Wildlife Habitats Destroyed in Upper Valley

EPWU and El Paso County Water Improvement District #1 Destroy Habitats along Montoya Drain

The trees and other vegetation which provided wildlife habitat, privacy for homes and shade to decrease water evaporation were recently radically removed by the El Paso County WID #1 with the help of the EPWU.  The destruction occurred during nesting season and while many mammals were still infants.  Elpasonaturally first reported this in a post on June 20th.  Subsequently, we called for a change in policy at the El Paso Water Utilities which would include an Ecology Officer and long range land planning taking into account ecosystems and habitats.  

After a fire burned along the Rio Grande and spread to the Montoya canal system, one neighbor (a prominent El Paso attorney) complained about the fire hazard.  Rather than removing dry brush or doing so over a programmed period of time or waiting until nesting season was over, the WID took the extreme measure of plowing out all the vegetation with the help of EPWU through a license agreement.  

EPWU CEO John Balliew has proposed that their Archaeology officer, Valerie Provencio, take on the added responsibility of assessing stormwater land for ecosystem preservation prior to a project.  Elpasonaturally believes that all EPWU land and projects should first be assessed before a project commences and that long-range land management include environmental and ecosystem criteria.  PSB member, Dr. Rick Bonart suggests: "The goal is environmental responsibility/sensitivity for all EPWU projects within the entire  EPWU service area, just as are archaeological  reviews are done now. The need should be assessed and coordinated by the new environmental officer. Hence the justification for the position."

Just how bad is the damage?  One woman who lives along the drain told about speaking to two of the bulldozer operators.  Both men were crying because they watched as foxes and other mammals were run over and others fled for their lives. Imagine how many baby birds perished as well. 

What may be even more outrageous is that the El Paso Times was totally silent about this story and remains so.  Of course we live in a culture where dogs are chained outside on hot summer days and other pets are abandoned in the desert and the State Park so why care about fox and squirrels and birds along an irrigation canal.

If you want our agencies and our media to defend wildlife habitat, preserve trees and privacy and reduce evaporation, let them know:

Chuy Reyes, Manager of the Water Improvement District, jreyes@epcwid1.org
John Balliew, CEO of El Paso Water Utilities, jeballiew@epwu.org
Bob Moore, Editor of the El Paso Times, bmoore@elpasotimes.com 

Water News of Interest

What if we are not in a drought?  What if, according to researchers, that over the past thousand years, this year of low rain is the norm, and "the past 50 years are the aberration."  That is what New Mexico State legislators recently heard.  If so, how do you plan for 1 to 3 inches of rain a year and not just 6 to 10 inches of rain?  All El Pasoans should be asking why large farmers with water rights (served by Chuy Reyes and the WID) are still growing water guzzling crops of pecans and cotton.  More to the point, we should all be asking why water isn't the right of all and water for those who wish to grow water-intensive crops should be sold at a premium or the practice of growing water-intensive crops should be regulated or banned.  Water laws must change because the right to water is a right we all possess. (Not an idea Nestlé likes by the way.)

Some farmers in the Texas Panhandle are now learning how to grow crops with minimal watering.  Perhaps they should learn something from El Paso Permaculture or the Permaculture Institute near Santa Fe.

And Trees . . . 

Former UTEP Centennial Museum Curator, Marshall Carter-Tripp, has said: 
"What I'd like to see happen is El Paso adopting the slogan "City of the Desert Oasis" and plant tens of thousands of trees which will change the on-the-ground climate (the reverse happens when you tarmac over everything) . . . the key to the survival of El Paso is more trees and more shade.  Use water for trees not swimming pools! No open irrigation ditches." [Especially drains and canals without shade as the EPWU and WID have now created in the Upper Valley.]

In the long run, trees actually reduce the need for additional water in an urban area.  Concrete and rock (from quarries which scar forever our beautiful mountains) collect and reflect heat keeping our urban environment hotter.  Trees reduce heat and the need for greater water use to cool our homes and work places. Planting trees during a drought can be done. And trees are good for business.  Spend a bit more for landscaping upfront and make more money as time goes by.

Finally,

Support Rick LoBello's plan for the Big Bend Rio Bravo International Park.


elpasonaturally, Vol. 4, No. 7, July 2, 2013