On Long-Term Agricultural Property in Alamosa County
This article was originally published in the Valley Courier by Jocelyn Catterson, Community Engagement Director, Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust on December 28, 2025
DEL NORTE — The Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust (RiGHT) is launching an innovative project on a 140-acre agricultural property in Alamosa County, in partnership with Wetland Dynamics, LLC, the Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program, and landowners Brian and Lindsay Meredith. Situated in the historic floodplain of the Rio Grande, the land has been in production for decades and has been managed organically since 2017.
The property is currently enrolled in a groundwater conservation program to retire an irrigation well, supporting long-term aquifer recovery. As part of that transition, RiGHT and its partners are launching an experimental revegetation strategy that could be influential in dryland restoration practices across the San Luis Valley. Cary Aloia of Wetland Dynamics noted that the project reflects a basin-wide commitment to “innovative conservation, revegetation, and forward-thinking practices linking agricultural, wildlife, and ecosystem benefits to help sustain the economic vitality of our communities,” adding that the effort directly supports the region’s long-term sustainable water goals.
The multi-phase project will evaluate the use of cattail mulch to support natural seed regeneration, establish test plots to study how various native seed mixes perform under different conditions, and implement targeted weed management. Later phases may include using winter sheet ice to mimic historic flood cycles, providing critical moisture outside of irrigation season to benefit both plants and wildlife.
Throughout the study, soil moisture will be monitored at multiple locations to assess treatment effectiveness, while native seed mixes will be planted to stabilize soil and reduce dust. This information will help determine viable revegetation methods for landowners transitioning irrigated acreage to dryland conditions, including the feasibility of planting native species with traditional farm equipment.
RiGHT’s Executive Director, Laura Cusick, emphasized the importance of both the partnership and the “admirable” willingness of the landowners to take part in a project with valley-wide implications. She shared that RiGHT is “thrilled to have come to an agreement with the landowners and the Rio Grande Water Conservation District on this innovative project that will help guide revegetation in the San Luis Valley into the future.” Cusick also highlighted that the property’s location on the original Rio Grande floodplain makes it “perfectly suited to provide data on revegetation and continue to provide critical wildlife habitat”.
“With the serious water challenges facing the San Luis Valley, we believe landowners share a responsibility to be part of the solution,” said Brian and Lindsay Meredith. “This project allows us to steward the land responsibly while contributing to research that supports long-term water sustainability. We’re grateful to RiGHT for their leadership and collaborative approach,” added the Merediths. “We’re excited to be part of a project that will inform innovative revegetation and land stewardship efforts across the San Luis Valley.”
For RiGHT, the broader significance of the project extends beyond technical findings. Cusick noted that “projects like this help landowners make informed decisions that sustain both the health of the land and the communities that depend on it,” and that the collaboration represents the kind of adaptive, creative work needed as the Valley faces continued uncertainty around water.
“The future of water in the San Luis Valley is fragile, and RiGHT is adaptive and creative in meeting community needs,” she said.
This revegetation study reflects RiGHT’s long-standing commitment to supporting working lands, advancing innovative conservation solutions, and stewarding the landscapes and communities of the San Luis Valley far into the future.