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What’s
happening July 27-29
Ruidoso Art Festival
Art lovers, from the serious collector to the firsttime buyer, will be sure to discover fine art treasures to complement any lifestyle or budget at the Ruidoso Art Festival with more than 100 vendors. Ruidoso Convention Center, 111 Sierra Blanca Drive www.ruidosonow.com/art-festival, 575257-7395. $5/day, $12 3-day pass, $3 Military discount.
July 27-28
‘Harvey’ presented by Lincoln County Community Theater
This is the unforgettable story of Elwood P. Dowd and his imaginary 6-foot, 3 1/2 in. tall white rabbit companion. Mountain Annie’s Center for the Arts, 2710 Sudderth Dr. 575-257-7982, $20.
July 28
The Four Freshmen at the Spencer Theater
Making their timeless mark with jazz and pop harmonies that spread through a complex range of five chords among four voices, this vocal group plays multiple instruments capturing the incredible mix of jazz, big band and harmony-based rock and roll. Spencer Theater, 108 Spencer Rd. www.spencertheater.com, Pre-show buffet, 6 p.m. $20. Show, 8 p.m. $69, children $66.
July 29-30
Zia Weekend at Ruidoso Downs
The race for NM-bred horses racing with the largest purse in the history of the Zia Futurity, $395,028. The excitement spreads to the grandstands with an array of vendors showcasing NMmade arts & crafts. Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Billy the Kid Casino, 26225 US HWY 70. Post time 1 p.m. 575-378-4431, www.raceruidoso.com. Free admission and free parking.
July 29
Triple RRR Express free concert
Enjoy some BBQ and a cold drink to benefit the Carrizozo Women’s Club and listen to the music of Triple RRR Express with Russell Burns, Ron Becker and Tim Rice in your comfortable lawn chair. Carrizozo Music in the Parks, McDonald Park, Carrizozo. 5 p.m. 575-648-2757, www. carrizozomusic.org.
Sundays Under the Stars at IMG
Live music by Aaron Lacombe Band and a movie after sunset – “Are We There Yet?” Bring your folding chair or your blanket. 575-4647777, www.innofthemountaingods.com. 6 p.m. Free.
TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012 • w w w . r u i d o s o f r e e p r e s s . c o M • VOL. 4, NO. 30
A property of
Leaders brainstorm economic solutions in wake of disaster and disc golf. “Having this abundance of recreational opportunities will also complement local businesses due to the close proximity to Midtown,” Almager said. Proximity to everything in Ruidoso means more to do within a smaller square mile area and Becky Brooks, executive director of the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased with the prospect of the renewed interest to develop the village’s recreational assets. “I can’t tell you how many people who have been hiking, camping and fishing in the Bonito Lake area come into the Chamber and have never heard of or do not know where Grindstone is located,” Brooks said. Also on the table was a fresh perspective on the long-awaited progress of the River Trail project, the linking of bike lanes to the Links, Cedar Creek, Grindstone and now the new multi-use trail system recently constructed at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. Moon Mountain motocross track proposals and other recreational project concepts are all on the table now for serious discussions. Another multi-use trails project, supported by former Ruidoso Downs Mayor Tom Armstrong, would develop points of entry from Ruidoso Downs into the National Forest. During a recent USDA-Rural Development seminar hoisted by the RVEDC at ENMURuidoso, Terry Brunner of the Albuquerque Field Office declared an enthusiastic willingness to develop a partnership with Ruidoso for the vast array of grants and low interest financing for such project. “Ruidoso is a prime candidate for rural development and quality of life improvement projects and I look Todd Fuqua/Ruidoso Free Press forward to assisting RuOchoa, far left, beats out the trio of Tres Seis Nueve (in yellow), Jess Lips (3) and Priceless idoso with these opportuFeature at the end of Saturday’s Rainbow Derby at Ruidoso Downs. nities,” Brunner said.
By Eugene Heathman Editor eugene@ruidosofreepress.com Local business leaders are scrambling to develop outdoor recreation location alternatives to Bonito Lake and Ski Run road whose trail systems, camping and fishing opportunities were compromised by the destruction caused by the Little Bear Fire. During an emergency meeting of the Ruidoso Valley Economic Development Corporation July 18, members of the board of directors representing a variety of local business industries brainstormed to shift recreation and tourist opportunities from the burned areas. Several locations either within the village limits and under-developed areas interfacing with the neighboring National Forest were presented for discussion and possible action. A statement released by the RVEDC reads, “Although several outdoor recreation project concepts have been on the backburner due to the lack of funding or sense of urgency, the community is at a critical crossroads
to retain existing regular visitors in addition to developing a new visitor base due to the extensive damage caused by the Little Bear Fire. So few people realize that someone can affordably golf, ride a horse, ride a bike, fish, hike, shop and eat; all in one day without having to drive more than 3 miles.” One such project would be the possible development of village land in the Grindstone Reservoir area to accommodate day camping with improved facilities, an RV park, and possible overnight campground construction. “Feasibility discussions are taking place as the area is under-used but has experienced a surge of people seeking a place to fish, hike, bike and camp,” said Debbie Jo Almager, village parks recreation and economic activities director. A recreation development plan already exists for that area of the village which would complement the new trail system in the process of being constructed, Grindstone Stables which provides horseback riding, increased demand for fishing at Grindstone Reservoir
Dead heat at the end
Bonito Lake, a history of resilience and recovery From the book “The Nogal Mesa” by Gary Cozzens During one of the wettest summers on record in 1941, the Rio Bonito flooded and severely damaged the Bonito Dam. On Sept. 20, 1941, a rainstorm began and lasted for two weeks and submerged the valley with 28 inches of water. The pipeline on the South Fork was completely flattened, and boulders were washed into the Rio Bonito and then into the dam. Trees were uprooted and sent down the river, also ending up in the dam. In all, 26 feet of mud was washed in above the dam, completely closing the outlet. The tunnel under the dam did not work because it leaked and had been bolted fast, and the engine placed on top of the dam to raise and lower the gate had been removed. As a result, the debris remained in the dam rather than being released downstream through the tunnel. If the gate had been opened, much of the debris would have washed downstream rather than collect in the dam. Another benefit would have been that the
silt which collected in the dam during the flood that reduced permanent capacity would have also been sent downstream. Henry Mulchahey was sent to the dam by the railroad to survey the damage. His journal contains the following entry: “Went into Bonito Dam to investigate and photograph flood damage in 1941, just after the first and just before the second disastrous flood. This trip required walking in as the road was washed out for about two and one-half miles and staying in the old watchman’s dwelling with Mr. Runnels. The departure was very fortunate. As we walked out, we were met by Bowen Zumwalt and drove away just a few hours ahead of the principal of heavy flood which made our work impossible for a while.” The next trip to the dam, a week later required several more miles of walking and some help from B.G. Barnum and the Cletrac 50 tractor he operated at the time. The first step following the flood was to rebuild the road. This task took six weeks and the work of all ALTO
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locals in addition to the railroad using every available bulldozer, truck, shovel and dynamite before the road became passable. Before any work could begin on the dam, two outlet pipes had to be opened. To accomplish this, a raft 60 square feet made of logs and covered with two-inch lumber was constructed. On the bottom of the raft were 50 gallon oil barrels to be used for flotation. In the center of the raft, was a hole through which work was to be done. The raft was anchored to trees on the bank with four steel cables. A large jetting device pumped water from the lake and air from a compressor on shore. Lines from the compressor were placed in the mud and silt that had accumulated during the flood and by pumping and reversing the flow of water, the two eighteen-inch pipes were found, uncovered and cleaned. Two deep-sea divers went down, found the pipes and started the process of returning them to their original positions. During this process, the pipes had to be cleaned about every six hours until all the silt and
debris was removed from the lake. Eventually, the wooden outlet pipes were replaced with 18-inch steel pipes. To complete the repairs, the pipes had to be flushed repeatedly, and it still took three years to complete the total repair process. The U.S. Government decided that the dam was too low, and as a result was raised and additional 26 feet. To facilitate this, a camp for 60 workers was built at the caretaker’s house just below the dam. This camp stretched and consisted of 23 buildings, including dwellings, boarding houses, shops and garages. In the work of raising the dam, one of the landmarks in the canyon, “Steamboat Rock” had to be blasted from an outcropping above the spillway. Ernest Aguayo, the powder foreman, was in charge of bringing down the 2,500 yards of rock, a job he disliked because he had spent many happy hours on the Bonito. This time the benching system was used instead of the coyote hole method when see BoNito LAKe, pg 3
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