Las Animas County Landowners Encouraged to Apply for EQIP WaterSmart Project Funding

Las Animas County Landowners Encouraged to Apply for EQIP WaterSmart Project Funding

The CO Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District (PRWCD; irrigation district), local partners in Las Animas County, and Baca and Picketwire Ditch Companies joined forces with funding from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to implement the Purgatoire River Baca-Picketwire Diversion Dam Complex Restoration Project. The NRCS will be utilizing its ACT NOWprocess to implement this project and all applications received after May 1, 2024, will be considered in future funding opportunities.Eligible farmers and ranchers with operations in the selected priority area may submit applications to USDA Service Center, NRCS Walsenburg & Trinidad USDA Field Office, 3590 E. Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082.

Activities and practices implemented in this multi-organizational conservation effort will upgrade the agricultural water diversion dam, improve fish passage, allow for the installation of in-stream fish habitat structures and the replacement of invasive riparian plant species with native vegetation, resulting in improved water efficiency and delivery and a reduction in sediment loading for water users on the Baca-Picketwire ditch.

BOR makes their WaterSMART programs available across the Western US and other areas to help states, tribes, and local entities plan for and implement projects that increase water supply by modernizing existing infrastructure and building drought resilience.

Through BOR WaterSMART grant funds, critical irrigation infrastructure associated with this dam will be improved to address water efficiency delivery issues, including the installation of an erosion protection wall, headgate trash/woody debris rack, and diversion dam cap, resulting in increased water savings, and reduced sediment loads to the river/ditch.

The NRCS uses Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) WaterSmart Initiative (WSI)funds to complement BOR WaterSMART funds to help eligible farmers and ranchers make improvements.

Water resource issues addressed with EQIP-WSI funds include increasing the efficiency and consistency of water delivery and reducing water losses through on and off farm efforts via (1) irrigation ditch lining, and (2) on-farm water efficiency and water savings improvements including installing sprinklers, surface and subsurface irrigation pipelines, a pumping plant, an irrigation reservoir, Irrigation Water Management, Herbaceous Weed Control, Cover Crops, Forage Harvest Management, and Grazing Mechanical Treatment.

How to Apply

Farmers and ranchers in the Purgatoire River Baca-Picketwire Diversion Dam Complex Restoration Project are encouraged to contact Sammie Molinaro, NRCS Resource Team Leader at [email protected]/719-846-3681or more information and apply. Applications accepted at USDA Service Center, NRCS Walsenburg & Trinidad USDA Field Office, 3590 E. Main St, Trinidad, CO 81082. All applications received after May 1, 2024, will be considered in future funding opportunities.