Forging partnerships with Ute Creek Soil & Water Conservation District and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Tuda and her family prioritized riparian restoration and water development.
Over a 10 year period, 10 miles of the bone dry, salt cedar infested Ute Creek was restored to water running year-round and serves as a regional model of salt cedar eradication.
The original four large pastures within the 14,000 acre operation are fenced into 21 pastures for time-managing cattle grazing. Fifteen miles of pipeline and three 10,000 gallon water storage tanks distribute stock water to each pasture.
Armor Balls cover surface of livestock tanks and reduce evaporation by 91% resulting in an annual saving of 16,000 gallons of underground water.
Partnerships were forged with state, federal and private agencies including Ute Creek Soil & Water Conservation District, Natural Resource & Conservation Service, US Fish & Wildlife “Partners” program, NM Department of Game & Fish, National Wild Turkey Federation, New Mexico Water Trust Board, NM State University Extension Service and numerous others. The collaborative effort brought technical expertise into the matrix and provided grants and cost-sharing opportunities which made it possible to achieve restoration goals.
Wildlife habitat development has returned myriad animal and bird species to the land.
