsorbent hydrogel to achieve a survival rate of 98

percent. Ensuring the survival of shrubs is particularly

important along highway medians and right-of-ways

where conventional irrigation is not available, but there are

also other applications.

 The Plant Materials Center is testing their methods at

three sites. A total of 99 shrubs and trees were planted

on a highway median in Milan, New Mexico. At the I-25

and Highway 285 junction 808 native shrubs were

planted initially, and later an additional 921 native shrubs

were planted. And, on Highway 599 in Santa Fe 199

New Mexico olive, 161 skunkbush sumac, and 119

wavyleaf oak were planted.

 Tall-pot containers are being used. A tall-pot is a

container that is more than 24 inches high. They

encourage deep root growth of seedlings, and have been

shown to improve the seedling’s survival and growth

rates. The tall-pots the Plant Materials Center is using

consist of 30-inch tall pieces of 4-inch diameter sewer

pipe. These containers have two split seams that run

Tall-Pots and Hydrogel Increase Shrub Survival

most of the pipe length to encourage spiraling roots to

grow downward. The bottoms of the containers are

sealed with a porous fabric coated with copper hydroxide

to control root penetration and allow drainage.

 The transplanted shrubs are irrigated once per year,

generally with superhydrogel that absorbs and retains

water hundreds of times its own weight. A two gallon

application of superhydrogel is applied in June, once

spring moisture is near depletion to sustain the plants for

one full year.

 The survival rate at the three test sites has averaged 98

percent. Of the 1,346 tall-pot transplants, only 29 plants

died by the end of the first growing season. The study

suggests that nearly 100 percent survival rate can be

achieved by using tall-pots with irrigation tubes to

facilitate deep root watering. Either hydrogel may be

used or two applications of water. If water is used, one

three-gallon water application should be applied when the

plants are first transplanted in the fall. A second water

application should be applied in June to carry the plant

through the droughty period before the monsoon period

begins in July.

 For more information contact Greg Fenchel, Plant

Materials Center Manager, at (505)865-4684.

Shrubs established using tall pots at the Ridge Crest Road exit on Highway 599 in Santa Fe.
Natural Resources Reporter

( 7 )

 Applying conservation is sometimes an art rather than

a science according to Art Ariaz, Field Team Civil

Engineering Technician.

 “The technical guide is just that - a guide,” Ariaz said.

“You need to

remember the

human element

that can be so

versatile in the

planning process.

That person can

find solutions

where there

appear to be only

challenges.”

 Ariaz is

experienced in

finding solutions

and capturing the

praise of his

supervisors and

peers.

 “Art has done a lot of design work, especially for

acequias,” said Ben Creighton, Northeast Team Leader.

“He handles large complex jobs, and is just outstanding.”

 A native of the Santa Rosa area, Ariaz grew up on a

Puerto De Luna ranch where as a 4-H member he raised

lambs. He graduated from Santa Rosa High School and

went on to New Mexico State University where he

studied mechanical engineering. After graduating from

NMSU in 1975 he went to work in Texas as a pumper in

the oilfields.

 Ariaz joined the Soil Conservation Service under a

WAE (while actually employed) appointment in

December of 1975 as a soil conservation technician in

Santa Rosa. After 10 years in Santa Rosa he became a

civil engineering technician. During this period he applied

conservation on the ground, designing large irrigation

systems on acequias and completing resource

conservation plans.

 In the mid-80s Ariaz became the NRCS civil

engineering technician for the northeast quarter of the

state of New Mexico. With this new designation Ariaz

assumed office responsibility for quality control of the

engineering program.

 Ariaz reminds us of the changes during his career that

make for better design and a better job done of bringing

conservation to the ground.

 “The technological advances available to the agency

are incredible,” Ariaz said. “What use to take days to

accomplish, now seems instantaneous. It use to take time

to stake a field or layout a project. Now we go out and

conduct design surveys, design it, and the contractor then

takes this data and plugs it into his software, and the job

gets done.”

 “Quality control and assurance is basically my

responsibility. It is easier much easier to accomplish

because we have better equipment.”

 Reflecting back on his career, Ariaz said, “After 28

years of service, I realize that I had no idea what we were

doing when I first started. Conservation is something you

learn from the people who practice it. You learn about

land use and resource management. I get much

satisfaction from looking at the positive results of the

applied conservation practices that I have been a part of.

I can also say that I am proud to have been instrumental

in protecting a way of life for many of our clientele in New

Mexico. When you are in this field you gain confidence in

the work you are doing and start expanding your

horizons. I see our rangeland and cropland improving.

The Conservation Reserve Program has done a world of

good for our state.”

 Ariaz is a man who truly earns the name

conservationist. In his spare time he volunteers for the

Santa Rosa City Parks Committee where he brought to

the city council and mayor the idea of seeking a Tree City

USA designation

 Married to Christine for 25 years, they have two

children - Arthur Steven and Erica. And Art and Christine

are about to be grandparents for the first time as this issue

of Natural Resources Reporter goes to press.

Worthy of the Name Conservationist

Art Ariaz, Field Team Civil Engineering Tech
Natural Resources Reporter

New Mexico NRCS Field Team Contacts:

Norman Vigil

Northwest Team

Cook’s Professional Building

224 Los Alamos Avenue, Suite 1

Espanola, NM 87532

(505)753-6412

Ben Creighton

Northeast Team

200 North Second Street

Clayton, NM 88415

(505)874-2391

Dan Thomas

Central Team

Agricultural Service Center Bldg. 27

Courthouse Road

Los Lunas, NM 87031

(505)865-4642

John Allen

Southwest Team

2507 North Telshor

Las Cruces, NM 88001

(505)521-8119

Hollis Fuchs

Southeast Team

409 Central Avenue

Carrizozo, NM 88301

(505)648-2941

Ken Walker

East Team

918 Parkland

Clovis, NM 88101

(505)762-4769 x119

Public Affairs

Natural Resources Conservation Service

6200 Jefferson NE

Albuquerque, NM 87109