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.
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