BLM & BHA Tackle Water Site Inspections to Prioritize Repair

The Carlsbad Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages over two million acres in southeast New Mexico, providing unmatched public recreation opportunities. Everyone can find excitement in this arid playground, from double barrel enthusiasts flushing a covey of blue quail, challenging spot and stalks of trophy Desert Mule Deer, Elk, and Barbary Sheep in steep and unforgiving terrain, to never-ending hiking and over-landing trails, and secluded campsites with stunning 360 degree views. One of the mechanisms used to ensure such abundant wildlife is the collection of rain water through “guzzlers”, or rain water catchment systems. The guzzlers, which are built in a variety of styles, make the water available to wildlife by storing the water in large tanks that are connected to a smaller receptacle with a float valve. As evaporation and wildlife deplete the water, as small amount is released from the tank to keep the water at drinkable levels while conserving what’s left in the tank as long as possible. These systems attract every species in the area, and while they have all adapted to an arid environment, a reliable source of water is vital for these populations to thrive. Through trail cam photos, physical sign such as tracks and scat, and regular sightings, it’s clear that these guzzlers work. There are nearly 200 individual guzzlers spread throughout the region that are funded by a combination of the BLM, the Sikes Act, and Southwest New Mexico Wildlife Inc.

I was recently tasked by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) with visiting each of these sites and taking an inventory of needed repairs. This led me on one of greatest and most challenging adventures of my life. With countless miles of technical over-landing in the Guadalupe Mountains and Chihuahuan Desert, nearly 50 miles of hiking, weeks of primitive camping, navigating to sites that haven’t been visited in over 30 years, 36 sandwiches, and temperatures ranging from 91 degrees in October to only 3 degrees in January, this project kept me on my toes. In the oil fields, it was common to cover more than 100 miles in a day on gravel roads in search of these guzzlers, and the threat of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S gas) was ever present, particularly on cold days with little wind. Road conditions were often very poor, and I had to get creative to access many of the guzzlers. The onX Hunt Tool might have been my most valuable tool in the field as I was often without cell service and navigating through two million acres without off-line maps would have been almost impossible. Knowing the boundaries between private and public land kept me out of trouble and allowed me to use my time as efficiently as possible. Despite the constant challenges, I loved every second of it. All in all, I assessed 108 of the nearly 200 sites originally identified, expediting a huge portion of this work. 

I was also lucky enough to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the BLM operates at the Carlsbad Field Office, the agency’s largest office in the country. Scott Lerich, a legend in wildlife biology, was my main contact throughout the project I tried to learn all that I could from him. Together, we collaborated with a number of staff members from departments such as GIS, IT, and the fire crew to make this project run smoothly. They were incredibly supportive at every turn, and I’ve never worked with a more dedicated group of outdoor enthusiasts.

As a land professional in Texas focusing on farm and ranch real estate and land management, I understand the effort it takes to care for the landscape and its wildlife. Working with BHA and the BLM, two organizations that have the resources to make an impact on a much larger scale, was an opportunity of a lifetime. Public land belongs to all of us, and I’m proud to have a hand their conservation.

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