Wildcat Bluff is a Conservation Wrangler
Texan by Nature has partnered with Wildcat Bluff Nature Center to amplify landscape rehydration efforts, guide strategic prioritization of project activities, and develop landowner engagement strategies for broader public adoption.
Led by Wildcat Bluff Nature Center in partnership with Ogallala Life Conservation, the Wildcat Bluff Landscape Rehydration Project is a public, hands-on living lab which aims to restore water and life to the Texas Panhandle.
The project explores nature-based solutions to these concerns, combining man-made features like leaky weirs, brush check dams, and post-assisted log structures as natural infrastructure in dryland streams, which function to slow, spread, and soak stormwater runoff, boosting water retention into the soil by at least 50%. The project also uses strategies like shallow pits to catch rainwater from roads and raised garden beds in low-lying areas that hold water after storms. These techniques allow the groundwater to recharge the underlying aquifer instead of being lost to evaporation, mitigating the effects of drought and flooding, and kickstarting healthy natural processes.
Project Impact:
- 2+ miles of restoration activities on upper West Amarillo Creek
- 2+ acres of demonstration gardens for public education
- 50% increase in stormwater retention through slow and spread techniques
- 2,300+ students connected to the natural environment through educational programming
Project Needs
Wildcat Bluff Nature Center was selected as a Texan by Nature Conservation Wrangler based on the project’s positive impact to people, prosperity, and natural resources. Through the program, Texan by Nature is working with Wildcat Bluff Nature Center to address the following needs.
- Increased awareness of Wildcat Bluff Nature Center and the Southern High Plains to inspire deeper public connection and engagement.
- Landowner partners to increase replication of High Plains-specific land and water use strategies, especially along West Amarillo Creek and the Canadian River Valley.
- Funding to support operations and education efforts to ensure long-term impact.
Help us bring water back to our landscape
This project wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community and our donors. You can make a difference by providing resources, connections, partnering, or volunteering with Wildcat Bluff.
Contact Dani Ramos at [email protected] or Sophia Britto at [email protected] to help local rehydration efforts.