1 CONSERVATION IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: GILA BEND NRCD Ella Pierpoint, Supervisor Gila Bend NRCD Stressed Out? Need Help? Our District’s Approach to Preparing a Conservation Strategy…….

Getting Started….Step #1 A colored map showing the State Districts Locate a copy of your District Mission Statement Locate a copy of your District Goal Obtain a map of your District showing Township & Range lines Add the names of District Supervisors for a completed page 1 2 Gather the Documents You Will Need Gila Bend NRCD State (or copy) how your District will attempt to partner with others. Add some District photos.

Ask you District Conservationist to Help w/ the Following Information: A map showing your District’s 8- Digit Hydrologic Units A map of your District showing “Planned and Applied Conservation Practices” for your Field Office. Is it possible to separate out your District? A table listing the top 15 practices in your Field Office since the 2008 Farm Bill You will also need a copy of your Local Work Group meeting minutes setting District Resource Priorities. 3 Planned and Applied Conservation Practices, Avondale Field Office, within 8-digit HUA’s Top of page 3…..

General Information About Your District, Top of Page 3, continued Your Field Office Other District Information (Add Paragraphs under “Hydrological Units”) What Field Office are you in? What other Districts share this office? Include the eight-digit hydrological units in your District by name and number. The Units are important because you will have to decide which ones to target with your practices Is your District in an AMA? Is your District in a non-expansion area? Is your District mostly rangeland, cropland, or a combination of the two? Approximately how many acres are devoted to range and/or cropland? Are there any opportunities for partners or constraints such as population, radical change in land use, etc., within your District? 4 “No till” field visit

Additional District Information: Suggested Categories, bottom page 3-5 District Environment Cultural Water Demands Cropland Municipal Use Industrial Surface Water Status of Rangeland Allocations & Condition Wildlife Habitat Invasive Plant Species Cultural Resources 5 Northern end of Gila Bend District below Gillespie Dam

District Natural Resource Priorities ( Page 6, 2 nd paragraph) Local Work Group Top 15 Practices in the Avondale Field Office, 2008 Local Work Group Priorities for the Gila Bend District: Water Quantity Water Quality Soil Health Noxious & Invasive Plants Air Quality Soil Erosion—including riverbanks and tailwater return systems 6

Suggested Outline: “Natural Resource Implementation Strategy ”, (Bottom of Page 6-8) Choose one or maybe two resource concerns (Suggestion: Follow the Money Trail) Begin with Resource #1 Explain the Problem/Concern State your Objective What are the District’s Specific Goals? Identify the Treatment Method(s) Estimate your Funding Needs & Timeline Include a Cost Analysis for Selected Practices Name the Hydrologic Units to be Targeted Explain Monitoring and Evaluation Methods With Whom will the District Partner? 7 Groundwater Conditions-Gila Bend Basin

District Resource Concern 1: ( Page 8) Inefficient Water Use & Water Quality Issues Structures for Water Control: Headgates = $600 (gate $500; install $100) Ports (frames, lids, installation, pipe) = $460 Irrigation Water Mgt. Plan = $8/acre Nutrient Management Plan: Cropland = $2,000 Dairy (700 + head) = $9,000 8 Cost Analysis for Irrigation Water Use Practices for Gila Bend: Drip Irrigation Systems (tubing, filtration, piping, installation) = $2,000/acre Sprinkler Systems (piping, pivot, installation) = $3,000/acre Irrigation Pipelines (pipe, valves, fittings, installation) =$20/foot Ditch lining = $10/foot Irrigation Land leveling = $1,000/acre (Based on $2 per cu. 500 cu. yds. /acre x 40 acres = $40,000) Tailwater Return Systems (pond, $6,000; pipeline, $50,000; pumping plant & electrical connection, $30,000) = $86,000 Hunter Ditchlining

Resource Concern 2: Salt Cedar removal from private land within the Gila Bend District, (page 9) Note: Use same process as for Resource Concern #1 District Opportunity: To partner w/ the BLM, the AGFD, & the USFWS to remove Salt Cedar from the Fred J. Weiler Greenbelt Resource Conservation Area and establish riparian vegetation to support migratory birds and other wildlife. To partner with other Districts within the Avondale Field Office District Target: Salt Cedar infestation on private land within the Gila River streambed Treatment Costs: Mechanical: $3,000/acre (heavy infestation) Chemical: $50/acre “Habitat” herbicide plus $50/acre chopper (15 gal. mix) = $100/acre Summary of Funding Priority(s) page 11 *****Attachments? Append to Proposal (pages 12-14) 9 Salt Cedar in Gila Streambed

10 Soooo…………Arizona NRCDs……….Don’t let your District Coop- erators Down! You have a job to do! In the words of Larry the Cable Guy…… “Git R Done!!!!!!” Dan Whitney—Larry the Cable Guy