Field Notes
Field Notes
Embedded Files
Research, field observations, and practical guides for landowners and conservation partners working in Socorro County and the Middle Rio Grande Valley.
Soil & Mapping
Soil & Mapping
Understand what you're standing on. Learn how to read USDA soil surveys, identify Turney loamy sand, and use mapping data to maximize your forage.
Water & Erosion Control
Water & Erosion Control
Keep water on your side of the fence and in your soil. Get practical strategies for stopping arroyo headcuts, preventing stock tank silting, and managing heavy monsoon runoff.
Brush & Range Management
Brush & Range Management
Reclaim your forage from invading brush. Read down-to-earth guides on clearing mesquite, juniper, and snakeweed, followed by successful native grass reseeding tactics that actually work in dry country.
Grants & Funding
Grants & Funding
Cut through the NRCS paperwork barrier. Find step-by-step advice on navigating EQIP and CSP applications, preparing your ranch maps, and positioning your operation to get funded.
Field Observations
Field Observations
Real notes from real local ground. View raw updates, photo logs, and quick lessons learned from active restoration and mapping projects across Socorro County.
Request A Custom Map
Request A Custom Map
Ready to put this data to work on your own acres? Get in touch with BazTek Restoration to build a custom GIS map of your operation or plan your next rangeland conservation project.
Featured Publication
Waffle Grid Water Harvesting in the Chihuahuan Desert: What the Research Says
Waffle Grid Water Harvesting in the Chihuahuan Desert: What the Research Says
Author: Basil Addington
Publication date: February 2025
Abstract: This research brief, tailored for practitioners at BazTek Native Restoration working in Socorro County, New Mexico, synthesizes traditional Zuni (A:shiwi) waffle grid water harvesting techniques with modern conservation science for broad-scale rangeland restoration in the Chihuahuan Desert. The waffle grid, or "heko:we," creates "islands of fertility" by employing three primary biophysical mechanisms: runoff capture to increase infiltration, thermal mass via earthen berms to stabilize micro-climates, and wind mitigation to suppress evapotranspiration. The document confirms the suitability of this practice for the region's prevalent Turney loamy sand soils, which offer an ideal balance of permeability and structural stability, and notes the critical role of the subsurface caliche layer in long-term moisture retention. Implementation aligns with USDA NRCS Conservation Practice Standards, specifically Code 638 (Water and Sediment Control Basin) and Code 550 (Range Planting), and recommends a specific native seed mix, including the highly-tolerant Alkali Sacaton. The brief concludes that by disconnecting destructive hydrological pathways and revitalizing this ancient tradition, the waffle grid is a technically credible and necessary strategy for improving forage security and securing the productive future of Socorro County's ranching lands.
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