Ranch Stewards Podcast
A podcast dedicated to the stewardship and conservation of grasslands, diverse ecological landscapes, and the salt-of-the-earth individuals who devote their lives to this endeavor.
Ranch Stewards Podcast
Ranch Water: Low-Tech, High-Impact Restoration
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⚠️ Heads up: this is a dense, information-rich episode pulled directly from a live webinar. If able, you will want to watch the full video replay on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gzL3MsevnOY?si=nPpL5mv1pDfQAfkm
If audio is what you’ve got capacity for, you’re in the right place. This session explores Ranch Water: Low-Tech, High-Impact Restoration with Paul Jones of Tomichi Creek Ecosystem Services.
Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) is a hands-on approach to rebuilding natural water systems. By working with natural stream processes, landowners can:
- Improve water retention
- Restore riparian function
- Increase drought resilience
- Create lasting benefits for livestock and wildlife
These techniques rely on minimal materials and practical methods that can create long-term impact on your land.
ABOUT PAUL JONES: Paul began his career with the Colorado Division of Wildlife in 1992 as a District Wildlife Manager. Over his career, he:
- Served on the Gunnison Sage Grouse Working Group—the first collaborative group of its kind in the West
- Helped protect over 15,000 acres through conservation easements and habitat work
- Contributed to the development of the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) for Gunnison sage-grouse across 40 private ranches
In 2006, he became Aquatic Conservation Biologist for the Southwest Region, working with native fish species and boreal toads until retiring in 2018.
Today, he runs Tomichi Creek Ecosystem Services, focusing on wet meadow restoration and restoring gullied systems once thought too degraded to recover.
📩 Contact Paul: tomck2018@gmail.com
RESOURCES
Brian Fox’s BDA success story (“Becoming the Beaver”):
https://youtu.be/YaQS8erqbbs?si=sUYI3PUzWv-Pcm3O
Related episode — Eye in the Sky: Ranch Drones:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2166701/episodes/18714276
GIS & Mapping Tools for Wet Meadow Work:
- USGS TopoView — https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/topoview/viewe
... - USGS Lidar Explorer — https://apps.nationalmap.gov/lidar-ex
... - USGS StreamStats — https://streamstats.usgs.gov/ss/
- USDA NAIP Imagery — https://nrcs.app.box.com/v/naip/folde
... - QGIS (free GIS software) — https://qgis.org/
The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.
For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit www.ranchstewards.org/support.
