Conservation and Efficient Use of Water

Water conservation continues to be a very needed program for Guadalupe county . With the local youth as volunteers we were able to provide hoop house construction and water conservation. 39 youth from Santa Rosa and 12 youth from Anton Chico learned about drip irrigation and black mat water retention as well as developing humid condition for growing of vegetables and flowers. These youth gained skills in conservation and construction and wise use of our water resources.

All (100%) surveyed VCEMG who participated in the rainwater harvesting and water wise gardening demonstration agreed they would be able to tell clientele how to create a similar water unit.

From June 15, 2008 to October 8, 2008 a total of 13 community members have requested more information on one or more aspects of the demonstration. Surveyed VCEMG reported they each received 1-5 requests for more information on various aspects of the demonstration, while acting as a Master Gardener at a sanctioned community service activity. Similarly, approximately 5-25% of all VCEMG fielded questions were focused on the conservation and effective use of water. Many of these people had been previously interested in installing a similar system at their home, but did not due to lack of instruction, materials and prohibitive costs. Most information was focused on material accusition and cost, however many people were also interested in the olla form of irrigation including an NMSU college professor in Engineering Technology teaching a course on green building. All people involved strongly agreed the demonstration had an impact on how they can conserve and effectively use water in home landscape settings. No further information is available on whether similar demonstrations have been implemented.
In addition, an educational brochure was developed to explain the system and stress the importance of wise water use through conservation and efficient irrigation. Approximately 100 copies of the brochure were disseminated throughout the county at VCEMG event and public facilities.

Awareness for alternative landscape watering resources and water conserving gardening techniques has been raised through mass media publicity. The Saturday, September 13, 2008 Valencia County News Bulletin featured a story on the demonstration which reached 22,750 residents and businesses in Valencia County. Jane Moorman (NMSU Communications Specialist) also covered the demonstration and published it into a regional network of newspapers. Her story was distributed throughout the NMSU community and was also published by the Albuquerque Journal on Monday, October 6, 2008, which has an estimated 500,000 daily readers.

Middle Rio Grande Consevation District has increase the number of measuring instruments along the ditchs to ensure proper delivery to producers.