Coronado RC&D Photo Gallery of Projects

Conservation District Cookbook: This cookbook is a collection of the favorite recipes of employees, volunteers and cooperators of Coronado RC&D and the Natural Resource Conservation Districts in southern Arizona. All proceeds from the sale of the cookbook benefit the Willcox Student Garden.

Student AG Marketing Pilot: Twenty-five juniors and seniors enrolled in the Willcox High School Agriscience Program had the opportunity to become a marketing company for local lamb producers. Funds from NRCS were used to hire a consultant to work with the students and train them on the development of marketing products. Students met with the lamb producers each week and took the information gained to develop business cards and a brochure that each of the producers will use to market their lamb.

Willcox-San Simon NRCD Forest Health Grant: Invasive weeds threaten our rangelands, rivers and other natural areas. During 2005, Coronado RC&D worked with a variety of partners to halt the onslaught of these problem plants.

The RC&D provided grant writing assistance to the Willcox-San Simon NRCD in obtaining a $10,000 U.S. Forest Service Grant to implement an education program with the goal of preventing noxious weed invasion on U.S. Forest lands.

The U.S./Mexico Border Coalition of RC&D Councils provided funding to print 3,000 decks of playing cards featuring invasive weed facts. These were distributed to the border RC&D’s in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Coronado RC&D provided these cards to the Conservation Districts in our area.

Cacti Field Guide: This informational pocket sized field guide was a cooperative effort between Coronado RC&D and the Conservation Districts of southern Arizona. It features thirty-two common cacti. Walt Meyer, Winkleman NRCD and Phil Ogden, U of A professor, retired, lead the project team.

(Pima County): After the Aspen fire in June 2003, the community that lost their homes and forest at the top of Mt. Lemmon came together with the support of federal, state and local partners and developed a restoration plan for their area. Coronado RC&D has served as the umbrella organization for the “Trees for Mt. Lemmon” group since its inception.

In 2005, the second year of gathering indigenous pine cones and starting seedlings for replanting was completed with a $10,000 Arizona State Land Department Community Forestry Grant and a $15,000 National Forest Foundation Grant.

Water Conservation IN THE WILLCOX-SAN SIMON NRCD: Coronado RC&D provided assistance to the Willcox-San Simon NRCD in developing a project plan and seeking funding to provide training to landowners on adopting available technology to conserve irrigation water.

The project was funded with an NRCS Conservation Initiative Grant for $75,000 and a Bureau of Reclamation Water Conservation Field Services Grant for $20,000.

Water Forum: Coronado RC&D, The City of Willcox and U of A Extension hosted a June information forum on water issues in the Sulphur Springs Valley.

Approximately 125 interested individuals listened to presentations by State and Federal agencies involved in water quantity, quality, and monitoring.

Improvement project (Santa Cruz County): The Red Rock Watershed drains the Canelo Hills near Sonoita and water flows into Sonoita Creek on its way to the Santa Cruz River.

Four ranches in the area developed a partnership in 2002 to address watershed concerns. They worked with the University of Arizona range scientists and U.S. Forest Service to implement an aggressive monitoring plan. In 2004, the Coronado RC&D and Santa Cruz NRCD became partners and an improvement plan for the watershed was developed.

The goal of the plan was to implement practices that would support a grazing management system that reduced erosion, resulting in less sediment in Red Rock Canyon.

In January 2005, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) awarded a $249,000 Water Quality Improvement Grant for the purpose of installing fencing and alternative waters on the C6, Open Cross, Vaca and Red Rock ranches to support rotational grazing.

Guide to Rural living in Southeastern Arizona 2nd Edition: This informative guide is a handbook for people that are new to the areas of Cochise, Graham and Greenlee Counties that plan to build a house, buy rural property, own livestock or raise crops.

(Graham County): Eradication efforts continue on the Sweet resin bush infestation on Frye Mesa near Thatcher, Arizona. Approximately 1,000 acres was sprayed with herbicide in 2004 with outlying areas treated by spot spraying and grubbing. NRCS Plant Materials Specialists and field staff are conducting ongoing research. Treatment has had an impact, leaving a large area of dry woody vegetation. Burn trials will begin on this canopy in 2006.

Monitoring continues by Dave Henson, Eastern Arizona College Professor and students, U of A Extension and NRCS. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) has provided $171,500 in grant funding to the project.

Invasive weed field guide: A field guide to Arizona Invasive Weeds is currently being developed. It will be printed in the same format as the other field guides and will feature thirty species of the most threatening plants now in Arizona. Dr. Larry Howery, University of Arizona, is the project team leader. The project is supported by the Arizona Association of Conservation Districts , Arizona Coalition of RC&D Councils and federal partners; NRCS, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.

Student Market Garden: Coronado RC&D student employee Amanda Webb was the project leader for a student operated garden business that served the Willcox community. Seed money was provided by NRCS and Coronado RC&D. Volunteers donated time, equipment and materials to make the project a success. In addition, Amanda submitted successful grant applications to the Willcox Good Neighborhood’s Board and the Cochise Community Foundation. This enabled the project to hire two additional students.

Campomocho/Sacaton Watershed IMPROVEMENT (Cochise County): In January 2005, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) awarded a grant of $179,800 to Coronado RC&D to continue working with partners in the watershed to control runoff erosion and sedimentation that impacts downstream properties, including county roads and the City of Willcox.

The first phase of this project was completed in July 2005 and installed eight sediment basins in the upper watershed and ripped 4,000 acres in the lower areas to rehabilitate the grassland. Phase two will install the same practices in an adjacent sub watershed, bringing the total acres impacted to 42,000.

Arizona Game and Fish Department provided an $18,000 grant to purchase native seed for disturbed areas and El Paso Natural Gas has provided $50,000 in funding toward the structures that will protect their pipeline from erosion. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to provide technical assistance to the project. Other partners include: Willcox-San Simon NRCD, City of Willcox, Cochise County, Arizona State Land Department, Arizona Department of Water Resources and U of A Extension.

South River Road Bank Stabilization (Santa Cruz County): Flash flooding in the Santa Cruz River was creating significant bank erosion along South River Road north of Nogales. Each flood event contributed sediment to the river, creating problems downstream. In October 2000, a two mile stretch of South River Road was washed downstream. Santa Cruz County repaired the road and commissioned an engineering study that determined that installing Kellner jacks on one reach of the river was the Best Management Practice that would reduce erosion/sedimentation in this area. A 2004 ADEQ Water Quality Improvement Grant provided 60% of the funding for installation of 800 feet of jacks.

Cottonwood Creek Watershed Restoration (Cochise County): Local landowners, the U.S. Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Coronado RC&D, U of A Extension, Willcox-San Simon NRCD and Cochise County are involved in a working group to improve watershed health in this 6,219 acre watershed.

The project began in May 2003 with the U.S. Forest Service installing loose rock structures to trap sediment at the top of the watershed. A grant from the Arizona Water Protection Fund provided for installation of additional structures on private land in the lower watershed. An ADEQ Water Quality Improvement Grant funded channel stabilization structures and NRCS/Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding was used to establish fences and water systems to facilitate grazing management. Natural Channel Design and NRCS continue to provide monitoring and technical assistance.