Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1979)
; -v Page Six 1 A i Experiment station to test soil temp, flow depth aids sediment pollution studies In March 1978, the Morrow S.W.C.D., the Soil Conservation Service, and the Oregon State University Experiment Station began a program of monitoring soil movement on wheat-fallow cropland to determine terrace effectiveness in reducing sediment pollution of water. Gerald O. "Jerry" George, Agriculture Engineer, SCS, was detailed to the Pendleton Experiment Station to do the monitoring. During the spring of 1978, Mr. George and Edgar Baumann, Pendleton Experiment Station, and Gordon Fishbacker, Science and Education Administration, Pendleton, assist ed by the Morrow S.W.C.D. staff measured soil movements in five fields. All of the fields had graded terraces, on slopes between 10 and 30 per cent, and had measured soil movement between 18 and 29 tons per aci e. In September 1978, Mr. George installed a recording rain gauge, three level recording thermometer, flow measuring flume, and a flow depth recorder at Don Peterson's near Valby. With the recording rain gauge he will determine duration and intensity of precipita tion. The' three level recording thermometer provides temperature at the soil surface, three inches and six inches. From the temperatures he can determine if the soil was frozen when erosion occured. The measuring flume and depth recorder will provide a measurement of precipitation that runs off the field. This study will provide a more in depth knowledge of the impact of terraces and cultural operations on soil movement. A better understanding of what is actually occuring through this monitoring program will enable more effective solutions to reduce soil loss. I- V' -j "ft f :-' 7 The Don Peterson farm at Valby is location for new test station to determine terrace effectiveness Reseeding rangeland advised if several economic questions are answered Range reseeded with crested wheatgrass provides for increased forage, reduces erosion. Reseeding to improve rangeland is a good alternative in many cases. Seeding can increase forage production, reduce erosion, improve the looks of an area, increase the quality of grazing, provide wildlife habitat and lengthen the grazing season. Before the actual seeding can begin however, several questions concerning the need for seeding, possible " changes in management,' the seeding site cost and expected returns must be asked. Seeding does not substitute for manage ment. If 25 to 30 per cent of the present vegetation is desirable, stand improvement should come through changes in management which allow increases of these plants. On areas where heavy animal use or former cultivation has completely eliminated the important forage plants, seeding is probably the only practical means of improving the area. In Morrow County, seeding is not generally done after brush spraying because of the rapid increases that will naturally occur if virtually any native grasses are present in the stand before spraying. Seeding in this county is mostly done on abandoned farm land and on rangeland that has deeper soils, but has been heavily overgrazed at some time. Two of the most common grasses seeded in the non-forested areas of Morrow County are "Nordan" crested wheatgrass and intermediate wheatgrass. Crested wheat grass is a bunchgrass adapted to very dry conditions but does very well on virtually any site in the county. This grass is in particularly suited to dual season grazing; that is, it can be grazed early in the spring then grazed again in the fall. When crested pastures are used in conjunction with native range, the grazing season is effectively lengthened. On the upland sites in the south part of the county, intermediate wheatgrass which is a mild sod-former, is often used. This grass produces high quality summer feed. These are just two of the grasses commonly used. There are many other varieties available to many different needs and sites. Conf. on page 7 SF07i1B'S.... ...need more furm sforioe? j am Cell us! T fit C STORAGE 102! 422-7210 ST0RM0RE GRAIN BINS Sales and Erections Tinucli & Auto Mspsnbf DIG A PARTS I TO Cc I 10? To) AMERICAN PARTS TURNPIN I BUSHING REPLACEMENT ROLLER t IDLER REBUILDING FOR ALL SIZES OF TRACTORS WELDING OF ALL TYPES AIR CONDITIONING TRUCK REPAIR-BUILDUP epsmi? Highway 74 lone, Or. '4 4 422-7409 JLTOnXITTQ
