Taos Soil & Water Conservation District

Serving the Citizens & Landowners of Taos County

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

Taos SWCD spent approximately $72,203 on conservation education and outreach events in the 2018-19 fiscal year. Taos SWCD uses a variety of places and events to educate the public about soil and water conservation.

DETAILS
Taos SWCD has a long history of assisting local acequia associations and parciantes with irrigation improvement projects. Acequia projects account for approximately two-thirds of all assistance requests received by the District. Taos SWCD utilizes experienced staff and consultants as well as new technology to enhance the design and inspection departments contained within its Acequia Construction Program.

DETAILS

ACEQUIA CONSERVATION
Taos Soil and Water Conservation District provides technical and financial assistance to local landowners to develop defensible space areas around homes and structures located in the wild land/urban interface. Utilizing a professional forestry consultant, the District was able to implement fire prevention strategies as well as improve overall forest health in critical areas of Taos County.

DETAILS

FIRE PREVENTION
Management of privately owned rangelands within Taos County continues to be a District priority. The restoration of native grasses as well as other types of vegetation aids ranchers with their livestock operations as well as providing much needed forage for wildlife. Additionally, the deterioration of this resource by the encroachment of Sagebrush and Pinion/Juniper species is a major concern to local conservationists and land managers.

DETAILS

RANGELAND CONSERVATION
The District continues to monitor, assess and restore the rivers and streams that are the lifeblood of the local community. Taos SWCD advocates for sustainable and innovative methods for stream channel restoration using natural channel design methods. These methods preserve the aesthetic beauty of the river, improve the adjacent riparian habitat, and are more economical than traditional designs.

DETAILS

STREAM RESTORATION
Taos SWCD in cooperation with USDA Wildlife Services provides information, training and materials for animal damage problems involving beaver, coyote, prairie dogs, skunks gophers, pigeons, etc. This service includes but is not limited to farmers, ranchers, homeowners and municipalities.

DETAILS

ANIMAL DAMAGE
Taos Soil and Water Conservation District advocates integrated management strategies for noxious and invasive weed infestations. The District continues to research and fund alternative methods of weed management while continuing to provide vegetative expertise to private landowners. Partnering with local farmers, ranchers, and organizations Taos SWCD assists with new and innovative strategies for weed control.

DETAILS

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Taos SWCD assists local acequias, governments, associations and private landowners with sandbags for both irrigation and erosion control. Total Special Project expenditures for FY 2010-11 were approximately $7,600.

DETAILS

SPECIAL PROJECTS
Taos SWCD has continued to assist local governments, municipalities and landowners with water related issues. The District either funded or participated in many projects. The Taos SWCD Water Program and Total Groundwater Program expenditures for FY 2010-11 were approximately $11,200,

DETAILS

Water Studies, Water Planning &
Watershed Health
Taos County Groundwater Quality Background - USGS Topographic Map and Digital Elevation Model (DEM).

DETAILS

GROUNDWATER STUDY

About Taos SWCD

Taos Soil & Water Conservation District is a member of the New Mexico Acequia Association, New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts, New Mexico Conservation District Employees, Northern Rio Grande Resource Conservation & Development Council and the National Association of Conservation Districts.

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News and Upcoming Events

Taos SWCD is open from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday – Friday

The office is closed for the 12 – 1 PM lunch hour

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Spring Soil Health Presentations and Field Tours (4 days starting May 19, 9:30 – 4 each day)

Tools to Build Soil in Taos County 2023 (LINK TO EVENT PAGE)

DOWNLOAD THE DETAILS (click here)

REGISTRATION for Soil Health Presentations (click here)

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ANNUAL CWMA NOXIOUS WEED TRAINING AND TOUR : FRIDAY,JUNE 2, 2023

DOWNLOAD THE DETAILS (click here)
9:00 – 12:00 p.m. Juan I. Gonzales Agricultural Center, 202 Chamisa Road, Taos
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (provided FREE)
1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Coach Tour of Infestations Around Taos (new locations!)

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For news and updates, please check out our social media posts on:

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WEATHER NEWS? Check out recent meteorological trends from NMSU’s ZiaMet Weather Station measuring live at the District office

Taos County SWCD History Project

“The history of every Nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil.”

President Franklin Roosevelt
March 1936

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