The San Juan Mountain Ecosystem
and HD Mountains
Summary
In the arid parts of New Mexico and southern Colorado, streams sometimes simply disappear into the sand. A notable exception to this high-desert phenomenon can be found in the San Juan Mountains. Covering the eastern part of New Mexico’s Rio Arriba County and the western part of Taos County and extending into southern Colorado, the San Juans have abundant rainfall that sustains the lush mountainous terrain and wet meadows that form some of New Mexico’s premier fishing waters. Popular streams such as the Rio Brazos and... Read More...
What's At Risk?
The San Juans offer some of the best elk, deer and pronghorn antelope hunting in New Mexico, and provide anglers with endless opportunities along the banks of its prized trout streams. In western Taos County, populations of elk and deer that are among the strongest in the state winter in the rolling grasslands around San Antonio Mountain and Puncho Valley. But the area and its ecosystem are being threatened by potential widespread oil and gas development from the west and the north... Read More...
The Sportsmen's Solution
Concerns over water and wildlife have prompted New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to call for changes in state regulations to protect water and wildlife and call a “time out” until a development plan is in place. Sportsmen have pushed for developing stronger guidelines, including setbacks to buffer cold water fisheries, strict monitoring of drilling pollutants and mandatory well spacing for development close to surface and groundwater. Read More...
Sportsman in the Spotlight: Greg Scott
Greg Scott runs Red River Anglers and lives with his wife and two sons in Red River, N. M. Greg is well aware of the impacts energy development is having on wildlife and water resources in his county and throughout the Rocky Mountain states. As vice president of the Enchanted Circle chapter of Trout Unlimited, Greg is actively involved in ensuring that energy development is done in an environmentally responsible mannerin order to conserve the fish and wildlife resources on which New Mexico depends... Read More...
The San Juan Mountain Ecosystem and HD
Mountains
Summary
In the arid parts of New Mexico and southern Colorado, streams sometimes simply disappear into the sand. A notable exception to this high-desert phenomenon can be found in the San Juan Mountains. Covering the eastern part of New Mexico’s Rio Arriba County and the western part of Taos County and extending into southern Colorado, the San Juans have abundant rainfall that sustains the lush mountainous terrain and wet meadows that form some of New Mexico’s premier fishing waters. Popular streams such as the Rio Brazos and native cutthroat fisheries such as El Rito de Tierra Amarilla, Rio San Antonio and the Rio de Los Piños all spring up from the marshy wetlands that cover much of the region.
Some of the same sportsmen who enjoy this incredible region helped stop a proposal for 10 wells to be drilled in the western flank of the San Juan Mountains, within casting distance of El Rito de Tierra Amarilla. Rio Arriba County already has more than 11,000 wells, but so far, they are confined to the arid western portion of the county. Today, sportsmen are expressing concern about leases under consideration in the eastern part of the county that would threaten one of the state’s most important rivers.
The HD Mountains, named for an historic cattle-ranch brand, represent one of the last undrilled roadless areas in San Juan Basin. Currently, 27 new wells and 11 miles of roads are slated for this 40,000-acre area in southwest Colorado. On the edges of the roadless area, 11 new wells have been approved, despite a pending lawsuit challenging the permits.
What’s at Risk?
The San Juans offer some of the best elk, deer and pronghorn antelope hunting in New Mexico, and provide anglers with endless opportunities along the banks of its prized trout streams. In western Taos County, populations of elk and deer that are among the strongest in the state winter in the rolling grasslands around San Antonio Mountain and Puncho Valley. But the area and its ecosystem are being threatened by potential widespread oil and gas development from the west and the north. Across the state line, thousands of acres in or near Colorado’s San Luis Valley were proposed for leasing last year, and that trend could continue into northern New Mexico.
In Colorado’s HD Mountains, big-game migration corridors and critical winter habitat are threatened as well as old-growth ponderosa pine, some of which are more than 300 years old. Plans to drill the area would allow new roads to be built in the most rugged terrain in the San Juan Mountains and adversely affect popular hunting and fishing grounds in the HD Mountains.
Concerns over water and wildlife have prompted New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to call for changes in state regulations to protect water and wildlife and call a “time out” until a development plan is in place. Sportsmen have pushed for developing stronger guidelines, including setbacks to buffer cold water fisheries, strict monitoring of drilling pollutants and mandatory well spacing for development close to surface and groundwater. Hunters and anglers also have supported a proposed national conservation area encompassing more than 235,000 acres of the Puncho Valley that would withdraw mineral development rights and conserve this critical winter range abutting the San Antonio Mountain area.
Sportsman in the Spotlight
Greg Scott
Greg Scott runs Red River Anglers and lives with his wife and two sons in Red River, N. M. Gregis well aware of the impacts energy development is having on wildlife and water resources in his county and throughout the Rocky Mountain states. As vice president of the Enchanted Circle chapter of Trout Unlimited, Greg is actively involved in ensuring that energy development is done in an environmentally responsible manner in order to conserve the fish and wildlife resources on which New Mexico depends.
"We've worked long and hard to restore Rio Grande cutthroat trout to some of these drainages, and we expect the government and industry to take that into consideration before leasing and drilling in habitat that just can't be replaced once it's gone." - Greg Scott
PHOTO CREDITS: Landscape: Steve Torbit; Sportsman Profile: Bobby Fellows
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© 2008 Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development
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