Mc clellan adventures in cooperative conservation

United States Department of Agriculture

Mississippi River Basin Healthy

Watersheds Initiative Arkansas

Doug McClellanResource Conservationist

NRCS, Arkansas


MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN HEALTHY WATERSHEDS INITIATIVE

• Objective – Improve the overall health and water quality in

small watersheds• MRBI Priorities

– Reduce nutrient runoff– Restore and enhance wildlife habitat and wetlands– Maintain agricultural productivity

• MRBI Uses a Systems Approach– Conservation practices are used in combination

for greater effectiveness

• Examples of Conservation Practices – Nutrient management– Conservation tillage– Cover crops– Erosion control structures


MRBI VS GENERAL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

MRBI General Programs

Projects proposed and sponsored by conservation partners

Funding provided through NRCS without matching contributions from partners

Partners choose ranking questions

State Technical Committee chooses ranking questions

Partners choose conservation practices

Most available practices can be selected by farmers

Funding is provided within a specific project area

Funding is statewide

Water quality monitoring and evaluation is included in conservation practices

Water quality monitoring and evaluation is not available


MRBI FOCUS AND PROJECT AREAS IN ARKANSAS


ARKANSAS MRBI QUICK FACTS (2010 – 2013)

• Acres treated: 287,2854• Contracts: 1,170• Obligations: $81,853,610• Partners: >80• Project Areas: 24• Total Project Acres: 5,434,484• CCPI Acres: 3,412,799• WREP: 2,021,685


AVOIDING, CONTROLLING, TRAPPING (ACT)

Avoiding

• Nutrient management

• Rate, Timing, Form, Method

Controlling

• Residue and tillage management

• Drainage Water Management

Trapping

• Buffers

• Wetlands designed for nutrient removal

Avoiding

TrappingControlling

ACT


CORE CONSERVATION PRACTICESAVOIDING328 - Conservation Crop Rotation340 - Cover Crop528 - Prescribed Grazing590 - Nutrient Management633 - Waste Utilization

CONTROLLING329 - Residue & Tillage Management - No Till/Strip Till345 - Residue & Tillage Management - Mulch Till346 - Residue & Tillage Management - Ridge Till412 - Grassed Waterway512 - Forage and Biomass Planting554 - Drainage Water Management643 - Restoration & Management of Declining Habitats645 - Upland Wildlife Habitat Management

TRAPPING390 - Riparian Herbaceous Cover 656 - Constructed Wetland391 - Riparian Forest Buffer 657 - Wetland Restoration 393 - Filter Strip 658 - Wetland Creation

659 - Wetland Enhancement


SUPPORTING CONSERVATION PRACTICESAVOIDING313 - Waste Storage Facility317 - Composting Facility327 - Conservation Cover381 - Silvopasture Establishment382 - Fence472 - Access Control511 - Forage Harvest Management558 - Roof Runoff Structure561 - Heavy Use Area Protection612 - Tree & Shrub Planting632 - Solid/Liquid Waste

Separation Facility634 - Waste Transfer

CONTROLLING324 - Deep Tillage342 - Critical Area Planting362 - Diversion386 - Field Border410 - Grade Stabilization Structure430 - Irrigation Water Conveyance447 - Tailwater Recovery449 - Irrigation Water Management468 - Lined Waterway or Outlet484 - Mulching533 - Pumping Plant587 - Structure for Water Control607 - Surface Drainage620 - Underground Outlet638 - Water & Sediment Control Basin

TRAPPING342 - Critical Area Planting 533 - Pumping Plant350 - Sediment Basin 587 - Structure for Water Control356 - Dike 629 - Waste Treatment436 - Irrigation Storage Reservoir 638 - Water & Sediment Control Basin490 - Forest Site Preparation 646 - Shallow Water Development and Management


CONSERVATION SYSTEMS APPROACH

Land Uses Consider Practice Suites

Irrigation Irrigation reservoirs, tailwater recovery, pumping plants, water management, land leveling

Cropland Cover crops, residue and tillage management, crop rotations, nutrient & pest management

Pasture Land Fencing, watering facilities, grass planting, prescribed grazing, stream crossings

Forest Land Tree/shrub planting, forest site prep, prescribed burning, access roads

Headquarters Waste storage, composting facilities, mortality management


CONSERVATION SYSTEMS APPROACH

Residue Management

Cover Crops

Land LevelingCrop Rotations

Water Management

Pest Management

Nutrient Management


Crops planted when the primary commodity crop is not growing

Why Grow Cover Crops?• Soil Management• Water Management• Pest Management• Nutrient Management

COVER CROPS

• Cover crops’ greatest effect on surface water quality is reduced runoff and nutrient losses.

• Residues protect the soil surface from the impact of raindrops and act like a dam to slow water movement.

• Rainfall stays in the field, allowing the soil to absorb it. • Cover crops, whether planted or not, help retain moisture and reduce

soil loss from erosion during time when primary crop is not planted.


PROPERLY PLANNED COVER CROPS CAN GIVE QUICK RESULTS FOR IMPROVING WATER

QUALITY

Before

After


EXPECTED WATER QUALITY RESULTS

• Reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loading into waterways

• Reduced sediment from sheet & rill erosion

• Reduced sediment from irrigation-induced erosion


KEY PRACTICES IMPLEMENTED IN ARKANSAS

• Conservation tillage and no-till

• Nutrient management

• Cover crops

• Wetland restoration

• Tailwater recovery systems

• Irrigation water management


COLLABORATING CONSERVATION PARTNERS FOR PROJECTS

• Conservation Districts – 16

• Conservation District Associations - 1

• Non-Government Organizations - 5

• Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils – 3

• Associations of RC&D Councils - 1

• Arkansas State Agencies - 5

• Federal Agencies - 3

• Educational Partners - 4

• Cities - 1

• Irrigation and/or Drainage Districts - 4


ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

• Adding focus areas or expanding boundaries of areas

• Adding additional conservation practices as needed

• Adjusting ranking criteria

• Annual review of projects with sponsors


Illinois River and Eucha-Spavinaw Watershed Initiative

Bayou Bartholomew Water Quality Initiative

Landscape Initiative – Conservation Beyond Boundaries...Clean water, abundant wildlife, and productive agriculture are interconnected. Conservation doesn’t have man-made boundaries. These projects accelerate implementation of conservation that:

• benefit both landowners and the environment • improve water quality• enhance wildlife habitat • maintain agricultural production

OTHER LANDSCAPE INITIATIVES IN ARKANSAS


ARKANSAS IRWI QUICK FACTS (2011‐2013)

• Acres treated: 34,434• Contracts: 412• Obligations: $12,031,960• Partners: 10• Total Project Acres:

– Arkansas: 576,517– Oklahoma: 739,156


ARKANSAS NWQI QUICK FACTS (2012 – 2013)

• Acres treated: 16,381• Contracts: 72• Obligations: $2,676,443• No. of Watersheds: 3• Total Project Acres: 62,473


HEALTHY LANDS AND WATERS NATURALLY

Sustainable conservation can help to ensure:• Insure Long-term Productivity• Treat Natural Resource Concerns within the Field (at the source).• Provide for Continued Profitability.• Maximize Benefits through Inclusion of Management and

Supporting Practices. • Reduce environmental stresses


TO FILE A COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION:The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S. W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Mc clellan adventures in cooperative conservation

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