Clean Clear Surface Water………

            The result of good soil conservation!

1. Develop a mental picture of your farm with best conservation practices in place.  Visualize a clear picture of what you want your farm to look like regarding soil and water conservation and work to make this picture a reality.  Make sure that the water that leaves your farm is clean and clear and will benefit your downstream neighbor.

2. Make a conservation plan for each field.  Use NRCS technical advice to correct problems and use the finalized plan as a conservation goal for each field.  Make sure the water leaving each field is clean and clear.

3. Reduce or eliminate tillage.  If tillage is necessary to correct a problem, then do only the minimum work needed to correct the problem.  Try to keep vegetation or vegetative residue on the soil surface at all times.

4. Use crop rotation which includes a high-residue crop.  High-residue crops lower soil erosion and increase infiltration and organic matter.  Crop rotation allows a varied Integrated Pest Management Plan that can help prevent resistance.

5. Plant cover crops or allow winter annuals to grow.  Providing winter cover crops will reduce soil loss.  If possible hold water on fields during the winter months as long as practical.  Impounded water allows soil particles to settle out and benefits wildlife all winter long.

6. Leave a 30-ft. vegetative buffer on the lower end of each field to trap soil sediments in the runoff water.  Create an elevated pad on the lower end of each field, forcing runoff water through pipes as it leaves the field.  Buffers on all sides of the field can benefit wildlife as well.

7. Direct all water furrows to a grade control structure, pipe, or to (not through) a vegetative filter strip.