We had a crew of 3-5 (8 of us total, cycling thru) working daily at Wildcat for nearly 2 weeks. Our main focus was along the stretch of W Amarillo Creek where we built 80 leaky weirs to serve as natural infrastructure in dryland streams, to retain storm-water & sediments, allowing native riparian vegetation to grow which is expected to perpetuate and attenuate the benefits over time. We also built a series of bunds along a degraded slope below the windmill, where trails and the dirt road meet and below historic clay mining sites (for brick).
We choose to do intensive work during the late winter, because plant & soil life is pretty dormant and so we can finish (including planting) before the start of the rainy season (70% moisture from May to September which corresponds with growing season).
Here, to glimpse some results! Kirk, our valued crew member and summer intern (thru Ogallala Commons thanks to sponsor, The RANGE) runs to the Bluff whenever we get rain, which isn't as often as we like. Here, we see the structures functioning to slow & spread storm-water, so it can soak into the ground - to rehydrate the landscape :)
You can see a map of the structures on our website, about midway down the Projects page. https://www.ogallala.life/projects
It got impressive media attention, and we are about to launch some preparatory materials for year 2 works, which should help sustain the public profile enlist further support. For example see:
https://www.amarillo.com/story/news/2024/01/28/west-amarillo-creek-restoration-underway-at-wildcat-bluff-center/72342678007/
https://www.newschannel10.com/2024/01/30/west-amarillo-creek-restoration-wildcat-bluff-begins/
https://www.myhighplains.com/water-and-drought-on-the-high-plains/wildcat-bluff-discovery-center-ogallala-life-looks-beavers-natural-infrastructure-for-the-water-future-of-the-high-plains/
IMPACTS
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