Dry Wetland

Sad to report that effluent from the Water Improvement District to the Rio Bosque has stopped.  

Not only that but in spite of the water district’s finally allowing the transfer of water rights to the Bosque by private landowners, there are apparently still some hold-ups.  Charlie Wakeem chronicles his attempts to transfer his water rights and I make some comments in a blog post: When a Water Right Isn’t a Water Right. El Paso Water Improvement District General Manager Chuy Reyes visited Senator Rodriguez’s Environmental Committee and answered their questions last week.  I was in attendance.  Here’s the bottom line: The Board of the Water District should give Mr. Reyes a raise. He is discharging his fiduciary responsibility by serving his customers – those small tract owners and large farmers who pay to have their land irrigated.  Given the drought, every drop is dedicated and directed toward paying customers. Thus, the Bosque is not going to get any more water even after a turnout is constructed by the water district from the canal into the Bosque.  The Rio Bosque Wetlands Park may get water in wet years to come – but not now.  Moreover, people with water rights will discover that they won’t be successful giving their water to the Bosque.  If they aren’t going to use it, then the paying customers are first in line.  This means that the only way that the Bosque can be guaranteed a regular supply of water is for the EPWU (which now holds the Bosque in its inventory of land) to deliver the water directly from the Bustamante plant by constructing a nearly half-million dollar pipeline – chump change really.  EPWU dumps water from the plant into the District’s waterway because it is obligated to give so much water back to the District and because it cannot now deal with some of its excess. That excess (if it is treated) can go to the Bosque. The water district will lose it – but then they could have given some of that free water to the Bosque just as effluent.

There is now even some question whether the Bosque has already received the acre feet of water from EPWU that was agreed upon.  Because of this uncertainty, new PSB Chairman Richard Schoephoerster does not want to put construction of the new pipeline on the agenda.  In my opinion, the PSB may be losing sight of the reason for the water and why it assumed the park into its inventory from the City: saving the Rio Bosque and turning it into the $18 Million eco-tourist attraction that it can become not to mention its value as a research center.  What needs to happen is a selection of a Bosque Planning Committee that can define a vision for the area and set a business plan.  Environmentalist, Judy Ackerman, says:

"It is well documented that the excess of 7,000 acre feet per season of effluent from the Bustamante belongs to EPWU.  PSB currently has two choices.  You can give that water away for FREE to Hudspeth County OR you can use it to recharge our own aquifer for a long term sustainable solution for the water needs or your customers.  Keeping your water on your land has multiple additional benefits such as scientific research opportunities, a world class wetlands park on an international boarder in an economically struggling area, and many more benefits." 

Someone needs to begin asking why EPWU and Water District policies seem to favor Hudspeth farmers with their full reservoirs. 

One more thought. Farmers around here raise some pretty water intensive crops: cotton and pecans come to mind.  Both crops are far more profitable than other crops that require less water.  So for the gain of immediate profit and personal enrichment, some farmers in our area will impoverish future generations of water.  Here’s the thought: perhaps water districts by law should have to go to a tiered system of billing just as the EPWU does with you and me.  If I use a little bit of water, I buy it at a pretty good rate.  If I leap into the next tier of water use, then my rate more than doubles.  Water conservation would be encouraged. Remember the Iroquois maxim:  “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”  This beats the heck out of that slogan that says that “he who dies with the most toys wins.”

I have said just about all that I can say about the ASARCO stacks.  You can read my final (probably, maybe penultimate) blog post for now. I have spoken with environmental engineers who tell me that the $50 Million for clean-up was a fraction of what was really needed.  One of them told me that there is no way that even a sprinkler can keep dust from spreading when the concrete stacks are brought down and hit the ground at a high impact speed.  What plans are there for mitigating UTEP, Kern Place, Anapra, Juarez, etc. after the impact lifts dust into the air?  Bottom line from engineers: heavy metals have leeched into the ground and will make their way to the river. The material used to encapsulate contaminated materials in the Parker Brothers Arroyo will give way eventually - perhaps as early as 20 years.  Expert environmental engineers advise that we must be vigilant about monitoring for generations to come. Some places on the Asarco site (not all and not the majority of the area) must never be built upon.

Please sign the Complete Streets Petition.  A complete street “will accommodate all road users, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation.  Complete streets might include sidewalks, bike lanes, cycle tracks, wide paved shoulders, special bus lanes, comfortable and accessible transit stops, frequent crossing opportunities, median islands, accessible pedestrian signals, or curb extensions.” Get information and sign the petition.  Scroll down the page; there are links to much more information.  Bike Texas has complete streets as part of their legislative agenda which also includes safe passing and a ban on texting while driving.

And while we are on the subject of Bike Texas, be sure to read an article by our own Beth Nobles, Executive Director of Texas Mountain Trail. She writes about a way to earn dollars for a favorite charity through a new iPhone or Android app called Charity Miles. The program is for walkers, runners and bikers. Beth is also the oomph behind Peak Fitness Challenge along with Don Baumgardt of GeoBetty.  Keeping El Paso naturally means keeping our Trans-Pecos/Southwestern New Mexico region naturally and fit as well. (And charitable.)

For great hikes and events just check out El Paso Hiking Group, GeoBetty, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Meetup Group,  Las Cruces & El Paso Adventurists, Peak Fitness Challenge,  High Desert Hikers and Las Cruces Hiking Meetup. 

If you want a recreational and educational excursion in the El Paso/Las Cruces area, sign up for one of the Back by Noon events sponsored by the Southwest Environmental Center.  See a Back by Noon poster.

Congratulations to El Paso Zoo Education Curator, Rick LoBello, this year's recipient of the annual El Paso Trans Pecos Audubon Society Conservation Award.

By the way, join the Auduboners on a field trip this Saturday, Feb. 23, to the Holloman Lakes and Dog Canyon.  You'll drive north on US 54 about 1-1/2 hours to Alamogordo, then US 70 to the Holloman Lakes.  This area in an Important bird area.  Then picnic and bird at Oliver Lee State Park.  There is a fee of $5 per vehicle.  After lunch the group plans to take a short hike up Dog Canyon.  Meet at Lowe's Parking Lot, 4531 Transmountain Road behind Taco Bell at 7:00 a.m.  Bring lunch, binoculars, water and a scope if you have one.  Beginners and nonmembers are welcome.  Contact Mark Perkins at 637-3521 for more information.

Check out the Permaculture Workshop this Saturday at the Memorial Park Garden Center.

Not just a coffee table book – Cacti of Texas by El Pasoans, Gertrude and Ad Konings, should be in the library of every Chihuahuan Desert recreationalist.

Finally and sadly we note the passing of Kathy Goodell, the wife of Dr. Phil Goodell.  Read her obituary.  You will recall that the Goodells recently gave $1 Million to UTEP’s College of Science for a center of entrepreneurial geosciences.