YCCD Demonstration Grazing Project Cooperator Information Meeting

The YCCD was awarded a demonstration project grant by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts (CACD) in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This grant is for $10,000 with 75 percent being the grant and 25% funded by the YCCD.

Due to the Republican River Compact between Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, took precedence over water storage at Bonny and was consequently drained to meet water demands of the compact. Since December 2011 waterflow through the Bonny site has been impaired by a significant amount of phreatophytes, invasive and noxious trees, plants and weeds that multiply annually. The goal of this project is to clear out the phreatophytes, trees and weeds by utilizing intensive grazing to harvest and breakdown the nonbeneficial biomass in the reservoir area.

YCCD will work with specialists from the Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, US Fish and Wildlife, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension and NRCS field staff to develop an intensive grazing program that will improve the following:

                            ~ Increased Water Quantity, Quality and Distribution

                            ~ Plant Structure and Composition

                            ~ Livestock, Wildlife Feed and Forage Balances.

An informational meeting for potential grazing cooperators will be held December 6th at 1:00pm in Idalia at the Homestead, 9550 County Road DD, Idalia, CO. A tour of the grazing area will be held for the producers to see the project area.  After the tour the group will travel back to the Homestead for a presentation and Q&A regarding the demonstration grazing project.

The key milestone for this project is to return the Bonny reservoir area back to a natural and usable habitat for wildlife while eliminating phreatophytes and prohibited and noxious weeds. Through the elimination of the phreatophytes and the breakdown of the nonbeneficial biomass it is the anticipation that we may ultimately see water flow again in that area.

If you have additional questions regarding this project, please contact Tanya Fell at the YCCD at 970-332-3107 ext. 9002