WOTCD split their $25,000 Matching Grant between two projects.

Irrigation Projects:

• 6 Landowners reached
• Affected 323 acres of land
• 1,614 tons of Soil Conserved
• 12,621 feet of Irrigation Pipe Installed
• 10% Water Efficiency gains
• CSCB Contribution $12,500
• Cash match reported: $14,508.30
• Total match reported $46,056.09
• Total Contribution: $58,556.09

Reducing Wind Erosion:

• 2 landowners reached
• Affected 585 acres of land
• 5846 tonos of soil conserved
• CSCB Contribution: $12,500
• Cash match reported: $15,883.30
• Total march reported: $15,833.30
• Total Contribution: $28,383.30

WOTCD split their $25,000 from Colorado State Conservation Board between two projects.

The following types of Irrigation Projects and in progress:

• inline valves
• alfalfa valves
• pipe
• underground pipe and bubbler
• surge valves
• gated pipe

The following types of Rangeland Projects are in progress:

• fencing
• tanks
• pipeline

What is the Colorado STAR Program? 

The Colorado Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources (STAR) Program is a free and voluntary tool to educate producers, give bragging rights, and structure conversations around soil health. STAR is a practice-based rating system that assigns points for cropping, tillage, nutrient application and other best management practices. As a result, the farmer or rancher receives a STAR rating from 1-5 stars that helps them understand how well they are doing in promoting soil health.

STAR PLUS

Conservation districts and eligible entities my participate in STAR+. These districts receive capacity support to provide 5-10 producers with technical assistance, guidance filling out a Field Form, and assistance collecting a soil sample for a free soil health test.  Districts will distribute incentive payments of up to $10,000 to each participating producer for implementing soil health practices on a field of their choice, matched with an equal investment from the producer themselves. 

In 2022 West Otero Timpas Conservation District had five producers start their 3 year participation in STAR+.

• 5 participants
• 392.34 total acres enrolled
• $24,102.50 Incentive payments to producers
• 5 free soil tests processed for the producers
• 5 fields star rated 

2024 STAR+

WOTCD has slots for five more producers starting in October of 2024. 

The District Conservation Technician (DCT) program is a federal, state, and local partnership designed to deliver assistance to conservation districts and producers. The partnership is as follows:

5% from CDA Colorado State Conservation Board

75% from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services

20% from Local Boards (In the Rocky Ford office that is shared equally between the three conservation districts).

50%- Farm Bill Practice Implementation: surveying and designing with supervision

5%- Farm Bill Practice Planning: assisting soil conservationists

10%- CTA Practice Implementation to NRCS Standards: technical assistance

15%- NRCS 9-Step Planning non-Farm Bill: assisting soil conservationists

20%- On-The-Ground Technical Assistance to District Programs: helping monitor the matching grant program and the S.T.A.R. program