Trail Camera Research: Mesalands Community College

Mesalands Community College had a few students work with the Albuquerque District of the Army Corps of Engineers stationed at Conchas Reservoir from May 2013 to December 2014. Camera traps were used by Mesalands Community College students to determine abundance and diversity of wildlife. The data collected was used not only for the CCURI Camerapalooza project, but also for a watershed project funded by New Mexico EPSCoR and WC-WAVE (Western Consortium of Watershed Analysis, Visualization and Experimentation). This project involved an analysis of areas of the Upper Canadian and Conchas Watersheds that were affected by the 14-year drought in New Mexico. In the past, the water near the stilling basin of the dam was not potable for animals. The return of the deer and other wildlife indicated the recovery of Lake Conchas.