Project Title: Restore Pecos River Flows (FFS #R2MA)

State: New Mexico

Initial Project Description: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just completed an environmental impact study on the effects of a proposed project to eliminate salt cedar at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge outside of Roswell, NM. The Recovery Act-funded study resulted in a finding of no significant environmental impact.

Salt Cedar trees were introduced to New Mexico in the early 20th century as a method of stabilizing stream banks from erosion. The Service wants to remove the invasive, non-native salt cedar trees from Bitter Lake NWR because of their negative effects on the riparian wilderness; the trees can each drink up to 200 gallons of water daily, decrease the water table, increase water and soil salinity, outcompete native plants for water and sunlight, and are highly susceptible to wildfires. In addition, the trees do not provide any positive benefits such as habitat or food.

Bitter Lake NWR comprises 24,536 acres in southeastern New Mexico. The area affected by salt cedar infestation is the 12,160-acred north tract which borders the Pecos River. Bitter Lake NWR was originally established in 1937 as a habitat for migrating Sand Cranes and waterfowl. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife including 357 species of birds, 59 of mammals, 50 of reptiles, and one of the largest collections of varied dragonfly species on the continent.

The Service hopes to accomplish its eradication goals with a combination of mechanical, hand, and chemical treatment, hoping that following action native species will return. Any mechanical treatment, will take place April through August as to avoid disturbing avian populations.

Update: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has awarded the Salt Cedar removal contract to Southwest Interface Solutions of Belen, New Mexico. The final terms of the contract call for Interface Solutions to remove Salt Cedar plants from almost 2,300 acres of Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR); total extraction of plants from 1,500 acres and herbicide treatment of another 980. The project began in January and is expected to be complete in December of 2010.

August 2010 Project Update: Work on the Bitter Lake salt cedar removal is almost complete, as refuge Wildlife Biologist Jeff Sanchez estimates that less than 10% of the initial removal remains. ”The north tract is almost done” he says, and the East side of the river has about a month of work until it is finished.”

“Mechanical removal using heavy equipment is almost done in all areas, except where nesting birds were found, now that they have begun to migrate we can get to those areas as well.” In areas in which excavation of the tree’s root ball was impossible, the trees were severed using chainsaws, and will be sprayed to eliminate re-sprouts next year.

March 2011 Project Update: The Service has finished all mechanical excavation work on the Bitter Lake Salt Cedar Removal project. Contractor, Invasive Solutions, will complete the project this summer with hand-held herbicide sprays on re-sprouting plants.

“It worked out great”, said refuge biologist Jeff Sanchez on the project. “It looks really good, there are a few re-sprouts but we are optimistic that the chemical spraying will take care of that. It’s wonderful to see the river acting correctly without all of the water loss, and we’re looking forward to some of the native species growing back.”

Sanchez goes on to say, that the re-spray should take about three weeks, depending upon weather conditions.

August 2011 Project Update: The Service has completed invasive species re-sprays of 750 acres of Bitter Lake NWR to complete a project to rid large areas of the refuge of Salt Cedar infestation. Initial work was done mechanically with plants being pulled up by the root balls, and the hand spraying was intended to combat re-sprouts of the invasive species.

“The major work is now done,” said Refuge Biologist Jeff Sanchez, we will have to spray again some each year, but we expect to do less and less spraying as time goes on.”

Sanchez goes on to say that local vegetation is already starting to re-grow, leading to benefits to the local bird and fish community. “In some of the wetter areas, the native plants are regaining a foothold, I expect there to be significant re-growth of native plants in 5 years or so.”

Refuge staff believes there will be many positive benefits of Salt Cedar reduction, including a higher water table, more dynamic motion of the Pecos River which will increase the number of area-unique fish, and a reduction in the refuge’s feral hog population. Sanchez says that, “the hogs prefer the thick stands of Salt Cedar for shelter, they are exposed without them.”

Sanchez also believes that the native population of Cottonwood trees should benefit from reduced competition for water.

For more information, check out the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge Fact Sheet.

Video: Pecos River Salt Cedar Eradication Project at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge – New Mexico
Check out the following video to learn how Recovery Act dollars have helped restore the Pecos River by removing invasive salt cedar trees!

Video: Restore Pecos River Flows at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Check out the following video to learn how the salt cedar trees will be removed!

Photos:

Before Bitter Lake Salt Cedar Removal, November 20, 2009.

After Bitter Lake Salt Cedar Removal, May 26, 2010.

Sunrise on the Pecos River

Originally Posted 01/14/2010
Updated 02/23/2010
Updated 04/07/2010
Updated 08/12/2010
Updated 03/04/2011
Updated 03/16/2011
Page Completed 08/16/2011