The Results from the Field Trip of November 5, 2000
- Baseline data gathering
There are no comparable sites available to us to get an idea
of what a healthier spring/valley would look like. We tabled questions on how we
can or should conduct an existing conditions analysis and where to site a rain
gauge. We have to talk more about how we can map the area with students, based on
the terrain maps provided by the NPS. The level of precision on these maps does
not have to be very high, just as long as we can read the maps for an idea of the
different rock and soil areas.
Adrienne will establish baseline sites for photo points.
We will not measure colluvium depth at this point.
-Water
Water quality for soil and vegetation development is good.
Measurements at three different test sites indicated that water acidity is
neutral to slightly alkaline (pH levels of 7.0 [lower end], 7.5 [middle], and 7.4
and 8.5 [top of the spring]), temperature is 50-52 degrees Fahrenheit, and
minerals in the water (recorded only at one location) appeared to be relatively
low (readings of total desolved solids (TDS) between 15.24 and 16.33 microSiemens
per centimeter equivalent to 7.62 - 8.17 mg/liter). We have neither any specific
information about heavy metals, nitrates and phosphorus, nor about fecal coliforms.
However, with a TDS reading of the level we obtained, the level of nitrates
remains below that of state domestic water supply (drinking water) standards
(10 mg/liter). We don't know whether the chronic level of nitrates (for example
in the form of ammonia) are below the desired levels of 2.0 mg/l (in the main
stream) and 0.4 mg/l at the spring head, so that the water quality is within the
standards of a "cold water fisheries," which is the highest quality level of
riparian habitat according to New Mexico standards for Interstate and Intrastate
streams (1995). Yet the temperature levels (maintained by the tree canopy) and
the acidity levels and general TDS levels indicate that the spring may be quite
healthy, and probably stays within cold water fisheries standards for perennial
tributaries of the Rio Grande.
Water depth and flow from the spring was very low during our field trip, too low
to measure flow with a floating object. The flow was not more than a trickle and
was completely absorbed by the alluvial bed of the creek just above the steep,
rocky drop off (in the box canyon above the road).
There were some benthic macro-invertebrates (damsel flies and nymph beetles) at
the spring head.
A State Game and Fish riparian evaluation form was used to assess riparian health.
The health of the riparian area is sub-optimal to fair. Vegetation structure and
diversity is moderate (sub-optimal), and vegetation cover was poor at the
measuring places at the time of measuring, but can be quite good during the
growing season.
Erosion is a serious problem in the riparian area. The upper banks are unstable
throughout most of the area, the vegetation buffer is very narrow, the creek is
entrenched, and the creekbed consists of bed rock in the upper part and mainly of
sandy deposits toward the steep drop off (the percentage of boulders, cobbles,
gravel and logs is less than 10%). There are signs of flash floods after rain
storms, which create a meandering flow pattern of 5 feet wide and 3-6 inches deep
in the sandy stream bottom.
- Geology and soils (substrate material)
We are waiting for some results from a site mapping exercise.
Field observation indicates that there is an extensive area of decomposing shale,
which is visible as a black, powdery, erodable soil. In addition, there are steep
slopes on the northern side with igneous rock material that erode in a crumbly,
yellow-brown gravel and boulder. Throughout the valley there are sites with
outcrops of the igneous bedrock. Using the Universal Soil Loss Equation, the
natural level of erosion in the valley may vary from around 180 tons per acre per
year of soil loss on the shale soils (equivalent to roughly 0.7 inches/year), to
80 tons/acre/year on the steep, rocky slopes (0.25 inches/year), to 15
tons/acre/year on the gently sloping gravely soils (about 0.06 inches/year).
Site observations indicated that the sediment in the stream bottom is a fine sandy
loam. We do not know much as yet about the capacity of the existing rock/soil
layers for soil development. We know that the shale soils and the bedrock have
very poor infiltration capacity. The water samples indicate that the rock
substrate may be moderately to slightly alkaline. The vegetation in the streambed
adds litter, which probably neutralizes the water's acidity downstream.
The stability of the shale soils is low. It does not tolerate much tread and
disturbance, has very low vegetation cover, and pulverizes upon any form of stress.
It is easily removed by wind, water and treading. There are clear signs of rill
erosion on the shale soils and of gullies on the ecotone between shale and igneous
rock soils. The igneous rock areas are loosely stacked and liable to avalanching,
slump, rill and gully erosion.
We discovered an area that shows a clear fault line in the igneous rocks at the
point where the spring water appears. This indicates the origin of the spring.
We don't know what the quality is of the available sediment/soils for further
soil and vegetation development. Organic matter content of the soils is very low.
- Vegetation
We have not yet been able to determine what are good (native?)
and bad (exotic, invasive?) plant species.
We still may want to count trunks and take pictures.
There are basically two vegetation (plant) types that occur: 1) a grass/forb cover
underneath and interspersed with a sparse piņon-juniper woodland on the slopes,
and 2) a riparian woodland and grass/forb vegetation in the creek bed. Lawry
Sager made an extensive plant species list, consisting of 7 different tree
species, 7 different shrubs, at least 11 grasses, 3 cacti, and at least 13 forbs.
Average vegetation cover on the slopes is around 15%, according to measurements
with a 100- foot transect. Vegetation cover in the riparian area is 50-80%.
The vegetation on the slopes is mostly in very poor and degrading conditions.
For soil conservation and development purposes, it is non-functional or at risk.
For grazing purposes it is non-functional. Most organic matter (litter) is
removed by water or wind. Plant production and regeneration is poor. Erosion is
high (see above), especially on the shale soils. Plant germination is difficult
to impossible due to erosion and exposed bedrock conditions. There are very few
undesirable grasses and forbs, but the number of desirable plants is critically
low. Land forms, limited rainfall, human access and (over)grazing are most likely
the main causes of these poor vegetation conditions. Uncontrolled treading by
humans and cattle will surely contribute to further degradation.
- Animals
No animal observation have been done during this trip.
- Project approach and feasibility of rehabilitation methods
For the time being, we will follow a step-by-step project
development approach, in keeping with the goal as proposed by Bill Baxter (see
above). We will later look at issue of scale of the implementation of the
rehabilitation (and education!) plan. The project will have a strong education
and volunteer emphasis, so our techniques must be simple, educational,
replicable, and affordable. Permaculture methods, earth moving, and techniques
such as mulching, composting, poop & stomp with animals, use heavy machinery,
diversion drains, sowing and planting, swales, terraces, and mini catchments
have to be evaluated based on these criteria.
We will discuss the use or removal of unwanted plant species in the future.
Jan-Willem will develop different alternative plans that address issues of access
to people and/or cattle, the times of the year, intensity and duration of such
access, and the manner in which such access is controlled (fences, educational
tools, trails, etc.).
We will plan and implement the plan in a step by step method that will deal with
the possible emergence of artifacts in a careful and timely manner.
- Education Opportunities
The planning and data collection activities, as well as the
development of trails and look out points will focus on enhancing and organizing
educational opportunities for stewards and school kids.
We will in collaborative dialogue decide about details such as the level of
information detail that is appropriate for educational purposes and how and what
to post on the website and on posters and brochures.
- Suggestions for Plan Development and Rehabilitation Techniques
I suggest that we conduct the following rehabilitation
techniques:
0. For monitoring (control) purposes
Do nothing: on shale and gravel slopes at the eastern part of
the valley (map: D2, D3), in the main gully coming from the NE (map: D2-D3),
and the east facing slopes in the most western part of the valley (map B1, B2,
B3).
1. For soil stabilization and runoff control
1.A. Contour rows of rock, 10-15 feet between rows (old
Native American technique): on east, north and northeast-facing shale slopes
(map: C2), and on the slopes above the box canyon (with the steep drop off, map:
D2), and on the south and southwest facing rather flat slopes and drainage area
in the NE corner of the valley (along the trail) (map D3).
1.B. Mini check dams: in small gullies on the west side and north and northeast-
facing shale slopes (southside of the valley, map: C2), and just downstream from
the spring (map: border line C2 and C3), and in the flatter area upstream,
especially if we are going to build a trail across the stream/gully (map: on the
border line between C3 and C4).
1.C. Contour wattles (of willow and/or NM locust) on an eroding slope near a
steep drop off in the side gully coming from the west (map: B3), and just
downstream from the spring (map: border line C2 and C3).
1.D. Two or three swales and berms along the contour just down from the trail on
the southfacing slope. Mulched with 50/50 mixture of shredded newsprint (or
office paper) and aspen chips, 1-2 inches thick. (map: C3, D3).
1.E. Brush layering and wattling on the contours (4-6 feet apart) with NM locust
(halfway up the slope) and coyote willow (at the toe) on the southfacing slopes
(shale and igneous rock/gravel) (map C2, D2). Wooden stakes for pegging down the
wattles can be obtained from sawmills and wood yards (cheaper than from building
stores).
2. For mulching and vegetation development purposes
2.A. Mulching with 1-2 inches of wood chips, bark, shredded
paper, barley straw, and a native seed mix of grasses and forbs. Set up different
plots with different combinations of mulch and seed mixes.
2.B. Lop/prune junipers, piņon and Russian olives and scatter branches on steep
slopes, especially on areas where we don't want people to walk, or areas that are
too steep for mulch. Pruning will encourage grass regeneration underneath those
trees.
3. Access
Jan-Willem will make several alternative designs for access
(trails) and fencing. Try to keep cattle out in the meantime.
4. Suggestions for Activities for Stewards during the Winter Months
4.A. Document views and view points that are scenic and
important to incorporate in an access plan.
4.B. Count and interview users of the area to assess which are preferred access
points, trails, view points, views, landscape features, and activities. Assess
also in what seasons people most appreciate these landscape features and whether
there are trails and views etc. that are more appreciated in one season while
other features/areas are more appreciated in other seasons. Assess whether people
prefer to appreciate certain landscape features alone or in a group. Assess what
people's concerns are with the area, and what people's needs are of information,
and what kind of interpretative/information sources they prefer (brochures, maps,
panels, kiosks, human guides, etc.). Assess what signs or pamphlets should say.
4.C. Think about how we could include elders, locals, old timers, specialists,
etc. to tell stories to groups of kids and students about the history, geology,
archeology, mining techniques, biology and wildlife, landscape and erosion
features, etc.
4.D. List wildlife: species, date, where observed, how many, estimated age
(infant, young, mature, old, dying/dead).
4.E. Install and keep track of a rain gage.
4.F. Begin designing a webpage and discuss what we should include about this
project.
Spring Restoration Project Status and Evaluation, April 9, 2001
-Accomplishments
At this date, part of the activities described in phases 1
and 2 of the restoration plan have been accomplished as scheduled.
The following was accomplished at the end of April 7:
The perimeter fence was established in part: all posts were in the ground,
the charger was located, 3 wires were strung (at some places 2 wires) at the
northern and western sides, and 1 or 2 wires were strung at the western and
southern sides. It was expected that the fence was going to be finished a few
days later.
About 60-70 wattles were placed in trenches at the toe of the eroding
south-facing slopes. In places where the soil was dry or consisting of shale, the
trenches were mulched with shredded paper. The remaining 150 wattles were placed
in the shade of trees in the streambed of the spring.
Some branches of Russian olive were pruned to allow for access to the
restoration sites along the creek and to cover eroding areas that were protected
with wattles but remain susceptible to erosion from treading by people or animals.
Some branches were put aside for future brush layering purposes on the slopes.
On the upper part of the south-facing slope, an area of about one acre (with
a low shale content and a high gravel and rock content) was seeded with a
partially native seed mix (see below), and an area of about half an acre was
mulched with straw mulch from 5 straw bales. A remainder of 9 straw bales was
temporarily placed in the gully on the northeastern corner to serve as temporary
check dams. One bale was left on a lower part of the slope for future mulching
of that area. The area in the northeastern corner (near the little gate) and the
remaining area of the south-facing slope with shale soils should be mulched with
bark and chip mulch, which was piled at the foot of the trail near the main road.
Following is a list of other accomplishments and items that
I experienced as positive aspects of the planning process:
We had a thorough planning process up front, with adequate input from a
diverse group of community members and specialists.
There was a solid core group of people who took collective responsibility
in the organization of the project.
During the planning and implementation, there was a good sense of team spirit
and people appeared to have fun. People took last minute improvisations quite
well, and did not seem to be under pressure.
There was a great deal of collective learning about the area and the social
dynamics of working together to accomplish the plan.
It was very useful to walk the perimeter of the fence line and stake out the
location of the fence posts, reconfirm the number of posts needed and the need
for T-posts or rebar. We might have benefited from more of such preparatory
activities.
Materials arrived in time and people brought adequate and sufficient tools.
We were lucky with weather conditions that were cooperative for human labor
and favorable for the survival of plants and wattles.
People were mindful of the terrain conditions and each other. We had no
accidents or any major injuries during the implementation of the work.
- Seed Mix
The seed mix was ordered from Granite Seed in Utah and was based on material
that they had available and most closely resembled a seed mix composed according
to what was locally found during an inventory by Mark Kaltenbach. (place of
origin between brackets).
- Lessons (to be) learned and Other Issues to be Desired
The two most important lessons I have learned in this project
are that:
Communication and coordination was somewhat difficult and confusing at times
with the lack of a local point person. However, Bill Baxter fulfilled that role
almost from the beginning, perhaps in an informal fashion, yet with modest charisma.
The plan underestimated the time needed to get the work done. The work went
slower than expected because of many unforeseen aspects, such as the unwieldy
nature of the fencing wire, lack of experience in fencing, difficult terrain
conditions, and a low turnout during workdays.
Other lessons learned include:
We learned a lot about fencing, even before the fence went up. During the
process of ordering the material, we discovered that we needed more wire than we
had planned, and that we needed sturdier posts, which would drive up the cost and
the installation time. We realized the importance of scoping out the terrain
before ordering and installing the fence.
We received other fence wire than ordered, in spite of repetitive calls to
the supplier from everyone involved with ordering the material. We might have
discussed the choice of materials in more detail to make sure that we were not
given the wrong material, and to discuss the ramifications in terms of experience,
skill, labor and tools that different materials require. (We had a need for more
fence pliers, a spool to roll off the wire, and springs and hooks for gates).
The project might have benefited from a more in-depth field investigation by
the planner and CHPC members of the amount of rock available on site for rock
dams and contour lines of rock.
The project might have benefited also from a more active involvement of the
planner in the selection and purchase of specific materials, such as the fencing
material and the bark and chip mulch.
The sowing of seed and spreading of straw mulch during the workshop of April
7 was probably a premature action, because the fencing job was not yet completed.
As the mulch might attract cattle, we risk that the animals force themselves
through the loose fence, which may cause damage to the fence, and eat the straw.
Baseline data gathering was overlooked and poorly coordinated, although some
volunteers and the project planner took some pictures.
Because of a low turnout of volunteers during the workshops, only about a
third of the willow wattles were planted. The remainder has been stored away in
the shade, but will dry out soon and lose its regenerative capacity. The low
turnout also made it impossible to finish the mulching and seeding work and to
accomplish any rockwork and brush layering.
The project made a good beginning with the restoration work, but follow up work
is needed, as is monitoring through photo points and annual vegetation inventories.
It will be useful, if not essential, that the CHPC appoint a local coordinator of
these activities and evaluate the possibilities of successfully recruiting a larger
labor force during workdays. I wish everyone involved the best of enjoyment,
strength, and fortune in furthering the restoration of the Cerrillos Hills
Historic Park.
This website is maintained by the Cerrillos
Hills Park Coalition
and is dedicated to the creation, enhancement and stewardship
of an historical, recreational, and cultural open space in
the
Cerrillos Hills, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
