Project Name: Blue Hole Cienega Hydrological Research and Environmental Education Program Development
Location: Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Client: New Mexico Department of Transportation, Environmental Design Division
Project Description: Development of a program to use the Blue Hole Cienega in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, as a long-term educational and ecological monitoring site, and to assist in restoring and maintaining the wetland in its natural state. The Pecos Sunflower thrives in this natural cienega and the immediate vicinity, and is listed as a federal and state endangered species. There are several other vegetation species which are currently listed as threatened.
Wetwater Environmental Services is contracted to install 12 shallow groundwater monitoring wells and one stream gauge, to perform field soil analysis of corings, to monitor and test surface and groundwater, to train staff from Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools in proper protocols and quality control, and to provide oversight and technical guidance to staff and students participating in ecological and hydrological data collection. WWES is also developing an environmental education program which integrates data collection and field studies by school-aged students that correlate with New Mexico State Education Standards.
Project Name: BioPark Wetlands Surface-Water – Groundwater Interaction Research and Monitoring
Location: Middle Rio Grande Bosque, Tingley Beach Vicinity, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Client: United States Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, Environmental Resources Section
Project Description: This project focused on baseline groundwater, surface water, and soils data generated from field studies during 2008 – 2011, at the Albuquerque Biological Park Tingley Pond and Wetland Restoration Project. The actual research site is located within the 18-acre restored wetland and marsh area of the overall project. The data were used to demonstrate how water table levels were influenced by river stage/discharge, precipitation events, and soil properties. Construction of the BioPark Wetland Complex commenced in October 2004, and was completed by October 2005. The overall goal of this project was to restore habitat and provide recreational and educational opportunities for the public and researchers. Restoration efforts such as exotic vegetation removal, fuel load reduction maintenance, bank lowering and channeling, and the construction of a marsh and wet meadow system seeked to mimic pre-engineered conditions when these types of features occurred naturally in the Rio Grande Bosque.
Wetwater Environmental Services was contracted to install and instrument shallow groundwater monitoring wells and one shallow marsh level gauge, to perform field soil analysis of corings, and to perform surface-water – groundwater interaction research at the Albuquerque Biological Park Tingley Pond and Wetland Restoration Project. Monthly site visits were made to download groundwater data and maintain wells and pressure transducers. Data was managed, analyzed and written about in annual technical reports on findings due at the end of each year. Project completed in September 2011.
Project Name: Land Health Monitoring Protocol and Training Manual Development
Location: Cedar Crest, New Mexico
Client: Bernalillo County Open Space
Project Description: Baseline hydrological data collection and reporting at Bernalillo County Open Space (BCOS) Properties of Ojito de San Antonio, and Carlito Springs; implementation of long-term ecological monitoring program with East Mountain High School; co-author of ecological monitoring training guide for properties above. The main goal of this monitoring program is to acquire a quality-controlled, long-term data set of water quality parameters, benthic macroinvertebrate counts, and vegetation transect results. This information will be used to gauge the health of the ecosystem over time.
Wetwater Environmental Services was contracted to perform the duties mentioned above, and was in charge of all hydrological aspects of the project. Project completed in February 2011.
Project Name: Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP)
Location: Middle Rio Grande Bosque, New Mexico
Client: Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program
Project Description: BEMP is a long-term ecological research monitoring program in the Middle Rio Grande Bosque which is co-sponsored by Bosque School and The University of New Mexico, Biology Department. The program was founded in 1997 by Dr. Clifford Crawford, former Biology professor and department chair. BEMP utilizes volunteers (mainly K-12 teachers and their students) to monitor key indicators of structural and functional change in the Middle Rio Grande Bosque. The program currently has 25 research sites (as of fall 2010) within the Bosque from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo (northern-most site), to Lemitar (southern-most site), and serves over 5,000 students per year in field data collection and environmental education activities.
Abiotic environmental data collected and analyzed by the program include: groundwater levels, river discharge, surface and groundwater quality/chemistry, precipitation, and air and soil temperatures. Biotic data collected and analyzed include: native plant and exotic plant productivity, surface-active arthropod activity, vegetation cover, and woody debris/fuel loading.
Wetwater Environmental Services was contracted to install and instrument shallow groundwater wells for long-term data collection, to study surface-water – groundwater interactions, and to collect and process air and soil temperatures. In addition, WWES collected routine water samples at locations in the Rio Grande and several irrigation ditches for nutrients, metals, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) lab testing, and recorded in-situ water quality parameters. Project completed in October 2010.