Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1983)
Page 4 Special Farm Section, Thursday, February 14. 1983 Agricultural Research Center monitors erosion 5 county erosion project makes progress In 1976, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was adapted to guide conservation planning and resource inventory work in the Pacific Northwest. The USLE had been developed in the early 1960s and was used thereafter in the states east of the Rocky Mountains where intense sum mer storms contributed to nearly all of the associated soil erosion losses. This is a very different climate than that which is found in the Pacific Northwest where low-intensity winter storms, fro zen soils, transient snowmelt and steep land forms combine to produce excessive soil erosion. Estimated average annual soil losses in the Pacific Northwest dryland grain region (about eight million acres of cropland in Idaho. Oregon and Washington) range from two to 25 tons per acre, while individual yearly losses as great as 10O tons per acre have been reported. The inconsistency between predicted erosion rates and measured ero sion rates in the Pacific North west has led to the need for additional research of the erosion processes. In 1979 the Agricultural Re search Center in Pendleton, through the cooperative efforts of USDA-ARS and OSU, attempted to quantify the soil erosion pro cess by field measurement tech niques on grower owned sites. These techniques differed from the standard approach of per manent sites which were used to develop the USLE. To increase the probability of observing more runoff and erosion events per year, sites were installed over a wide geographical area. This also insured sampling a variety of climatic, landform, soil and til lage variables. This year, one erosion monitoring site has been installed in each of the following counties; Walla Walla, Umatilla, Morrow (on land farmed by Monte Evans), Gilliam, and Sherman, with two sites in Wasco County. The sites are installed in newly seeded winter wheat after summer fallow fields (grower operated) with an additional site on an over-winter wheat stubble field. Each of the above seven sites are designed to collect in holding tanks, all plot runoff and erosional materials which are then sampled and analyzed for sediment and fertilizer-type chemical concentrations. Var ious instruments are also instal led to monitor the runoff se quence and characterize the cli matic factors responsible for erosion producing events. Soil parameters and tillage practices are also described for each site. By accumulating a soil loss data base and by understanding the erosion processes on frozen soils, the USLE can be improved or a new predictive soil loss equation can be formulated for use in northeastern Oregon This will significantly enhance the planning of conservation mea sures and the evaluation of new soil management techniques needed for erosion control. 11,800 farmland acres treated for conservation problems lai i y uui iicurAcii y luuacri vauuii measure," Buschke said. During 1982. 11.800 acres of Oregon Morrow County farmland were treated and served by one or more of the conservation practices available under the Agricultural Conservation Pro gram, according to Judy Bus chke. County Executive Director. The ACP is the oldest and most widely used ASCS program. To help farmers solve soil and water conservation problems, the agency provided cost-share funds totaling $159,842. (Terraces -$115,286; Irrigation Water Con servation - $7,475; Water Im poundment Reservoirs - $6,116; Permanent Vegetative Cover -$3,500, Permanent Vegetative Cover Establishment 8 $4,657; Sediment Dams - $3,103; Water Management Systems For Pol lution Control - $13,962; Perman ent Vegetative Cover on Critical Areas - $1,594; Reduced Tillage -$1,770; No-Till - $30; Tree Thinning - $3,500) "This assis tance was used by producers to Buschke said it is vital that farriers perform good soil and water conservation practices such as those eligible for cost sharing under the ACP because soil erosion is a major problem facing farmers today. She said the program is de signed to encourage farmers to voluntarily perform pollution abatement, soil, water and en ergy conservation measures. It authorizes funds to help those who could not or would not perform such practices to the extent necessary without federal assistance. About 70 farms were enrolled in the 1982 program and 18 pro ducers are into long term agree ments to conduct practices over the next three to 10 years. The ASCS official said the conservation program endeavors to protect soil and water resour ces for the benefit of farmers and the public. yt- Abrams and Kuhn Attorneys at Law 267 N. Main, 206 Main St., PO Box 30, Heppner OR Boardman, OR 676-9141 481-5433 Considerable progress has been made in the five county area, Gilliam, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla and Wasco counties, under the target program. It allows federal, state and local governments and farmers to at tack critical problems while maintaining their regular on going conservation practices. By being designated as a target area the five counties received approximately $500,000 addition al funding in 1982. Conservation tilluge methods that maintain adequate residue amounts to protect the soil from wind and water erosion have been given a very high priority as a conserva tion practice because it is a very effective and economical way of reducing erosion. Long term agreements featuring conserva tion tillage have been stressed in the five counties the past year with excellent response by farm ers. Relations between the soil and water conservation districts, agencies, farm equipment and chemical suppliers and farmers have been excellent. As example, we have hud all of the above actively putting on and partici pating in tours, field days, field trials and demonstrations. Equipment dealers und chemical companies have been eagerly participating in demonstrations and have contributed significant amounts of financial support to information and education efforts. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and OSU Extension Ser vice have signed a cooperative agreement that has placed an extension agent In the target area to assist with information and education and to aid in tech nology transfer from research to practical application. JL V) ll 1 Jf I Ray Boycc Insurance LrJ FOR All VOIM IMURMCt BUM NOMIH MAM IIMIT miwniii OMOll M BAY BOYCE ' BUSINESS CARDS & RUBBER STAMPS BOARDMAN ENTERPRISE 481-7881 IVe pride ourselves on being your fully stocked farm and home lumber yard. Building Supplies Fireplaces Paint & Paneling Septic Tanks Windows Roofing . Glass Lexington Lumberyard Lexington 989-8586 Call Us For All Your Fertilizer & Chemical Needs 4 - : f. A I 7 $ tttv mm Herb Ekstrom, Jr. Ekotrom Farm Chcmicolo IONE, OREGON 422-7505
