Taylor Creek assessment

Watershed Planning

Sierra SWCD - Your local leaders in natural resources.

A healthy watershed is the key to Section 303(d)(1) of the Clean Water Act, states are required to develop a list of waters within a state that are not in compliance with water quality standards and establish a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for each pollutant.

A TMDL is defined as “a written plan and analysis established to ensure that a waterbody will attain and maintain water quality standards, including consideration of existing pollutant loads, and reasonably foreseeable increases in pollutant loads.

In 2003 the reaches of Taylor creek above Wall Lake and from Beaver Creek to Wall Lake were listed.  The Taylor Creek stakeholders formed a watershed group to understand, disseminate, and address the impairments identified in the Taylor creek watershed. They submitted a proposal and received funding for watershed group development that would have a product of a comprehensive watershed plan WRAS (Watershed Restoration Action Strategy) addressing the impairments and identifying management practices that could reduce the TMDL’s.

The Taylor Creek watershed group is currently working on a proposal for On-The-Ground Surface Water Quality Improvement Projects. This will be submitted by September 16, 2005.

Affected stakeholders and interested parties serve as members of the planning group. The group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at the Sierra Conservation Plaza, Conference Room, 2101 S. Broadway, Truth or Consequences, NM. Any interested persons are encouraged to attend or contact Stephanie Bason at (505) 894-2232.

CURRENT PROJECT

The Taylor Creek Watershed Planning Group submitted a grant proposal to the NMED to write a Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) which would identity the TMDLs and what Best Management Practices could be implemented to improve those items. After the completion of the WRAS the Workgroup can then apply to NMED for funding to implement the Best Management Practices identified. Currently, the SWCD received funding to write a WRAS and has submitted that WRAS to the New Mexico Environment Department for review. The next step will be to begin the process of securing funding to implement the practices identified in the WRAS. Affected landowners, interested stake holders and governmental agencies serve as members of the Taylor Creek Watershed Planning Group. The group meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 10:00 p.m. in the Sierra Conservation Plaza, 2101 S Broadway. Any interested persons are encouraged to attend. Stephanie Bason is the Taylor Creek Watershed Coordinator and can be reached at the Sierra SWCD office, 894-2212. If interested in reading the completed Watershed Action Strategy, please review the attached document.

taylor creek wras