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In this issue....
Spring Tree Sale, Snow Reports, Ag Water Survey, Small Acreage Landowner Newsletter, MPCD Guiding Docs, Conservationist of the Year Award, Freshwater Snorkeling Opportunity, Molybdenum Study Tour/Report, Feeding Horses in the Winter, Greater Sage-Grouse Meeting, HPP Meeting, Wildfire Prep Videos, Map of the West
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You will be directed to our advertisers' websites if you click the business cards scattered throughout this newsletter.
Contact the Middle Park Conservation District anytime by calling the office at 970.724.3456.
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Tree Seedlings and Perennials:
Don’t Miss Out
The Middle Park Conservation District still has tree seedlings and perennials for sale. However, you MUST act soon to get them this spring. Much of the Nursery’s inventory is already “sold out”, but the District reserved several of the most popular species prior to the sell out. Thus, you may still be able to get them from the District.
Email Katlin at middleparkcd@gmail.com to place your order as soon as possible.
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Let it Snow
Every year, from January through April, during the last week of the month, NRCS and its partner organizations head into the back country to measure the depth of the snowpack. When combined with the automated Snotel readings, these data tell us how our snowpack compares to normal. Normal is considered the 30-yr average from 1981-2010.
As I'm sure you've guessed, our snowpack is doing well here in Middle Park. We are at 115% right now. Mark has already done one manual snow course survey and will do another one in the next week. Mark will continue to publish monthly snow reports in the local papers, so keep an eye out for his reports. To see past reports, check out our Snow Report page.
MPCD Snow Report Page
NRCS Basinwide Snowpack Graphs
National Weather Service Colorado Snowpack
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CCA's Ag Water NetWORK Survey
Colorado Cattlemen's Association and the Partners for Western Conservation created the Ag Water Network to help 'keep agricultural water connected with agricultural land.' In an effort to assess ag producers' knowledge and understanding of watershed management issues, the Ag Water Network created a survey to determine their familiarity and interest in watershed management plans. Visit Ag Water NetWORK for more information.
One of the goals of Colorado’s water plan is to have 80% of the locally prioritized rivers with stream management plans, and 80% of critical watersheds with watershed protection plans by 2030.
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CSU's Winter Small Acreage Newsletter
Colorado State University has a great Small Acreage Management website filled with all kinds of resources for smaller acreage landowners. They also publish a quarterly newsletter that is packed full of educational articles.
You may access the most recent newsletter at the link below. I have also included their website as well as our website for your reference.
CSU's Winter SAM Newsletter
CSU's Small Acreage Management Resources
MPCD Resource Concerns Page
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MPCD Guiding Documents
At the end of 2018, the MPCD Board of Supervisors developed the district's 2019 Budget and our 2019-2021 Long Range Plan. We also completed our 2018 Annual Plan of Work.
If you are interested in reading these documents, click
HERE!
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Congrats
Jodi Hill
2019 MPCD Conservationist of the Year
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Freshwater Snorkeling Opportunity for High School Students
Blue Valley Ranch, in partnership with the US Forest Service, is looking to do a freshwater snorkeling program this spring. Blue Valley Ranch is located just outside of Kremmling on Highway 9. The program will be open to enthusiastic and motivated high school students that wish to learn more about freshwater ecosystems through a hands-on experience. I have included a link below to article that talks a little bit about the program. Please pass this info along to students you believe would really benefit from this opportunity.
Interested students should reach out to Brien Rose, Director of Natural Resources and Fishery Biologist at Blue Valley Ranch, by calling him at 970-531-6223. Space is limited, so students should reach out to Blue Valley Ranch sooner rather than later if they are interested. Students will get more information about dates and logistics by calling Brien.
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ARDEC Tour: Molydenum Study
Tuesday, March 5th, 1:30 pm
The study to determine the effects of molybdenum on cattle has been continuing at the CSU Agricultural, Research, Development and Education Center (ARDEC) over the winter. Climax would like to invite everybody to see the cattle at the ARDEC facility, followed by a meeting to discuss study progress, results to date and any potential changes to the study for next summer. The tour will take place from 1:30-3:00, and the meeting from 3:00-4:30. You are welcome to attend either/or.
The address is:
ARDEC Headquarters:
4616 NE Frontage Road
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Directions and a map is provided HERE!
Please respond to Miguel Hamarat (mhamarat@fmi.com) if you are planning to attend in person so they have a good count of numbers for planning purposes.
Molybdenum Study Interim Report
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2018 Annual NRCS Report
2018 was a busy year for the Kremmling Field Office. Derrick Wyle has been providing service for the Kremmling Field Office since November of 2017. Two new successful programs were started in the area to provide financial assistance to producers; the Targeted Conservation Program (TCP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) with Trout Unlimited. TCP is a funding source of EQIP set aside specifically for Middle Park Conservation District. MPCD submitted an application to the NRCS State Office requesting the special funds. TCP targets flood irrigation improvements, head gate installation, and ditch lining projects. The RCPP proposal was brought to NRCS by Trout Unlimited and the project was approved in 2017. RCPP funds projects for the Irrigators of the Land in the Vicinity of Kremmling (ILVK). It is targeted towards river restoration and irrigation improvements for those within the ILVK. In 2018, $265,000 of new financial assistance contracts were awarded to landowners from these two sources. Matched with landowner contribution this could mean close to $500,000 going to the local economy from purchasing materials and hiring contractors. 2019 is looking to be an even bigger success. We are anticipating $655,000 of new contracts in RCPP and up to $200,000 for TCP. Applications are being accepted now for 2020 projects, so call the office and we can start working on a plan! Other NRCS money is still available for forestry, sage grouse habitat, stock water systems, fencing, and many other practices.
2018 also brought changes to the Kremmling Field Office. Staffing cuts coupled with employee attrition statewide has reduced NRCS staff numbers from over 300 to hovering around 200 people. A statewide realignment plan has been finalized and field offices were merged into a Resource Team Lead system. This ensured no field offices had to be physically closed. The Kremmling Field Office merged with Glenwood Springs Field Office. Stephen Jaouen, the District Conservationist in Glenwood, is now the Resource Team Leader for the two offices. Derrick Wyle and Kathleen Knight are the Soil Conservationists working in the new five county service area (Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Pitkin and Summit). Mark Volt works for the MPCD as a District Conservation Technician. Jennifer Perkins joined the Steamboat Springs Field Office as the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory Partner Biologist. She provides help on Sage Grouse projects in Kremmling area. Other nearby offices have also combined: Steamboat Springs merged with Walden, and Craig merged with Meeker.
Derrick Wyle
Soil Conservationist
Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
Glenwood Springs & Kremmling Field Office
derrick.wyle@co.usda.gov
970.404.3441
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Winter Feeding of Horses
(From Kentucky Equine Research, article dated Feb. 15, 2011)
Paying attention to special nutritional considerations can help a horse overcome the challenges of dealing with cold weather.
1. Lots of forage is crucial to keeping a horse warm. Fermentation of fiber in the forage produces significantly more internal heat than digestion of grains or fats. For a horse to get the maximum benefit from the warming calories in forage, feed free-choice hay.
2. When the outside temperature dips below the thermoneutral zone of the horse, a horse will burn more calories than normal to keep warm. A horse needs even more calories to keep from losing weight at this time. Provide more forage and grain if the horse cannot maintain weight on forage alone.
3. Subcutaneous fat helps to maintain body heat, so a horse is better off going into cold seasons moderately fleshy than thin. In the cold weather, it takes more calories to maintain weight on a thin horse than a moderately fleshy one.
4. Young, thin-coated, and aged horses are less cold tolerant than mature horses with normal winter hair coats in optimal body condition. Dietary considerations should be made as temperatures drop to avoid detrimental weight loss. Horses not acclimated to frigid weather need about three weeks to adjust to colder temperatures.
5. The more time the horse spends chewing, the more heat produced. Eating hay requires two times as many chews per bite than grain and slows the rate of intake. Further, more chewing produces more saliva, which helps buffer gastric acid and prevent ulcers.
6. Textured feeds with molasses become difficult to scoop in the cold, particularly those containing beet pulp. Keep textured feeds in a heated area for ease of handling. Feeds that include beet pulp can be served with warm water added immediately before feeding. Pelleted feeds are much easier to dole out in cold weather.
7. Cold weather can reduce water intake by as much as 14%. Adequate water intake is vital to prevention of impaction colic. Drinking cold water can be painful for a horse with bad teeth, so owners of horse with dental problems should keep a close eye on water consumption.
8. Horses housed outside drink more if the water is at a moderate temperature (45°-65° F, 7°-18° C) rather than almost freezing. Water heaters or special water fountains will keep water from freezing. Check water regularly for stray voltage caused by faulty electric water heaters or for water that is too hot, as both will deter horses from drinking.
9. Encourage water consumption by adding 1-2 ounces (28-56 grams) of salt to daily feed. Other ways to introduce more water into the horse include feeding soaked beet pulp or warm bran mash.
10. Boost the horse’s immune system by feeding additional omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Fish oil and flax/linseed oil are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil is the richest source of certain omega-3 fatty acids. Natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) is a better source than synthetic (dl-alpha tocopherol).
The table below depicts the average forage consumption rates of horses NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WINTER FEEDING PRACTICES LISTED ABOVE!!!
(Source: https://ker.com/equinews/much-hay-feed-horses-begin/)
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Middle Park Greater
Sage-Grouse Working Group Meeting
Please mark your calendars to attend the annual Middle Park GrSG Working Group meeting.
Thurs, Mar 14, 2019 1:30pm – 4pm
CSU Extension Hall in Kremmling
Kathy Griffin (CPW Grouse Coordinator) will be providing a statewide and rangewide update and Libbie Miller (CPW Steamboat Springs Biologist) will be giving a presentation on her sage-grouse translocation project into the North Eagle-South Routt population. Please come prepared to share information with the group on relevant sage-grouse projects that you or your agency are working on.
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Middle Park Habitat Partnership Program
Quarterly Meeting
Wed, March 13th @ 1 pm
RMNP Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Grand Lake
Project Submission Deadline: March 5th at 1 pm
The Habitat Partnership Program (HPP), funded by revenue from the sale of big game licenses, works through local committees to develop partnerships among landowners, land managers, sportsmen, the public and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to reduce conflicts caused by deer, elk, pronghorn and moose to agriculture. HPP also assists CPW to meet game management objectives for deer, elk, pronghorn and moose.
Meeting Announcement
HPP Website
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How are you planning ahead for wildfire?
(From the USDA/USFS "Science You Can Use" Bulletin)
A new illustrated video series shares fire risk management research and tools.
We invite you to watch the new illustrated video series featuring the work of the RMRS Wildfire Risk Management Science Team.
These videos describe new research related to the complexity of fire risk management and features tools developed by the team for use in proactive wildfire planning: quantitative wildfire risk assessments, suppression difficulty index, and potential control locations that help form potential wildfire operational delineations (aka PODs).
The Wildfire Risk Management Science Team already deploys these tools in planning applications on National Forest System lands across the western U.S. Incident management teams use these tools for real-time decision support to prioritize responder safety and assess suppression opportunities in fire operations. Forest managers and their neighbors use these tools to promote shared stewardship and to integrate fire into landscape planning, prioritize fuel treatments, and create or improve control opportunities to reduce risk to things they value.
To learn more about how the Wildfire Risk Management Science Team currently deploys these tools, read the article recently published in Wildfire Magazine by RMRS Kit O'Connor and Dave Calkin: "Engaging the fire before it starts: A case study from the 2017 Pinal Fire (Arizona)."
Enjoy watching!
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The Map That Changed How We View
The West
(Article by John F. Ross, Featured in Science Friday on July 8, 2018)
Have you ever wondered what our state boundaries would look like if they were formed along watershed boundaries rather than political lines? An article by John F. Ross discusses how explorer and scientist John Wesley Powell did just that in the 1870s.
The article states, "Powell’s map, assembled under his direction by USGS cartographers, revealed the western half of America separated into watersheds, the natural land basins through which water flows. Each patch represents a watershed—a hydrographic basin—wherein all entering raindrops or snowflakes drain into a common outlet. Where a raindrop fell, on one side of a mountain ridgeline or the other, for instance, the two points separated only by a matter of inches, would determine which stream or creek it fell into to be raced into larger rivers and finally into the sea. Drops hitting one edge of the Continental Divide, which runs along the crest of the Rockies, eventually reach the Pacific, while drops on the other edge will flow into the Atlantic or Arctic oceans."
It futher goes on to say, " Powell would use this map to unfold an argument that America should move cautiously as it plumbed its natural resources and developed the land—and to introduce the idea of sustainability and stewardship of the Earth. In that Senate room, the immensely powerful William Stewart from Nevada listened to Powell, and the more he heard, the more it grated against everything he stood for. In that gilded age, riches were there for the taking, enshrined as a divine promise to America. Powell would proffer a wholly new outlook by claiming that Americans needed to listen not only to their hearts, pocketbooks, and deep aspirations, but to what the land itself and the climate would tell them."
"This marked the first time that a map had been used to visualize a complex intersection of geographical factors—integrating water and land into a nuanced understanding of the Earth’s surface. It was the Earth’s first ecological map, building on, but pushing far beyond, Alexander von Humboldt’s efforts earlier that century. Previous maps had mostly defined the nation by political boundaries or topographic features. Powell’s map forces the viewer to imagine the West as defined by water and its natural movement. For its time, Powell’s map was as stunning as NASA’s photographs of Earth from space in the 1960s. The orderly drawing of Jeffersonian grids and political lines—Powell implicitly argued through this map—did not apply in the West; other, more complicated, natural phenomena were at play and must be taken very seriously."
Powell’s map of the “Arid Region of the United States,” presented to the U.S. Senate in 1890, which offered a new vision of the American West sectioned off by watersheds rather than on traditional political boundaries. Credit: John Ross’ Collection/Public domain.
Read John's full article by viewing the link below.
https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/the-map-that-changed-how-we-view-the-west/
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