Gila Valley ranchers Cash and Crystal Noland are the recipients of a $126,900 grant to improve water quality in Graham County.

The grant was awarded to the Noland Ranch by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to rebuild an old 7.4-mile fence, which will prevent about 200 head of cattle from disturbing the soil in the Gila River and Bonita Creek areas. The fence was installed by Jr.’s Fencing.

The site is in northeastern Graham County near the border with Greenlee County.

This is an aerial view of the Noland Ranch in north Graham County, near the Greenlee County line. Contributed photo

According to the ADEQ, the disturbance of riparian areas by cattle drinking from the water source loosens the nearby soil. The loosened soil increases the sedimentation in the immediate area and downriver. The sediment can carry nutrients, fertilizer and microorganisms into the water.

“We are pleased to support this effort to protect this precious water body in this very important part of our state,” ADEQ Director Steve Owens said. “This is another example of how we have been working with local ranchers and others to protect critical riparian areas from sediment pollution.”

The grant, which also includes public education about protecting watersheds, is funded with federal dollars provided to the ADEQ under the Clean Water Act.

Crystal said the project’s public outreach component includes a PowerPoint presentation she has taken to several meetings of area residents. The presentation includes an overview of the fencing project.

“I have presented my educational outreach to the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) permit-holders meeting in Safford, a U.S. Forest Service meeting in Clifton and the Upper Eagle Creek Watershed meeting,” Crystal said. “Coming up in November, I will be presenting my outreach to the Gila Watershed Partnership, and in January I will be taking part in teaching a series of college courses put on by the University of Arizona Graham Coun-ty Cooperative Exten-sion under Bill Brandau. I look forward to educating the public.”

The fencing project has been a learning experience for the Noland Ranch because it made Cash and Crystal more aware of the everyday effect people have on the land and what ranchers can do to provide service to the community.

“I encourage other ranchers and people wanting to improve the quality of water and the environment to get involved; there are many funding sources available to the public,” Crystal said.