Darrell and Paula Caviness were the first to sign up for the shade ball project in Roosevelt County. This bag holds 1,000 shade balls.

 

Roosevelt SWCD has been conducting research with “shade balls” on livestock water tanks since September 2015.  The HDPE balls are 4 inches in diameter, UV-stable, and water-filled.  High surface-area coverage is achieved by placing a sufficient number of balls on the surface of the water.  As water levels rise and fall, the balls organize themselves into a cover that provides coverage of up to 91%. During this time, we have been measuring evaporation, water temperatures, rainfall, and ice formation.  We have recorded significantly less evaporation and ice formation with the ball-covered tank.

The District has received their first load of shade balls.  The cost of the balls to the producer is 60 cents per ball.  The District has been awarded a Water Quality and Conservation Grant to offer a cost-share program to assist landowners in the state of New Mexico with the District covering 25% of the price of the balls.

To see this project or to apply for the cost-share program, please come by the Roosevelt SWCD office at 050 NM Highway 467 in Portales.  An application is also available on our Website http://@http://rooseveltswcd.wixsite.com/mysite/contact. Phone #(575)356-6629 Ext.3019

 Drinker Size (Diameter in
feet)		 Surface Area (square feet)   Number of Shade Balls Required (10/ft²)    Price per Drinker
at $0.60/ball		 Price per Drinker with
Cost-Share
($0.45/ball)

8

50.27

503

                       $301.80

$226.35

10

78.54

785

$471.00

$353.25

12

113.10

1131

$678.60

$508.95

14

153.94

1539

$923.40

$692.55

16

201.06

2011

$1,206.60

$904.95

19.1

286.52

2865

$1,719.00

$1,289.25

20

314.16

3142

$1,885.20

$1,413.90

25

490.87

4909

$2,945.40

$2,209.05

30

706.86

7069

$4,241.40

$3,181.05

Border SWCD Cost-Share Program

Residents of Border SWCD are eligible.  Border SWCD will pay 50% of the project cost not to exceed
$2,000 per project.  Please call or text (575) 760-1273 for details and an application.

 

Roosevelt SWCD Board Members                                           Border SWCD Board Members
Mike Cone (Chairman)       Rick Ledbetter (Treasurer)            Chance Bradley (Chairman)         Jim Daugerty
Mitzi Miller (Vice Chair)   Don Sanders                                   Tommy Holmes (Vice Chair)       Dustin Anthony
George Hay (Secretary)     Quentin Carnes                               Jenny Clemmons (Secretary/Treasurer)