COLLEGE STATION, (TAMU) –  — One of the worst droughts in the state’s history deepened, with nearly 98 percent of the state in one stage of drought or another, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

More than 90 percent of the state was suffering from extreme to exceptional drought, according to the monitor’s most recent report on July 5.

In many areas, irrigators were experiencing severe drawdown of aquifers — pumping only air in some cases. Producers in other regions were abandoning corn in order to have enough water to save cotton.

Two-minute MP3 audio Texas crop, weather report for July 12, 2011

In most parts of the state, dryland crops have completely failed, but there were a few success stories, though they may only seem like wins by comparison to the rest of the state, said Dr. Dan Fromme, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agronomist for the Coastal Bend area.

Nearly all the corn, grain sorghum and cotton crops in the Coastal Bend area are dryland, according to Fromme. Though most of the region is classified as being under extreme drought, farmers there had the advantage of getting 4 to 6 inches of rain in January.

“We went into planting season with either a full-soil profile (of moisture) or maybe a little less, and that went a long way,” he said. “And the couple of inches of rain we received in May helped immensely.”

Grain sorghum and cotton comprise the vast majority of crops grown in the region, Fromme said. Grain sorghum has already been harvested, with yields averaging about 3,000 pounds per acre, compared to average yields of 3,500 to 4,000 pounds.

Cotton growers were either harvesting or preparing to harvest by July 12, he said. He expected yields to be about three-quarters of a bale per acre, which is about 65 to 70 percent of the long-term average.

“So, yes, compared to the rest of the state, we are a little bit better off,” he said.

Of more concern are long-range forecasts for the region, Fromme said.

“It’s not too promising in the future here,” he said. “From all the reports I’ve read for the upcoming fall, winter and spring, we could still be on the dry side, and I don’t know what we’re going to do next year if that happens.”

More information on the current Texas drought and wildfire alerts can be found on the AgriLife Extension Agricultural Drought Task Force website at http://agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Map of the 12 Texas AgriLife Extension Service districts

Central: The region remained very dry. Livestock producers were culling herds because of shortages of forage and of hay. Stock-water tanks were getting low. Corn growers began harvesting. Very large numbers of grasshoppers were reported.

Coastal Bend: The region had above-average temperatures with no significant rainfall. Pasture and rangeland conditions remained very poor. Livestock producers continued to provide supplemental feed to cattle. Most ponds were very low or dry. The grain sorghum harvest was ongoing, and cotton growers applied defoliants to some early planted fields in preparation for harvest. Cotton was maturing very early because of the dry conditions and high heat. Forage and hay production was minimal.

East: A few areas received as much as 2.5 inches of rain, but overall the region continued to suffer from extreme drought. A minimum amount of hay was cut this season, and producers were culling herds and selling calves early in an attempt to hang on. Pond and creek levels further dropped. Fish in Henderson County were dying from depleted water-oxygen levels. Livestock were in fair to good condition with producers providing supplemental feed. Grasshopper problems increased in many counties.

Far West: Conditions remained very hot and dry. The pecan crop was light, but with good nut development and low insect pressure. Producers were irrigating crops up to 24 hours a day to keep up with water demands. Irrigated cotton was doing reasonably well, but showed signs of stress from low moisture. Dryland cotton failed. Rangeland forage was being depleting. Wildlife visited towns at night to feed on green grass in home lawns. Some irrigation wells were only pumping air.

North: May rains helped pastures, but after days of 100 degree and higher temperatures, soil-moisture levels became very short throughout the region. Deeper clay soils were in better condition than sandy soils. All crops and pastures were suffering. Most corn was harvested for silage and the rest was in poor condition. Most sorghum was also harvested for silage. Hay meadows were thin and sparse. Forage was minimal, and those producers that were baling their first cutting of hay saw a 75 percent decrease in yields. Livestock producers were feeding large amounts of hay, and some continued to cull herds while others were completely liquidating them. Chinch bugs in sorghum began to be reported in the last week. The oat and winter wheat harvests were complete. Cotton was in fair to good condition.

Panhandle: Conditions remained hot, dry and windy with no moisture for most of the reporting period. On July 11, thunderstorms swept through the area, bringing only light showers in most counties, but dropping as much as 3 inches of rain in isolated areas. Most corn remained stressed, with increased reports of spider mites and western bean cutworm.

Many producers were abandoning corn due to the ongoing drought. Irrigators were considering diverting what irrigation capacity they had to fewer acres. Irrigation of all crops continued to be very active. Rangeland and pasture conditions were mostly rated as very poor. Cow/calf producers reduced herd sizes where possible, and continued supplemental feeding. Hay supplies were dwindling fast.

Rolling Plains: The extreme drought continued. Only heavily irrigated cotton made any progress. Very little dryland cotton was expected to survive. Continued triple-digit temperatures forced many ranchers to haul water to livestock. Other producers were selling cattle due to no grazing or water. Some producers lost cattle after moving them when water tanks dried up. In the new pastures, cattle died of water intoxication from drinking too much, too fast. Hay crops were poor. There were more wildfires in Palo Pinto County. In Parker County, the peach crop was rated fair, at best.

South: Despite earlier, heavy rains, soil-moisture levels throughout most of the region were very short.

The exceptions were Willacy County, which reported 55 percent adequate; Hidalgo County, 70 percent adequate; and Cameron County, 100 percent surplus. With rangeland and pastures in poor shape and further declining, livestock producers were increasing supplemental feed to maintain livestock condition. Very low stock-tank water levels posed problems for livestock producers in some areas. Herd liquidation and additional culling continued as cattle prices remained high. In the northern parts of the region, crops under irrigation progressed, corn harvesting began with early yields reported at the county average, and peanuts entered the pegging stage. In Jim Wells County, harvest operations intensified as small grains matured rapidly. In Kleberg and Kenedy counties, the sorghum harvest was nearly finished. In Zavala County, early-planted corn was nearly harvest-ready, cotton was progressing well, the melon harvest was completed, and sorghum matured and was nearly ready to harvest. In Starr County, field activities were mostly halted by wet conditions.

A farm hand plugs every other row on an irrigation pipe to conserve water. (Texas AgriLife Extension Service photo by Robert Burns)

South Plains: Many farmers began to abandon cornfields in order to divert irrigation to cotton. Most corn was being swathed and put up for silage. Cattle producers continued to cull herds because no forage was available, and sale barns reported record numbers of cattle sales. Aquifer drawdown has drastically increased, which indicated that most irrigated fields were living on borrowed time.

Southeast: The region has been extremely hot. Some areas had isolated showers, which greened up pastures, but didn’t initiate any substantial growth. Water diversion for the lower Brazos River Basin has been suspended for all uses except for municipal, water generation and livestock watering. The only available forage for cattle is grain sorghum stubble. When the rice harvest begins, rice stubble will probably also be used as forage. Rice was in fair condition. Ponds continued to lose water due to evaporation, and some had already dried up. The condition of livestock continued to decline. Cattlemen were culling cows, hoping to save enough to rebuild herds when conditions improve.

Southwest: Slight improvements in the agricultural situation from earlier scattered rains were rapidly dissipating. Overall, the region remained very dry and under wildfire alerts.

However, the National Weather Service had forecasted a gradual turnaround. The sorghum and sunflower harvests were nearly completed with lower-than-average yields. The low yields were economically offset by excellent market prices. The grape harvest began three weeks early due to heat and drought stresses. Peanuts, cotton, pecans and landscape nursery crops continued to make good progress where irrigation water was still available. The watermelon, cantaloupe and sweet corn harvests were ongoing. The cabbage and onion harvests were finished. Forage availability remained well below average for this time of the year. Ranchers continued to provide supplemental feed.

West Central: The region remained hot and extremely dry. Wildfire continued to be a threat. The drought took a toll on livestock, crops and wildlife. All dryland row crops had failed. Irrigated cotton remained in fair condition. Rangeland and pasture conditions further declined, and there was very little grazing anywhere. Stock-water tanks were dried up. Some producers had to haul water for cattle, and they continued to cull herds. Whitetail deer were also suffering from the drought. Does were having problems carrying fawns to term. Prematurely born fawns were found; most were not surviving.

HOUSTON, (TAMU) — Rainwater harvesting might be one of the few ways to irrigate your landscape if water restrictions come into play because of drought, said a Texas AgriLife Extension Service expert.

“Not many people realize this now, but most of Texas is currently under drought conditions, and come summer, water restrictions may be implemented,” said Brent Clayton, AgriLife Extension assistant with the Texas A&M biological and agricultural engineering department.

“As far as I know, most localities will let people use harvested rainwater water for irrigation during times of restrictions.”

Rainwater harvesting is also a cost-efficient means to control flooding if the situation turns around, Clayton said.

To respond to requests from professional irrigators, AgriLife Extension will offer a one-day training in collecting and using rainwater on March 11 at the AgriLife Extension office in Harris County, 3033 Bear Creek Drive, Houston.

Participants will be charged $150 if they preregister, or $175 for same-day registration.
There will be 90 percent refund for those who preregister but who cancel before the day of the program. The registration fee will include lunch and a new manual published by AgriLife Extension titled, “Rainwater Harvesting: System Planning.”

“This 200-plus-page manual is an extensive guide for those looking to plan a rainwater harvesting system,” Clayton said.

Though larger commercial systems will be discussed,

the focus of the training will be on rainwater for use in the landscape and home, Clayton said.

Registration will start at 8:30 a.m., with the presentation beginning at 9 a.m. The first presentation will be a brief introduction of the trainers and their backgrounds. Next will be a “big picture” overview of rainwater harvesting methods used throughout the state. Sustainability as well as economics will be discussed.

“Sizing of Rainwater Harvesting System Components” will review the basic components of a rainwater harvesting system, including information on how to size a storage tank, cover designs and conveyance-pipe systems.

After lunch, “Methods to Improve Stored Water Quality” will cover selecting roofing materials, gutter screening, first-flush diversion design, basket screens, connection of multiple tanks and dealing with overflows.

“Pumps and Controls” will review various commercial pumps and control systems.

In “Treatment of Harvested Water,” AgriLife Extension experts will explain what kind of treatment is needed for collected water depending on whether it is for potable or non-potable use.

The session titled “Maintenance” will cover maintenance of filtering and disinfection devices, as well as tanks, gutters and rooftops.

The training will wind up at about 4:30 p.m. with an opportunity for participants to review, evaluate and ask questions.

To register, go to the AgriLife Extension conference services website at https://agrilifevents.tamu.edu and search for “rainwater.” Alternately participants may call 979-845-2604 to register.

Photo by Craig Downer

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – Nevada wild horses and burros could face a thirsty spring if a proposal to the state’s water engineer by the board overseeing wildlife is passed and implemented.

The board will meet at 1 P.M. Monday in Reno to approve a draft letter denying water to the state’s wild horses and burros. The letter will be sent to State Water Engineer Jason King.

He serves with the Nevada Division of Water Resources. If the board agrees to proceed, the letter

will tell King to notify federal agencies charged by law with caring for wild horses that only animals “designated for beneficial use” will be allowed to drink Nevada water. Those animals include cattle and “wildlife.” And that is the distinction.

To comment directly to the board, follow this link to obtain their published addresses and phone numbers of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners. The commission is made up of a farmer, rancher, five sportsmen, a conservationist, and a representative of the general public.

Horseback Magazine is also running a poll asking readers to vote either for or against President Obama’s intervention on behalf of Nevada’s wild horses and burros to enable them to have access to water.

In Nevada, the Board of Wildlife Commissioners claims that wild horses and burros are “feral” and not deserving of a taste of life giving water. The proposed letter goes on to charge that horses under the care of the federal Bureau of Land Management “are making unlawful use of Nevada waters.” According to Nevada law, water on public lands is designated only for livestock and wildlife. Allowing a national treasure such as the state’s wild horses and burros to drink is “illegal” according to the letter.

The BLM holds around 28 water perm its in Nevada for the wildlife under

its jurisdiction, however, under the feral designation wild Mustangs would not be permitted to drink.

The issue is complex, and BLM policy makes it more so because the agency also calls wild horses “feral.”

Wild horses and burros compete with millions of cattle who graze BLM lands under leases dramatically lower than market value. The letter says “neither the Nevada Department of Wildlife, nor the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claim these animals are wildlife under their jurisdiction.

The waters within most of the Nevada rangeland wildlife habitats that are grazed by domestic animals are owned by the rancher and shared by law and cooperation with Nevada wildlife. The federal government has no law that supersedes the State of Nevada’s water law.” The letter cites the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The claim is a stretch. The Tenth Amendment states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Wild horse advocates say the horse is a native species reintroduced to its natural habitat. They cite a recent National Academy of Science study confirming that the genus equidae originated here. Some claim the wild horse never went ext inct

in America. In fact, when Lewis and Clark made their epoch exploration of the west, they bought horses from Indians who had been breeding them for generations.

The issue is further complicated by the fact that Nevada is home for the largest number of Wild Horses under BLM jurisdiction. For two years, the BLM has been capturing thousands of them and housing the horses on large private pastures enriching landowners. The program has consumed the entire budget of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program.

Last week, the wild horse program’s head, Don Glenn, quietly resigned without explanation. He was replaced by a longtime BLM employee with no wildlife management experience.

TWIN PEAKS, CAL, (Special to Horseback) – In the north east corner of California, near Susanville, there is a piece of land that is so vast and expansive that it seems it may go on forever. Standing there a soothing sense of peace comes over you as the only sounds you hear are the breezes and the birds, and looking out over the hills, the grasses, trees and rock formations, it is so beautiful that you feel as if you want to stay there forever. This is the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area where a living part of the history of the old west roams. Driving along we came upon a small herd of five adult burros and hidden behind a bush was a tiny baby of about one week old. His mom started moving him away and he pranced like a parade horses across the prairie all ears and legs, the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

 
We rounded a corner of this incredible place and were delighted to see a herd of Wild horses, three separate bands each with a stallion and his mares and babies, about 25 horses in all, taking shelter from the hot afternoon sun tucked in under a shady tree. The horses were beautiful, fat and shiny, and so peaceful enjoying the afternoon with us and their families. Out from under the tree came a baby, about a month old, black with a white spotted rump, he was adorable. We were immediately enchanted. He wanted to play with the other babies in the neighbor’s band so he headed towards them and just as he got to the other band of horses a white horse came out of his band and retrieved him and brought him back, scolding him soundly with a nasty look. Feeling a little insecure the black and white colt found his mom for a drink and that’s when we realized that the white horse was his dad.

Dad was keeping him out of trouble, a familiar family role. It was fascinating to watch the family dynamics at work in these wonderful wild horses. We watched until the horses moved off up the canyon, quickly disappearing and realized how lucky we were to have been able to spend a few moments with piece of the disappearing history of the old west.

 
The Twin Peaks Horse Management area was a once in a lifetime, must see for us, and I have to wonder why these incredible sights that we witnessed are not known or promoted for tourism. To demonstrate how under promoted the horses are, most of the people I spoke to in the nearby town of Susanville did not know about the Wild Horses

or the round up at all, less than 20 miles away. If people knew that they could travel out to this crazy beautiful place or book a jeep tour they would come from far and wide. I never wanted to leave this land once I experienced it. There is a fascination all over the world for the American old west and the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area and its Wild Horses and Burros is as wild as it gets, a true living piece of the history of the American old west and a gold mine in tourism dollars for local economies.

But it will soon be gone, this living history of the Old West, right now as I write this the Bureau of Land Management is rounding up 2,300 of our Wild Horses and Burros from the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area and they will only be leaving 487 horses and 72 burros on this expanse of land which covers 2,150 square miles. By the look of the horses they are doing well and have plenty of food and water even with the 32,000 head of cattle and sheep that they share the land with, the land, the grass and the water are in great shape. At 800,000 acres each horse will have 1,333 acres, many, many more acres than one horse needs. The grazing revenues (cattle/sheep) for 2010 for this land are only 120,000. a loss to the Federal government that you and I subsidize to the tune of 150 million a year nationwide while the tax payers are paying 4 million dollars (67 million nationwide) to have these Wild Horses rounded up. The Bureau of L and Management says that there will not be enough food

and water for them and they are over populated. There is no over population of horses but there is a huge over population of privately owned livestock grazing on our taxpaying backs and then our tax dollars are  used by our government to inhumanely round up this precious resource, the Wild Horses of

the West.
Cattle graze, range and drink differently than wild horses, they stay very close to water sources virtually camping out in and around the water fouling it and the surrounding area with defecation and removing all plant life from the banks and nearby. The water sources are covered in cow pies but you will not find any horses manure around them, so clearly they don’t stay long enough to do the damage that cattle do. Cattle have no to teeth in front so they rip the grass up from the roots so it cannot grow back. Cows have three stomachs and fully digest seeds so they do not help with replanting of forage.

Wild Horses snip the grasses leaving the plant intact and have only one stomach so they do not digest all the seeds and disperse seeds in their nutrient rich manure as they travel. Wild Horses travel long distances each day only coming to water to drink once or twice a day. The wild Horses do very little damage to our public lands while cattle damage is evident and extensive.
 
Our beautiful wild Icons of the west are driven with a helicopter for up to 3 hours and 15 miles with day’s old babies at their sides over harsh terrain and lava rock and slammed jammed into small traps where, terrorized they smash into each other and into and over the small baby foals, many of them just days old. Many are injured and killed, their peaceful lives and families forever shattered and lost to the public. (No private citizen could get away with the same level of injuries, death and inhumane treatment of horses and not be charge with animal cruelty.) There will be no horses to see after this brutal round up is over. You are lucky if you see them now with 2300 horses and burros out there on the range, when there are only 450 horses and 72 burros on 800,000 acres of land there will be no chance of tourism for many years to come. This is a travesty of epic proportions. The Bureau of Land Management by its own admission is a land management agency not a horse management agency and it sure shows in their mismanagement of Americas Wild Horses.
 
The American wild Horse is protected by law but apparently they now need protection from the very people charged with their protection. We will have, at the end of this year 42,000 wild horses in long term holding pens at a cost to the American taxpayer of 67 million in 2010, while on the range management costs very little. Our wonderful once Wild Horses are at risk of being slaughtered for human consumption at slaughter plants in Canada and Mexico. All once wild horses over 10 years of age or that have been up for adoption 3 times are labeled “Sale Authority “and are eligible for unlimited sale to anyone and all they have to do to buy them is sign an affidavit saying that they don’t intend to slaughter them, but the next day the horses can again be sold to anyone and can and do end up on peoples plates overseas. Horse slaughter is alive and well as 120,000 horses some of them Mustangs, 92% of them young healthy and sound, left the U.S. to go to slaughter in foreign owned slaughter houses in 2009. I personally rescued a BLM branded once wild horse from the local kill pens on August 4th, 2010, a sound healthy 10 year old. Unthinkable the Wild Horse, the symbol of freedom and on whose back our country was built, would lose their freedom and then their lives brutally in a slaughter plant.
 
 
There is a sign on highway 395 outside of Susanville that says “YOUR PUBLIC LANDS” Today it sure does not seem like our public land are our lands, we just pay taxes for the Bureau of Land Management to ignore our voices of reason while catering to big money interests. This is a familiar sentiment in America today. We want the land back. We want to use and enjoy the land and we do not want to subsidize cattle grazing and the destruction of America’s wild horses with our tax dollars. We want to go out and enjoy the wild life and fauna and the magnificent Wild Horses and Burros. We want to build local economies with Wild Horse tourism. We want sensible Management and humane treatment of our Wild Horses.

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HOUSTON, (Horseback) – Tucked away in court documents relating to a lawsuit filed by journalist and artist Laura Leigh is a telling photograph by Western Watershed Biodiversity Director, Katie Fite. The photo is of a peaceful desert scene.

The photo shows a river about 60 feet wide with abundant still and white water. It also shows horses on a gently sloping trail advancing to the riparian banks for a drink. The horses clearly know where the life giving water is located as they walk single file to it. Other photos show more horses heading toward a trail leading to the river‘s flat beaches. It is a place where campers might spend the night and fish.

In a Horseback Magazine interview Tuesday, BLM chase contractor Sue Cattoor said the trail was one of several that lead to the river.

The government contractor said this trail was the only one the horses use. Cattoor also said it is steep.

The photos tell a different story.

The picture is of Nevada’s Owyhee River on the border of a the Tuscarora federal Bureau of Land Management “gather” area – an area where government lawyers told a federal judge horses would die of thirst if an emergency roundup didn’t take place immediately.

The judge lifted his previous temporary restraining order which had stopped the mid-summer roundup for humanitarian reasons.

The lawyers clearly mislead the judge.

The horses had been kept by BLM in drought condition on three pastures miles away from the river while they awaited capture as the waters flowed freely within driving distance. Leigh says the horses were likely driven there for holding to await their “gather.”

After the TRO was lifted, BLM wasted no time in capturing the horses. They were stampeded by helicopter into traps on private land and hidden from press and public by armed guards.

After the first day, 12 horses died immediately following being run eight miles in searing mid-summer heat. Nine more would die after subsequent stampedes.

Two were found by contractor Dave Cattoor and a BLM official suffering from terrible injuries . They were shot on site from a roaring helicopter.

But the BLM has another version of the story which the agency published today in an online press release.

Horseback Magazine consulted former veterinary columnist Dr. Angela Chenault to assess the severe injuries of a Palomino mare in a photo supplied to the magazine by Sue Cattoor prior to publishing the Tuesday’s story. She said the injuries were at least 24 hours old, and maybe older than that.

A foal in the same area had broken legs and was dispatched as well. There is no way at this point of determining whether the two horses were a young horse and its mother.

The BLM press release reads:

A news article published today provided inaccurate information alleging that a dead horse observed on the range had been “driven” to its death during gather operations.

The BLM is addressing this report here because it was not based on any first-hand knowledge of the events, and was founded instead on speculation that provides an inaccurate record.

The facts surrounding the mortality addressed in the news article are that on July 11, when there were no gather operations taking place, the contractor and the BLM Nevada Chief Ranger found a severely injured mare and a young foal with broken front legs on the side of a steep canyon wall. Both animals were humanely euthanized and their remains left on-site. The BLM did not “drive” horses to their death in the rocks – as speculated in the news article, given that these wild horses were more than five miles from the area gathered on July 10, and no gathers occurred on July 11.

BLM did not report these two deaths as part of its daily mortality log, because that log documents mortalities for wild horses that are gathered. The BLM was not conducting operations to gather this horse or any excess wild horses within this area either prior to or at the time when these horses were found, therefore the two wild horse deaths were not associated with gather operations.

BLM Nevada is examining its reporting methods to better document all wild horse deaths that occur or are found during gather.

By Steven Long

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – When Laura Leigh, an author, artist, journalist, and litigant chased the BLM into the desert to observe wild horse capture after a federal judge told her she could do so, she wasn’t allowed to see horses – but she did see water.

Judge Larry Hicks lifted his temporary injunction and permitted the federal Bureau of Land Management to capture horses in the fierce July desert heat of Nevada.

As in previous death chases, the result was predictable. Horses dropped after being relentlessly stampeded by a roaring helicopter owned by BLM contractor, Cattoor Livestock Roundups out of Nephi, Utah. The federal agency had lied to the judge, telling him that death by thirst was imminent if they weren’t removed.

Thus far, 21 horses and foals have died after the latest high summer stampedes.

Hicks granted the plaintiff, Leigh, a first amendment stake in the chase. He told her it was unconstitutional for the BLM to ban her from observing the horses. In reply, the agency pulled off a cowboy hat trick of sorts in the desert.

They moved the trap, the pen where the wild animals were to be driven, onto private land in a mountain canyon out of sight and then told the sheriff’s cops to arrest trespassers, including the litigant who had just won the right to see what BLM was doing in their “gather” first hand.

While Leigh didn’t get to see the objects of the BLM chase, North American Mustangs, she spotted something equally important and precious in the desert – water at the fenced off Desert Ranch Reservoir.

“While the reservoir is located on BLM public land, the water in the reservoir is privately owned (i.e., the private owner holds the water rights in accordance with State of Nevada water law),” said BLM’s Washington spokesman, Tom Gorey. “The reservoir is mostly fenced, but the fences are constructed in a manner that allows wild horses access to the privately owned water in at least three locations. As a result, wild horses are able to move freely to and from the water using the large gaps in the fencing.  In short, access to the reservoir water by wild horses is not blocked.”

If access to the water hole was open in three places, Leigh had caught the BLM lying to a federal judge.

“Desert Ranch Reservoir on public land is less than 5 miles from the trap site,” Leigh told Horseback Magazine late Monday. “BLM has the authority to utilize resources on private property to deal with emergencies. (BLM Director Bob) Abbey declared this issue in Owyhee an emergency.”

Gorey acknowledged late Tuesday that there is water available to the horses that are being stampeded by the BLM contractor.

“In general, water within the Owyhee Herd Management Area (HMA) is provided primarily by unfenced public land reservoirs (water catchments),” he said. “There is also one spring, called Bookkeeper Spring, which is located on unfenced private land within the HMA.  This spring is normally adequate to water a small number of wild horses, but because of drought conditions, there is very little water available for use this year.”

Claiming extreme drought conditions, the BLM has delivered more than 30,000 gallons of water to

the horses in the Owyhee HMA since Monday.

By admitting that water on public land is privately owned, Gorey raised a significant issue. What was the federal government thinking when it privatized an asset as precious as desert water, selling it out of government control? Moreover, when was it sold, for how much, and to whom

?

“My assumption is that the BLM has never held the right to this water,” Gorey said.

It the government doesn’t own the water on federal land, who owns it?

Gorey has promised to research the ownership issue of water BLM lawyers claimed was nonexistent, so scarce, the deaths of hundreds of otherwise healthy horses and foals was imminent.

“Why did the BLM choose to press a stressed population through the round up instead of stabilizing the situation and waiting?” Leigh asked. “The claims made in the report given to a federal judge outline a population so fragile that BLM projected would be dead in three days (if the agency was not allowed to round them up.)”

Leigh has filed briefs charging the BLM with contempt of court.

Documents Filed by Laura Leigh

http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/07.19.10_Motion_for_Contempt-Relief.pdf

http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/07.19.10_Declaration_for_Motion.pdf

http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/07.19.10_Exhibit_A-DOI_letter.pdf 

Elko District, Bureau of Land Management, North Central Nevada, ca. 80 miles NW of Elko. Note: wh is abbreviation for wild horse(s)

Flight realized on Monday, June 21, 2010, Summer solstice.

Dates of report preparation 6/24-25/2010. 

Background: Three whhma’s encompass > 482,000 acres of which 336,262 acres are in the Owyhee whhma, 102,638 acres in the Rock Creek whhma and 15,734 acres in the Little Humboldt whhma.  Northern portions of the Owyhee whhma occur in the Columbia Plateau physiographic region, but most are in the Great Basin physiographic region.  Drought and lack of forage due to fires are being cited by BLM officials as reasons for the drastic reduction of these wild horse herds. BLM plans to gather 1,548 wild horses (the currently estimated total population) and to put back only 399, or which 195 would be PZPed mares with 2-year sterilization effects.  This works out to leaving one wild horse per 1,200+ acres – an extreme marginalizing of this species by any standard and very contrary to the “principal” presence mandate of the Wild Horse Act. 

Objective: To observe wild horses, their numbers and conditions, note their locations and the ecological condition of their habitat and to observe and note the livestock present in the whhma’s, their numbers and relative proportions vis-à-vis the wild horses, their areas of concentration and ecological effects.

Flight arranged by Lighthawk organization to assist with the gathering of factual information and data concerning the conservation of wild horses on public lands.

Observer and reporter: Craig C. Downer, Wildlife Ecologist, P.O. Box 456, Minden, NV 89423. ccdowner@yahoo.com. Equipped with D-80 Nikon digital camera with 28-300 zoom lens loaned by wild horse supporter.

Weather: Clear with high, wispy cirrus clouds, conducive to greater flight stability due to less atmospheric convection.

Airport of Origin and Return: Truckee Airport, California, west of Reno.

Time of departure: 8:30 AM.  Pass over Reno airport flying over Pah Rah Range, a legal wild horse herd area that has been “zeroed out” by BLM.  No wild horses observed

here,

contrary to statement by Mr. Larry Johnson of the national wh/b advisory board on 6/15/10, Denver meeting, though considerable spring green-up, or grassy vegetation is observed.  Our plan is to refuel at the Winnemucca Airport to the east.

10:00 AM. Note vast extension of purple hued Bromus tectorum, a.k.a. Cheat Grass, as plane nears Winnemucca.  Velocity: 109 knots. Headwind 10 mph from east.

10:30 AM: Land at Winnemucca Airport.  Unfortunately the airport has run out of fuel.  We will fly to Battle Mountain Airport to the east to fuel up. We depart at 10:55 AM.

11:12 AM: Flying over portions of Sonoma Range to SE of Winnemucca, I note many cattle (est. 400) mainly grouped around water sources.  No wild horses observed.  The Sonoma Range Herd Area (NV0223) should have a fair number of protected wild horses, but BLM officials have decided to not manage for them, i.e. to “zero out” in this 150,999-acre herd area (Fiscal Year 2008 USDI Public Lands Statistics).  Prevalence of green grass noted, including much purplish cheat grass.  Some short aspen groves noted around springs at higher elevations.  Enormous open pit mines observed and photographed en route.  These have major detrimental effects on water, soil, air, wildlife and human health in the region, including underground water flow disruption and water pollution with mercury, nitrous and sulphuric acid leachates, etc.

11:36 AM:  We land at the Battle Mountain Airport for refueling.  Fortunately fuel is available here.

12:10 PM: After refueling and eating lunch, we take off from Battle Mountain Airport.  We plan to fly to the town of Midas then over portions

of the Little Humboldt whhma, Rock Creek whhma then on to Owyhee whhma, reaching the South Fork Owyhee River.

12:43 PM: North of Midas, in the Little Humboldt whhma, seven groups of ca. 12 cattle are seen, for a total of 84.  No wild horses observed. Abundant grass here, also large open pit mine. Photos.

12:49 PM: Finally a band is observed consisting of one gray and one sorrel, a male-female pair. Geographical Positioning System (GPS) reading: N 41 deg 21.37 min; W 116 deg 43.6 min.  Photos.

12:54 PM:  Group of 17 wild horses observed. GPS: N 41 deg 23.19 min; W 116 deg 41.0 min.  Appears to be two wh bands in association. Abundant grass & water present. Photos.

12:56 PM:  Another band with 9 wh’s including 2 foals encountered and photographed.  GPS: N 41 deg 23.3 min; W 116 deg 35.56 min.

12:59 PM: Band of 6 wh’s including one foal spotted & photographed. GPS: N 41 deg 21.36 min; W 116 deg 33.12 min.

1:02 PM.  Congregation of several wh bands spotted & photographed. GPS: N 41 deg 22.85 min; W 116 deg 32.3 min.  8 bands with following numbers of wild horses observed: 8, 11, 9, 4, 9, 8, 7, 12.  Plane circled around to extensively photograph these.  Sum of wh’s in this congregation: 68.  Note: This is an upland habitat with plenty of green grass and water sources.  This is north of Willow Creek Reservoir near 7,020-foot-high Soldier Cap mountain in the Rock Creek whhma.

1:07 PM: Another band of 7 wh’s seen to SW.  Light colored wh’s. Photos.  GPS: N 41 deg 25.75 min; W 116 deg 29.2 min.  Ca. 400  cattle observed along a stream and meadow near here. GPS. N 41 deg 28.85 min; W 116 deg 28.44 min.  Ca. 300 more cattle congregated along a tributary of the above stream. GPS: N 41 deg 32.06 min; W 116 deg 28.1 min.

1:11 PM: Estimated 1,000 cattle observed up to 1:18 PM at GPS: N 41 deg 44.16 min; W 116 deg 25.14 min. Area devoid of wh’s.

1:21 PM: Owyhee Desert – high altiplano (Spanish for high plateau) noted to north.

1:24 PM: Ca. 40 cattle noted by South Fork of Owyhee River.

No wh’s.  We fly along Owyhee River.  GPS: N 41 deg 5.6 min; W 116 deg 34.8 min.

We aim to fly to Capital Peak.  Flying along the S. Fork of the Owyhee River, we have not seen any more wild horses, but much evidence of dedication of the land to livestock, e.g. frequent reservoirs, water tanks, fences, grass pasture and hay fields, etc.  See photos.

1:26 PM: We continue to note considerable spring green-up of vegetation, though today is the first official day of summer.

1:30 PM: GPS: N 41 deg 55.83 min; W 116 deg 45.7 min. No livestock or wild horses.  Several water catchments have been excavated by caterpillar.  Incidentally, when they wallow wild horses created such natural catchments for wildlife much less intrusively.

1:34 PM: Another congregation of wild horses spotted in open high plain with trailings.  41 wh’s group together, estimated from 5 bands.  Another band of 7 wild horses containing dark grayish blacks amid lighter grays and sorrels. Photos.  These bands centered around the following GPS: N 41 deg 56.2 min; W 116 deg 48.2 min.

Another group of 15 wh’s spotted, including grays, roans, sorrels and blacks.  This is possibly 2 bands running together.  Same general GPS location.

1:38 PM: Observed another nearby congregation including 1 band of 6 wh’s, 1 group of 23 wh’s (possibly 3 separate bands), 1 band of 5 wh’s.  I note sparser, drier habitat here and many trails.  It appears that these wild horses are being relegated to this area by a system of fences that favor livestock.  My earlier entry into the northeastern portion of the Owyhee whhma a couple of months ago revealed extensive fencing and control of water to favor the intensive management of livestock, especially cattle.

1:41 PM: We spot another congregation of 12 wild horse bands.  GPS: N 41 deg 57.7 min; W 116 deg 51.3 min.  Groupings with the following numbers were encountered: 13 (2 bands) 22 (3 bands), 15 (2 bands), 7, 9, 10, 7, & 9 wild horses.  Extensive photos except for last band of 9.  Judging from the converging trails from the distinctive individual band home ranges, his summer solstice congregation appear to be trailing to and from a water source.  The total number here is 92 wh’s.

1:43 PM: We decide to return to south, to Battle Mountain to refuel, as our small plane requires frequent refueling.  A band of 7 wild horses is photographed at GPS: N 41 deg 53.8 min; W 116 deg 52.1 min near an artificial reservoir.  Many white ant hills dot the terrain.

Ranch over-flown at GPS: N 41 deg 51.18 min; W 116 deg 52.27 min.  No wh’s seen.  Remnant snow banks from large winter drifts at ca. 5500 feet elevation. GPS: N 41 deg 47.3 min; W 116 deg 53.18 min.  No more wild horses seen.

1:50 PM.  Rusty orange water tank spotted.  GPS: N 41 deg 43.24 min; W 116 deg 53.38 min.  Vegetation is dry and parched, very possibly due to rancher’s monopolizing water from highland drainages.  Sparse stunted vegetation.  Old pioneer wagon trail seen running E-W, since the old ruts from Conestoga wagons remain in delicate desert ecosystem.

1:55 PM: GPS: N 41 deg 34.7 min; W 116 deg 53.3 min.  Neither wild horses nor livestock observed in this dry region.  Many ant nests, several water catchments. Low topographical relief in this high altiplano.

2:00 PM: Flying over another ranch. GPS: N 41 deg 29.65 min; W 117 deg 0.3 min.  Big meadows and streams.  Ranch is monopolizing a large portion of the water for many miles around here for raising livestock.  Big reservoir to west along major ranch road is Chimney Reservoir.  I observe ca 500 cattle in this area. 

2:06 PM: One band of 7 wild horses is observed to the east.  GPS: N 41 deg 23.3 min; W 117 deg 01.07 min.  Green up of vegetation is noted in high altiplano.  Many cattle whose number is estimated at ca. 1,000 profusely dot the landscape, especially around water sources such as streams and springs.

2:10 PM: GPS: N 41 deg 12.87 min; W 117 deg 01.10 min.  Ca. 300 cattle present, especially in and around water drainages and also in higher areas in groups of ca 70.  No wild horses observed.

2:20 PM: Nearing Battle Mountain Airport.  No more wild horses observed.

2:47 PM: Refuel at Battle Mountain Airport.  High overcast.  Much more grass this year compared with recent years according to the lady attending airport.  But are the wild horses getting their fair share of this in their legal herd areas?!

3:06 PM: Take off from Battle Mountain to return via Reno to Truckee Airport in Sierra Nevada mountains, over-flying dry and desolate Humboldt Sink.  Very strong jolt to plane cuts pilot’s hand flying over Reno at 4:45 PM.  Gravity measured at ca. –1.

5:00 PM.  Land at Truckee Airport.  6 ½ hours total flight time.

Tabulations of Totals Observed during Flight over 3 whhma’s: Owyhee, Rock Creek & Little Humboldt.

Wild Horses Observed during Flight

Number of Bands    Number of Horses    GPS Location

1                                  2                                  N 41 deg 21.37 min; W 116 deg 43.6 min

2                                  17                                N 41 deg 23.19 min; W 116 deg 41.0 min

1                                  9 (w/ 2 foals)                N 41 deg 23.3 min; W 116 deg 35.56 min

1                                  6 (w 1 foal)                  N 41 deg 21.36 min; W 116 deg 33.12 min

1                                  8                                  N 41 deg 22.85 min; W 116 deg 32.3 min

1                                  11                                ditto   (Rock Creek whhma congregation of

1                                  9                                  ditto    68 wild horses)

1                                  4                                  ditto

1                                  9                                  ditto

1                                  8                                  ditto

1                                  7                                  ditto

1                                  12                                ditto

1                                  7                                  N 41 deg 25.75 min; W 116 deg 29.2 min

5                                  41                                N 41 deg 56.2 min; W 116 deg 48.2 min

1                                  7                                  ditto  (First Owyhee whhma congregation of

2                                  15                                ditto    97 wild horses)

1                                  6                                  ditto

3                                  23                                ditto

1                                  5                                  ditto

2                                  13                                N 41 deg 57.7 min; W 116 deg 51.3 min

3                                  22                                ditto  (Second Owyhee whhma congregation

2                                  15                                ditto    of 92 wild horses)

1                                  7                                  ditto

1                                  9                                  ditto

1                                  10                                ditto

1                                  7                                  ditto

1                                  9                                  ditto

1                                  7                                  N 41 deg 53.8 min; W 116 deg 52.1 min

1                                  7                                  N 41 deg 23.3 min; W 117 deg 01.07 min

Total Bands    Total Wild Horses

41                             312                     

Cattle Observed during Flight

Number of Cattle        GPS Location

84                                                                Little Humboldt whhma. Ca N 41 deg 20 min; W 116 deg 45 m

400                                                            N 41 deg 32.06 min; W 116 deg 28.44 min

300                                                            N 41 deg 32.06 min; W 116 deg 28.1 min

1000                                                        N 41 deg 44.16 min; W 116 deg 25.14 min

40                                                                N 41 deg 5.6 min; W 116 deg 34.8 min

500                                                            N 41 deg 29.65 min; W 117 deg 00.3 min

300                                                            N 41 deg 12.87 min; W 117 deg 01.10 min

1000                                                        N 41 deg 23.3 min; W 117 deg 01.07 min

Total Cattle Observed

3,624

Conclusion: 

Wild horses were observed to be present in only the very small portion of the three wild horse herd management areas that was over-flown and are certainly not being treated as the principal presences within their legal herd areas as required by the Wild Free Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971.  The horses I observed were in good condition, although Their numbers are dwarfed by livestock, even within these their legal areas.  This is the fault of our public servants, namely BLM officials in charge of protecting and managing this national heritage species at thriving, long-term-viable levels.  Reform is urgently needed. This could be accomplished through a revised version of the Restore Our American Mustangs bill (ROAM Senate Bill # 1579).   This important bill has already been substantially passed by the House of Representatives but currently is being stopped by powerful vested interests in the Senate.  It now languishes in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Pressure is urgently needed to get this moving again before it dies with the ending of the present Congress later this year.  The planned roundup of the Owyhee, Rock Creek and Little Humboldt whhma’s needs to be called off; and a more objective assessment of relative numbers and resource allocations needs to be undertaken with the aim of restoring fairer mustang population numbers in this vast and spectacular region.  BLM should exercise its authority under Code of Federal Regulations 4710.5 & .6 to cut back on livestock in order to accomplish this.

Photo Courtesy Craig Downer