Water shapes life in Doña Ana County. So does the soil beneath our feet.
They support farms, neighborhoods, wildlife, businesses, gardens, and the communities of the Mesilla Valley. Yet many residents have never heard of the local public agency whose job includes helping conserve these resources.
The Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District, or DASWCD, has served this region since 1966. It is a governmental subdivision of the State of New Mexico created to help conserve soil, water, and other natural resources and support the health and welfare of local communities.
What does that mean in practice? It means bringing local residents, farmers, ranchers, government agencies, scientists, and community organizations together to solve conservation problems.
Through our Healthy Soils work, about 350 acres are currently taking part in a cover crop project designed to improve soil while supporting conservation goals. We have also helped local producers address noxious weeds, treating several hundred acres through a program that continues to grow.
We are testing hydroseeding methods under severe drought conditions to learn whether they could help stabilize soil while reducing pressure on groundwater. We created NRCS 101 resources to help farmers and ranchers understand federal conservation programs. We also provide watershed education so residents can better understand drought, flooding, soil, water law, and the Lower Rio Grande.
Our work is not only rural. Through partnerships, DASWCD supports urban agriculture education and NeighborWoods, which brings drought-tolerant trees into Doña Ana County and the city of Las Cruces neighborhoods.
Why does all of this matter? Because conservation is much easier and less costly when we work before land and water problems become emergencies.
Healthy soil can hold more water. Strong vegetation can reduce erosion. Better watershed knowledge helps communities prepare for drought and intense storms. Local partnerships can help residents and producers find resources they might not otherwise know exist.
DASWCD does not do this work alone. That is the point.
A conservation district takes available knowledge, funding, partnerships, and local experience and puts them to work here at home.
As our region faces a drier and more uncertain future, our land and water will continue to connect us all.
Understanding how we care for them is a good place to start.
Jennifer Kleitz is the District Manager for the Doña Ana Soil and Water Conservation District.
Jennifer Kleitz's opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of KRWG Public Media or NMSU.