Regional Water Conference Provides Opportunity for Questions about Rio Bosque

Master Naturalist and member of the Board of Friends of the Rio Bosque, Sal Quintanilla told me yesterday that the ponds at the Rio Bosque are only one-third full. A Bosque advocate and volunteer since the 90s, Sal says that he has never seen this City of El Paso wetlands park so dry. Migratory birds such as American Wigeons are crowding in a very small area. Sadly, this makes them easy targets for poachers armed with shot guns since the City of El Paso police do not enforce the no guns in a city park regulation at the Rio Bosque. 


There may be an opportunity for conservationists, Bosque and eco-tourism supporters to ask questions about the water shortage at the Bosque. Richard Teschner emailed to say:

"Those of you who are concerned about the amount of water that Rio Bosque is (and is not) receiving will want to attend a regional water conference to be held January 4 (Wednesday) starting at 5 p.m. at the Kay Bailey HutchisonDesalination Plant on far-east Montana Street."

United States Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar, will be present along with representatives of the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1, the International Boundary and Water Commission, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District and the El Paso Water Utilities.

Teschner added: "Our questions to these officials should all be all be 'positive' and 'up-beat' of course; but questions they will be."