The Environment

Bosque Clean Up

SSCAFCA , the City of Rio Rancho and the Friends of Rio Rancho Open Space joined together in 2004 in an effort to remove non-native species and trash from the bosque at the outlet to the Venada Arroyo. Because SSCAFCA was given an easement over this area, SSCAFCA committed $20,000 to this effort of which $19,995.91 was expended. A total of 8.5 acres of bosque were able to be cleared which means that storm water can flow unrestricted to the Rio Grande from Rivers Edge One to the Venada outlet is now free of non-native vegetation. This project was completed in March of 2005.

The SSCAFCA booth at Rio Rancho Earth Festival May 2006

Bat Houses

SSCAFCA has erected bat houses at the outlet to the Harvey Jones, the inlet to the Harvey Jones, Tree Farm Dam A, and Dam 1 in Corrales Heights. Unfortunately this year Mr. James McCaulkey, the head of the BATS program in Corrales passed away.  His daughter has taken up the mantle and is enlarging the project.  SSCAFCA did have bats in the houses at the HJC outlet and the HJC inlet.  Staff will continue to explore alternatives for mosquito control and implement the most effective and environmentally safe methods available.

West Nile Virus Update

Residents of New Mexico have experienced another outbreak of West Nile virus this year. For the last three years the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority (SSCAFCA) has been using mosquito dunks in facilities that r3etain water after a flood event, for mosquito control. This year, with the recurrence of the West Nile virus, SSCAFCA is augmenting the dunks by using Agnique MMF. The mosquito dunks only target the larval stage of the mosquito while the MMF is a mono-molecular film that targets the larval, pupal, and adult stage of the mosquito. The Operations and Maintenance staff has been employing the  mosquito dunks every 21-25 days since the beginning of March, specifically at the outlet to the Harvey Jones Channel, and more generally in facilities that retain water from a storm event. Recently staff has started using the MMF at the Harvey Jones Channel outlet. The Roskos Field Wetland and Detention Pond are stocked with gambusia mosquito fish which eat mosquito larvae.

A burrowing owl that lives in one of our arroyos