Winter 2002-2003 Bulletin

Clean Water Act Workshop Brings Watershed Communities Together

On September 26th and 27th, 2002, Amigos Bravos, in collaboration with River Network, sponsored a Clean Water Act Workshop entitled “Practical Tools and Wisdom to Protect Your Community Watershed”. The purpose of the workshop was to bring together community organizations, acequia, land grant, and watershed groups, and tribal communities in order to understand the health of their watershed and how to protect it. Attending the workshop were representatives from several New Mexican communities, including:

William Gonzales, San Augustine Community Ditch

Dick and Mogi Hogle, La Puebla Community Association

Moises Gozales, Carnuel Land Grant

Ernest Quintana, Las Vegas Community Water Compact Committee

Michael Sweeney, Rio de las Gallinas Acequia Association

Raymond Coriz, Rio Arriba County Planning and Zoning

Eloy Jaramillo, Acequia Madre de Carnuel

Macario Griego, Acequia Madre de Carnuel

Agapito Candelaria, Rio Arriba County Planning and Zoning

Charles Lujan, San Juan Pueblo Office of Environmental Affairs

Whirlwind Lorenzo, Haaku Water Office, Acoma Pueblo

Matt Holmes, New Mexico Rural Water Association

On Thursday, presentations were made by Gayle Killam, Gaby Stocks, and Steve Dickens from River Network, as well as Robert Gomez from Taos Pueblo and Scott Bulgrin from Sandia Pueblo. Discussions focused on understanding State and Tribal Water Quality Standards, and on how to obtain and analyze water quality information through the Clean Water Act reporting requirements. In addition, by using the example of the Río Gallinas in Las Vegas, New Mexico, William Gonzales provided a case study for identifying water problems and developing a community monitoring program. During dinner at the nearby Rio Grande Cantina, participants enjoyed entertainment by the RIO: “Recognize It’s Ours” youth group who performed river-related poetry for the gathering. On Friday, the group met for another day of training at the Museum of Natural History. Gayle Killam outlined ways of preventing degradation of our rivers through citizen monitoring of waste water discharge permits and implementation of the State’s Anti-Degradation Policy. The case study of the Río Gallinas and the Las Vegas waste water treatment facility were brought up again as an example of how residents can work together to stop pollution from occurring. In the afternoon, John Horning from Forest Guardians and Peter Moynihan from initiatives on the Santa Fe and Jemez rivers as well as various state and federal funding opportunities available for carrying out the work. The workshop ended with an open discussion of problems and opportunities facing participants in protecting water quality in their communities. All participants took home a wealth of information and a ‘to do’ list to help them achieve health in their watershed. In the six months following the workshop, River Network and Amigos Bravos offering technical and organizational assistance to the participants, as well as keeping track of all activities/successes generated from the workshop. In addition, participants expressed interest in continuing an exchange of ideas between the groups — Networking opportunities present themselves as workshop participants inform others about what they are doing and work collaboratively on mutually beneficial restoration efforts.

 

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