Water…. Such a precious substance here on the Ranch. And because of that, it will become a critical tool in the quest for agricultural success and environmental enhancement.

At the 2002 HROA Annual meeting the membership was presented with Proposal #1 the "Watershed Stewardship and Rangeland Enhancement Program". The proposal passed easily thanks to a combined effort of concerned owners, staff members and a well-educated and supportive membership.  The description of the project is rather simple: Develop off creek water sources, providing a major tool to better manage the grazing of livestock. The benefits we hope to achieve are many such as:

1)    Ecological benefits derived from a managed grazing program, helping to manage the distribution of livestock activity which in turn will promote native plant habitat and help in the battle of invasive weeds;

2)    Social benefits by helping to suppress wildfire fuel in a more evenly distributed manner, not just in the most popular well watered areas;

3)    Political benefits derived from tangible watershed protection and resource stewardship activities;

4)    Economic benefits derived from improved agricultural production stability and continued Ag Preserve status.

The program is simple and proven. The Coop, despite limited funds, has piloted this program for 3 years. By strategically placing off-stream water sources for livestock we have seen an improved diversity to certain creek corridors, enhanced productivity of effected pasture-lands through better managed grazing practices and have upgraded our options as to the types of operations we want to run (e.g. two-season stocker, one-season stockers and/or cow-calf).

John McCarty
Cattle Coop Manager