San Francisco Soil & Water
Conservation District
Promoting stewardship of natural resources in southern Catron County, New Mexico
We provide technical and financial assistance to the citizens of our district for soil improvement, erosion and floodwater control, removal of invasive species, and other conservation efforts.
What's New
Need Help Establishing Eligibility for Assistance from Federal Agencies?
There are many conservation and producer related programs available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other federal agencies. Working through the forms required to be eligible for assistance can be daunting. Here is Fact Sheet to help demystify the process.
Most funding comes through participation in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Here's a link for more information.
You can also contact your local Soil & Water Conservation District for help!
Deadline for 2023 EQIP or CSP Applications is November 18th
The deadline for applications to be considered for 2023 funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) or the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is November 18, 2022. For more information on EQIP or CSP, click here or contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District. To download an EQIP application click here.
Update on the Water Data Initiative
From various stakeholder engagement opportunities over the past year, the Water Data Initiative Team heard your comments - specifically - that many of you are seeking water data through interactive maps. With help from UNM's Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC), we've built a new map gallery you can check out here!
Scroll down for more information on the Water Data Initiative.
Dry Creek Juniper Restoration Project
The Glenwood Ranger District, Gila National Forest proposes to treat one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) and mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.) on approximately 4,300 acres of National Forest Lands with thinning treatments and prescribed fire.
The project is approximately 2.5 miles south of Glenwood, New Mexico and is located in Catron County in T. 12 S., R. 19 W., Sections 17-21, 28-33; T. 12 S., R. 20 W., Sections 13, 24-25, 36. Private land borders the south and west sides of the project area.
Click the button below for more details, including a map of the prescribed area.
Bipartisan Legislation Submitted to Address Wildfires
A bipartisan group of legislators from California and Montana have introduced The Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act. You can read a summary of the bill here and see the full text by clicking the button below.
Wild and Scenic River Legislation
New Mexico senators Udall and Heinrich are proposing legislation to include parts of the Gila and San Francisco rivers and tributaries of the San Francisco River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The SFSWCD Board of Supervisors and the Council of Border Conservation Districts oppose this legislation.
New Mexico CAP Entity
The New Mexico Central Arizona Project (CAP) Entity is composed of 15 representatives of counties, municipalities, irrigation districts, and soil and water conservation districts in the four- county region of Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna in southwest New Mexico.
The entity was formed for the purpose of working with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to support federal legislation securing an additional average of 14,000 acre-feet of water per year and up to $128 million to satisfy water supply needs in southwest New Mexico and/or provide a project or projects to access the additional water on the Gila and San Francisco rivers.
Water Data Initiative
In accordance with Section 3D of the Water Data Act (from 2019 House Bill 651), a Water Data Plan has been completed. The new plan identifies the goals, actions, targets and metrics of the Water Data Initiative for the next year. The plan and an infographic have been submitted to the Governor's office and appropriate legislative interim committees, as required by the Water Data Act statute. This plan will be updated annually.
The New Mexico Water Data Implementation Team is counting on you to meet Goal # 4, Continue Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities. Help determine what some of the biggest needs for our water data are! The Team is looking for creative ways to do this in the coming months and will be reaching out again soon to pull ideas together for this effort!
Elevate NM Agriculture
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture aims to connect consumers with New Mexico agriculture products. If you are a New Mexico producer/business that wishes to include your food, beverage or agricultural product and contact information on our online products-to-consumer database, please click the button below.
Once you submit your information, the NMDA staff will verify the submission, and once validated, it will be added to the list. Questions? Email [email protected].
NMSU Extension publication focuses on direct sale of beef to customers
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an abrupt and dynamic change in how food reaches the consumer’s dinner table. Grocery store meat sections are frequently bare or offering very slim selections. Shoppers are sometimes left wondering how to replenish their family’s supply of this protein source. While the shelves are bare, ranchers and farmers are experiencing low prices for their livestock at the sale barn, as the supply chain is impacted by changes in the market.
Livestock Risk Management Working Group
The LRM-WG is a newly formed organization with a producer approach to improving risk management tools. Through a grass-roots producer effort, this organization will seek to gain a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the current Risk Management Agency (RMA) insurance products available for livestock producers.
Producers are encouraged to take a survey designed to help LRM-WG gain a better understanding of producer experiences with risk management products.
LRM-WG appreciates the value of your time and is committed to utilizing this information to provide producers with better risk management tools. LRM-WG will use the collected information to inform the risk management community and RMA on potential improvements to current programs as well as potential new products to better serve the livestock industry. As you know, maintaining cash flow and economic stability in livestock agriculture is extremely challenging. Having insurance products which aid producers in managing financial risk is a common goal for producers, insurance providers and RMA.