Water Replenishment: A Trip to Comanche Creek with Coca-Cola Co.

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Even though Coca-Cola paid for my trip to Taos (all expenses paid), all the opinions are of my own. Thank you to Coca-Cola and the opportunity to embark on this journey to learn more about the water replenishment program and your sustainability.

I love to visit places like Lake Tahoe, Yellowstone, Yosemite and better yet, local forests like Carson National Forest.  All its wonders and all its beauty is mind blowing to me. Overall,  I really enjoy all that nature has to offer. And I will say, I am one of those people that takes these types of forests for granted; I just think they will “naturally” be here for all of generations to come. The same with water replenishment that comes from the rain.

Until Now!!!

upper-comanche-creek-watershed
Pictured here are reps from Coca-Cola Co. Quivira Coalition. U.S. Forest Service. National Fish and Wildlife. Cattle Grazing Association. and then many others like me that came to observe and learn.

I was invited by Coca-Cola Co. and their North America Sustainability team to go up to Carson National Forest and learn about their water replenishment in Valle Vidal and Comanche Creek. It’s very crucial and important we understand the value of this water replenishment project and how it affects our communities. If you are a hunter you are probably familiar with the Valle Vidal area, since this is the sweet spot for hunters. But what many may not realize,  is this is also an area (along with many others) where dry land is creeping in. Due to historic and current recreational mining, cattle overuse, logging, and other factors, our New Mexico wetlands are threatened. This has devastating consequences. For example, the cutthroat trout were one step away from being listed as threatened and endangered species.  But all this is changing because of Coca-Cola Co and their partnership with U.S. Forest service.

THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP

Now, I will be honest, I find it difficult to wrap my mind how the water replenishing process works. But once I saw it first hand, it all made sense. The most noteworthy thing for me, is it is not  Coca-Cola alone that makes this happen. It is not USDA, US Forest Service, Volunteers or other sectors alone who are able to achieve the water replenishment program. No, it’s a team effort for all these entities, through planning, evaluation, maintenance. Teamwork. That’s what makes the water replenishment process a success. This is multiple sources working together to make sustainability a top priority. And it’s remarkable. We can only hope that this is motivation for other businesses to become “world changers” right along side with Coca-Cola and U.S. Forest service.

FUN FACTS:

  • Because of the Restoration of damaged watersheds and meadows- 1 Billion liters of water have been returned to the National Forest System – this provides drinking water to more than 60 million Americans. I repeat, 60 MILLION!!! Coca-Cola had a goal of meeting their water replenishment milestones by 2020. They met it in 2016.  Let’s give them a virtual clap here. This, in my opinion, is super Aaahhh-Maazing.
  • AND they plan to stay on track to double that commitment by 2018.
  • There are several individual locations of watersheds being restored across the U.S. with the help of Coca-Cola co., the Us Forest Service and many others. Click here to see more.
  •  Besides here in Northern America, Coca-Cola also has projects Globally.
  • Coca-Cola and its partners have replenished 182 million liters of water in Carson National Forest. The partners have also restored 191 acres of wetland, planted 1,200 native trees and shrubs and installed 67 stream restoration structures in six additional national forests. Source: USDA

Valle Vidal and Comanche Creek

Most of our water comes from the Rio Grande, the Chama and the Santa Fe River; the river flows through numerous villages, towns and cities of our great state, including the city of Albuquerque. It is a major supplier of surface and ground water for residential, commercial and agricultural use in New Mexico and if we are not able to secure the water sources that feed into these, like Comanche Creek and snow run off from the Valle Vidal, then our supply will diminish.

Head cuts/nicks are created due to cattle overuse, logging, and other factors, as mentioned above, causing erosion and can move up higher in the meadow causing the meadow and streams to die out. It’s essential to stop this from happening to help the process of our natural water supply (snow, rain,) to flow in an appropriate way to create the surface and ground water needed. The Quivira Coalition, an environmental non-profit organization out of Santa Fe, has done a great job explaining head cuts and down cutting. You can read more here to understand the process and how it affects our water supply.

Upper Comanche Creek Watershed

Water restoration funded by Coca-Cola. Comanche Creek is located in the northern most part of the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest. Because of the funding and partnership, the water restoration was done a lot sooner.

“For everything that has been accomplished in the Comanche Creek Watershed, there are many more miles of creek and acres of wetland to bring back to health.” according to the Quivira Coaltion,

The picture above is proof of what happens when companies partner together for the good and help to replenish our water.

 

Keeping New Mexico Green: A Trip to Comanche Creek with Coca Cola Co. Albuquerque Moms Blog
Logs are placed strategically at the head-cut of a stream to restore streams that were down-cutting through the fields. This helps raise the water table.

Keeping New Mexico Green: A Trip to Comanche Creek with Coca Cola Co. Albuquerque Moms Blog

 

The Valle Vidal

Keeping New Mexico Green: A Trip to Comanche Creek with Coca Cola Co. Albuquerque Moms Blog
With appropriate funding and volunteer help, soon restoration can take place here and look like the Upper Comanche Creek restoration.

The Valle Vidal is limited to vehicle traffic and exclusive to Administrative use. People must park and hike. This, along with partnering with Valle Vidal Grazing Association to permit cattle crazing only in specified areas, is part of the restoration process .

“Valle Vidal is one of  the biggest priorities because it’s the largest tributary to Comanche Creek. And because it’s so big it’s going to take a lot more effort and a lot more money and a lot more manpower to get the restoration done in this area” said Michael Gatlin, Fisheries Biologist U.S. Forest Service.

This is an example of Placer Creek, taken before and after by the Us. Forest Service. This is what headcutting creates and then downcutting occurs, all due to many factors as mentioned above

coca-cola-project-summary-carson-9-7-2016_page_2
Photo Courtesy of USDA. Click on picture to learn more.

Volunteer

We too can do our part by volunteering. If you care about our country’s natural resources, the Forest Service could use our help. Our children greatly benefit by becoming familiar with Forest Service activities. Plus, students can even earn college credits through a college-approved intern program with the U.S. Forest Service.

Websites for Volunteering:

Volunteer.gov : Check out their website for local and national opportunities https://www.volunteer.gov/

Quivira Coalition: Provides Restoration Workshops. Contact Mollie Walton for more information to volunteer. Phone 505.820.2544, Ext. 6#  Email: [email protected]

 

 Ask yourself where your water is coming from and then ask is it being replenished? With Coca-Cola you can be sure they are pursuing its sustainability and water replenishment goals.