Well, folks, the dreaded day has come. Actually, it happened last week. Our mustang sanctuary in Disappointment Valley, CO., near the 416 Fire, has gone dry. Our caretaker has been moving the last bit of water with a portable pump, but that too will be coming to an end.
We have been given permission to build water catchment systems to collect and store rainwater for our herd. We aim to have the first one completed in the next few weeks before the monsoon rains (hopefully) arrive.
This simple, gravity fed system will replicate the set up that the BLM has been using for 20 years. We plan to pipe the two tanks we have on site together for 5000L of water storage. We will require specialized UV stabilized tarps, an 800-1000L trough, a pump, float, an evaporation cover, PVC pipes/fittings and will need to rent a bobcat and possibly a bulldozer for site prep. We also need to fence off the water catchment areas to prevent damage from curious hooves. We plan to install several throughout the property but aim to finish the first one by mid-July. We estimate this system will cost $5000-$7000, depending on the equipment we can source and the quality of the tarp. Once installed, it should last a lifetime!
Currently, our only other option is to truck water into this remote location, which is economically unfeasible. These water collection systems won’t completely remove the need to truck water in the future, but it will surely help to lessen the threat and future costs.
The Serengeti Foundation team are incredibly grateful for donations of any size to help us reach this goal! Any extra funds raised will go towards additional catchment systems and filling our currently empty water tanks.
As a registered 501c3 non-profit group, your donations are tax-deductible and every penny goes to a worthy cause! Please share widely, and help us water the herd.
Thank you for your generosity, your support, and your love of North America’s wild horses.
