Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 1972)
HEPPNER. (OHE). GAZETTE-TIMES. Ttamiay. Jan. IT. 171 0 mm teowr Wm Heppner Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Meeting Prorji'cosin 28th Year THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1972 7:30 P.M. LEXINGTON GRANGE HALL 1. Open Meeting 2. Business Meeting 3. Election of Two Supervisors 4. Introduction of Guests 5. Review progress on Rhea Creek Watershed Da r re 1 1 Learn TALK and SLIDE PRESENTATION: Columbia-Snakc-Palouse Program By Charles V. Liles, Field Representative State Soil and Water Conservation Commission REFRESHMENTS Compliments of Heppner Soil and Water Conservation District District Annual Report Detailed Soil Survey Brush Control Chiseling & Subsoiling Conservation Cropping System Contour Farming Crop Residue Management Deferred Grazing Diversion Grassed Waterway Irrigation Pipeline Land Leveling Pasture & Hayland Management Pasture & Hayland Planting Proper Grazing Use ...... Range Seeding Open Channel Land Adequately Treated Irrigation Water Management Critical Area Planting . Woodland Improvement Number Units ... 2 3,825 acres ...490 42,060 acres ... 5 57,445 acres ... 6 ... 61 218 acres 1,206 acres 2,200 acres 1,620 acres 2,672 acres 2,910 acres 163,334 feet 9.5 acres 14,400 feet 26 acres 568 acres 516 acres 3,269 acres 190 acres 2,9-18 feet 12,970 acres 604 acres 22 acres 5 acres District Objectives for 1972 1. Give support to the Columbia-Snake-Palouse progarm. 2. Get printing completed on district long range program and objectives and distribute to cooperators. 3. Complete one coordinated ranch plan Involving both public and private lands. 4. Enter Godyear conservation contest. 5. I'rge construction funding be made available for Rock Creek Watershed. 6. Complete land treatment work on Shobe Canyon Watershed. 7. Continue emphasis on conservation education, including grade school tours. 8. Work with County Agricultural Stabilization & Conservation Service committee in emphasizing the installation of diversion ditches; consider other small watersheds for complete treat ment such as Shobe. 9. Continue emphasis on wind erosion control work. District Achievements for 1971 1. Lake Fenland rroject was completed. 2. Started construction of complete land treatment program on Shobe Canyon Watershed. 3. Worked with State Engineers Office in getting core drilling work completed and stream flow gauge installed at the mouth of Rhea Creek. 4. Completed feasibility study for city of lone watershed. 5. Soli sun-eying was completed on an additional 42,000 acres. 6. Diversion terrace construction is nearlng 2,000,000 feet Heppner S6WCD Works On Wind Erosion Problem By DON BELLAMY Soil Conservation 5rict In the United Stuti-s, it is it t invited that 30 million ton of miiI enter the aimphere each year. Some of this comes from Morrow County. Till' at year had more wind than usual and several thousand acre in the llcnnner Soil ti Water Conserve lion Disti'Ht h.id severe wind erosion. Much of the wind erosion problem Is fn"nrring where new lands are lielng develoed for Irrigation. The main reason for Ihis is that the land is pre parol for crop seeding before the Irrigation omiipmcni is in stalled. The use of Irrigation wa ter alone Is not enough to pro tect bare soil which has been exposed to the wind. The low organic matter of these soils makes It necessary to ase spe. cial practices to establish and grow row crovs. Many acres of dry cropland also have blow areas occurring. Stubble mulch, strip cropping and, In some cases on small areas, straw or manure can be applied to stop wind erosion. Some dune areas on overgrazed rangeland are causing prob lems. The Heppner Board of Super visors met numerous times with government agencies, other dis trict boards and Individuals on the wind erosion problem. One result of these meetings was a . . ?4 j-) ...... FJrlI'r.'-ir';V'- - .--."r ' 'V-,, , THIS PICTURE SHOWS soil which has blown from exposed area and haa ben deposited behind fence. Proper spacing of drift fencing can be used for wind erosion controL (SCS Photo). Irrigation Economic Evaluation Of Morrow County Farm Land pamphlet. "Why Let Your Soil Blow Away", published by the Soil Conservation Sen-ice on some suggested control prac tices for wind erosion. Practices discussed in this pamphlet are as follows: 1. Irrigation Water Manage ment. a. Install irrigation equip ment before opening new land. b. Apply water according to intake rate of the soil and needs of the crop. c. Use tillage immediately after irrigation to make clods. 2. Crop Residue Management. a. Tillage should have ade quate residue In top three Inches. b. Irrigate soil and plant cover crops Immediately after harvest. (July to Oct. 1). 3. Mulchln?. a. To prevent wind erosion from getting a start. 4. Pasture & Hayland. a. For long term soil pro tection. ThU namohlet and other in formation on wind erosion can be obtained at the district of fif In llcnnner. Followinc Is a chart showing sample rotations which can be used. Sample Annual Cover Rotations e These give safe protection from wind erosion. e Very sandy soils make weak clods, even when wet-worked. Always provide crop residue in soil surface. e Double crop to sweet corn on trial basis only. e Avoid crops with October har vest and light crop residues. SOIL COVER Cover CroP CHOICES Stubble TWiWT CC X 4 "CC V CO U X 2 3 " Potatoes X n I a. 5 U 2 Cover Potatoes X X I I Hay Crops or Past. istubDiei i. Wheat Crop 1 I " "1 Potatoes Wheat t.T.t.fi.iyi.i.T i.'i i i 1 l"tTW I I I 'rl'.. 1.1.1. l'l I 11 T. UUU1G 11.11 Potatoes 1 1 UJiStubbleiJi 1 1 or Com (Stubble Watermelons Fall Grain Grain Crop I (Havor.PatJ By GARY CRIEB At we the farmer, continue to MruRgle with the ever present timklom of the cost price iuiiiim7i we look to irrigation as an aid to Increased produc tion. However, with irrigation, an ulth mv other Investment type enterprise there are many po'M f economies wincn musi oe ht lulled. vvhnn cinslili-rlnu Morrow County for Irrigation we should realize that there are many eco mimic f:ictors In our favor. We would at the same time assume that basically the majority of ih land would be Irrigated ny sprinklers rather than surface ir rigated. So we should take a long look at many economic de term ln.it ions before we start in vesting in Irrigation equipment. 1. Location and source oi wa- i.r Varies preatlv over me county. Columbia River is our best source. 2. Elevation of water lift. Can be very critical. 3. Existing practices. How many changes will have to be mnriA iinur much uresent equip ment will need replacing or, changing! 4. Size, shape and quality of rioKicm area. Size is not much problem in the county. Shape and quality varies throughout. 5. Distance of design area to water. Main source of water is a great distance from some of the more productive soils. 6. crops to De irngaiea. mor row County Is adaptable to al most any crop we would want to raise. Our distance to market for some crops is the greatest drawback. The extension serv- ita has tr tprnrise exist estimates worked up for most irrigated crops being raised in the coun ty. These are Dasea on wnai farmers particular crop are now. 7. Crop use. Many crops couM be utilized within the coun'y. I.e. Ilny-pasture-seed cover. a Wind direction, strength end occurrence. We can count on having a great amount of wind, with destructive trength to some sprinkler systems, at fairly regular occurrences. 9. Labor availability. Is really not as great a problem as Is where to house your helj). 10. Temperature. Can be a problem for 30 day or so. Nor mally not too had. 11. Power supply. So far has been no problem, rates are In line with most other areas and in some cases lower. 12. Growing season. One of the county's better factors. Many times up to 200 frost free days. 13. Topography or layout. Some areas can be a serious problem. Generally alxive the 1000 foot elevation mark. An abundance of land lies below 1000 feet however. 14. Soil capacity and fertility. Intake rate has cau-d many problems already in many ar eas. Much work has been done on this within the county and the findings are available at the extension service office. Fer tility varies throughout the county. Soil samples would need to be taken for the area being studied. 15. Desired return. Profits, land development for specu lative sales, etc. Low crop pric es, often below cost of produc tion is a major concern. 16. Management. As has been said before, the whole project will be no better than the Man behind it. Or possibly how many times he can get by be ing late to the supper table...? Tl W CC Dry Beans . Grain m i I) (I t ii1 MARCEL JONES1971 Conservation Man of the Year, and wile. Dee, in front of their home. With them is Marcel's brother Judge Paul Jones. scs I1,oto) THE FOLLOWING ARE HAPPY TO JOIN IN SPONSORING THIS REPORT IN THE INTEREST OF CONSERVATION ; SERVICES Jerry's Barber Shop - Heppner Heppner Cleaners - Heppner EQUIPMENT AND IRRIGATION Morrow County Grain Growers Lexington Padberg Machinery - Lexington Highland Machinery Co. Condon Stone Machinery Pendleton, The Dalles, Walla Walla Cole Electric - Pendleton Farmore Service Center Irrigation PETROLEUM Division Pendleton SUPPLIES Heppner Auto Parts - Heppner Pettyjohn's Farm & Building Supply - Heppner Wright's Country Store - Ruggs Dobyns Pest Control - lone Cornett Green Feed - Heppner Murrays Drug - Heppner Rietmann's Hardware - lone Bristow's Market - lone Lott's Electric - Heppner FINANCE Federal Land Bank Association Pendleton Bank of Eastern Oregon Heppner - lone First National Bank - Heppner Morrow County Abstract & Title Co. - Heppner Pendleton Production Credit Association - Pendleton MACHINE HIRE FERTILIZER Heppner Inland Chemical Heppner Bi-County Chemical - lone Cenex Plant Foods - lone GRANGES Willows Grange lone Rhea Creek Grange - Heppner Lexington Grange Lexington Mike Gray (Union Oil) Heppner Ed Dick (Standard Oil) Heppner Paul Pettyjohn (Shell Oil) lone AUTOMOTIVE B & C Tractor Repair - lone Ekstrom Trailer Sales - lone Farley Motor - Heppner iar Aviation - Lexington White's Grading Service - lone POWER Columbia Basin Electric Heppner INSURANCE Turner, Van Marter & Bryant Heppner Ruggles-Boyce Ins. Agency Heppner Charles O'Connor - lone HEPPNER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
