September 28, 2007

With most field scouting for insects, weeds, and other pests winding down, and harvest upon us, this is an excellent time to scout and plan for conservation practices that could be implemented or installed to help reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. These practices include grassed waterways, filter strips, field borders, windbreaks, no-till planting, and/or decommissioning out-of-service wells. 

• Grassed Waterways. The combine cab offers an excellent vantage point to note where channels have developed in the field from the concentration of runoff water. These rills generally develop in the same places each year—they get filled in by tillage in the spring, re-develop during the growing season, get bounced over by the combine during harvest, and the cycle is repeated the following year. Consider installing grassed waterways in these areas. As the name indicates, a grassed waterway is a shaped or graded channel that is seeded to grass. This channel forms an area where water can flow down the slope in a controlled manner. Erosion is reduced because the velocity and energy of the flowing water is reduced by the grass stems, and the roots help hold the soil in place. Grassed waterways in a field can substantially lessen the possibility of equipment damage by eliminating runoff-caused gullies. 
• Filter Strips and Riparian Buffers. Conservation buffers, such as filter strips and riparian forest buffers, placed along the edges of streams or other water bodies serve as a last line of defense for sediment and other pollutants that might enter the water. They are very effective at trapping sediment, and enhance the infiltration of runoff water. Buffers improve safety by keeping equipment away from the edge of the stream. Buffers also can provide excellent habitat for pheasants, songbirds and other wildlife. When planted to trees, a buffer may provide income for future generations. Many people aren't aware that filter strips and riparian buffers don't have to be of uniform width. They can be designed and planted to provide a straight field edge along a meandering stream, thus improving farming efficiency. 
• Grassed Field Borders. Grassed field borders can provide a convenient location for unloading combines into trucks or grain carts, loading planters, or for turning combines, planters, and other equipment around. Controlling field traffic in this manner can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing a compaction problem within the field. Field borders often can be used to eliminate crop rows that would otherwise be planted up-and-down hill, thus further reducing soil erosion. They also can provide habitat for wildlife. 
• Windbreaks, shelterbelts, and living snowfences. These are similar practices, where rows of trees and shrubs are planted to protect an area from wind and/or blowing snow. Living snowfences are often established along roads or lanes to control drifting snow; whereas windbreaks/shelterbelts are usually planted to protect farmsteads, feedlots and other structures. Windbreaks can be effective in reducing heating costs and improving livestock performance in the winter, and they provide excellent wildlife habitat. 
• No-till Planting. All of the practices mentioned here require a commitment of land and the planting of permanent vegetation (grasses, shrubs, trees). No-till planting is a proven conservation practice that often just requires a change in management and some equipment adjustments. The first step in implementing a no-till system is to make sure that the residue from the harvested crop is uniformly distributed behind the combine by using a straw spreader or chopper to avoid leaving windrows or piles of residue that can interfere with the planting operation the next spring. A chaff spreader also may be needed for more uniform residue distribution, particularly when harvesting soybeans or small grains with a header greater than about 20 feet wide. In the spring, planter adjustments may include tightening the down-pressure springs, adding extra weight, and making sure that the furrow openers are sharp. 
• Out-of-service wells, especially those that are old and/or in disrepair or that do not meet current well construction standards, threaten groundwater quality as well as human health and safety. These wells should be decommissioned as soon as possible. 

Resource Programs

A number of programs such as the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program and the Nebraska Buffer Strip Program are available to assist landowners with the adoption and maintenance of many conservation practices. Other programs may assist with the implementation of a no-till system. Contact your local NRCS Field Office for more information on these programs. Also, most Natural Resources Districts offer a cost-share program that typically pays 65-75% of the costs to decommission a well. Contact your local NRD for an information and application packet that gives program guidelines, forms, and instructions. Conservation is a good investment, and right now is an excellent time to begin or increase that investment.

David P. Shelton
Extension Agricultural Engineer
Haskell Agricultural Laboratory, Concord