The number of protected acres in one of the largest blocks of contiguous wetland habitat in Colorado, the greater Rio Grande River corridor, is now larger, thanks to a conservation easement donated to Ducks Unlimited (DU) by Tim and Peg Walters. This 300-acre San Luis Valley easement is the Walters’ second with DU.
The property includes about 120 acres of wetlands located on the Chadwell Parcel, which is part of the Rio Grande River corridor. Wetlands on tract are maintained by well water irrigation, direct precipitation, runoff from adjacent properties and high groundwater levels.
The Walters’ management of their wet meadow pastures for livestock forage maintains the good wetland wildlife values on the property. Under a US Fish and Wildlife Partners for Wildlife Program project in 2001, two wetland impoundments were constructed, which the Walters recently modified to improve shallow irrigation of these sites. Vegetation on the site is predominantly aquatic grasses, sedges, and rushes.
The Chadwell Farms Parcel is located one mile southwest of the Rio Grande River and is an important component of this wetland complex. The area provides high quality, short emergent wetland habitat for a large, diverse group of wetland wildlife species, especially waterfowl. Grazed wetlands on the property provide an essential diversity of wetland vegetation that compliments the habitats along the Rio Grande River and the nearby Higel State Wildlife Area, two miles to the north.
Protection of the Chadwell Farms Parcel, via conservation easement, protects this essential habitat, provides for surface and subsurface flow of water for maintenance of wetlands on the parcel and adjacent properties, and provides a much-needed buffer for the river by limiting subdivision and development.