CREP Corner

By Lee Ashford

In the past two issues of this newsletter we’ve looked at a broad overview of CREP, and have taken a closer look at the primary objective of the program. In this issue we’ll take a look at the rest of those objectives, and next issue we’ll move on to something else. Objectives two through six are:

2. Reduce sediment and nutrient pollution from agricultural lands adjacent to the riparian buffers by more than 50%;

3. Establish adequate vegetation on enrolled riparian areas to stabilize 90% of stream banks under normal non-flood water conditions;

4. Reduce the rate of stream water heating to ambient levels by planting adequate vegetation on all riparian buffer lands;

5. Provide a contributing mechanism for farmers and ranchers to meet the water quality requirements established under federal law and under Oregon’s agricultural water quality laws; and

6. Provide adequate riparian buffers on 2,000 stream miles to permit natural restoration of stream hydraulic and geomorphic characteristics, which meet habitat requirements of threatened or endangered fish.

At a quick glance it is apparent that all these objectives involve establishing vegetation along the riparian corridor. A well-established zone of riparian vegetation will: reduce sediment and nutrient pollution; stabilize stream banks; reduce the rate of solar heating; enable landowners to meet state water quality requirements; and incrementally contribute toward the stated goal of 2,000 miles of riparian buffers.

We will focus our attention on objective #5, because that objective deals with an aspect of CREP which directly benefits YOU, the landowner, in your efforts to comply with Senate Bill 1010, technically known as the Oregon Agricultural Water Quality Act.

Senate Bill 1010 was enacted into law in 1993, setting up the formation of Local Advisory Committees (LAC) in each of the 39 watersheds throughout the state, to assist the Oregon Department of Agriculture with development of Agricultural Water Quality Management Plans for each of those watersheds. Each LAC consisted of local volunteers representing the interests of landowners, producers, irrigation districts, fish biologists, rural communities and businesses, and the local Soil and Water Conservation District. Each watershed’s management plan was developed over many years of public input, discussion, technical advice, and careful consideration of a multitude of factors, culminating in a set of rules by which local agriculturists could measure and document their own progress toward improving water quality.

Klamath County includes 2 watersheds: the Klamath Headwaters, and the Lost River. Each of these is covered by an approved Agricultural Water Quality Management Plan. Although the intent of each plan is similar, in the interest of accuracy excerpts from each plan are recorded here verbatim.

From the Klamath Headwaters Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Rules:

603-095-3840

Unacceptable Conditions

…(3) Nonfunctional Riparian Conditions: Effective January 1, 2007.

(a)   Agricultural activities must not create riparian conditions that are downward-trending according to Technical Reference 1737-15, 1998, United Stated Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (Proper Functioning Condition) guidelines or that degrade stream shading consistent with site capability.

(b)   Agricultural activities must not prevent riparian areas rated as non-functional by Proper Functioning Condition Guidelines from improving consistent with site capability.

From the Lost River Subbasin Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Rules:

603-095-3940

Requirements

…(3) Streamside Areas

(a)   By December 31, 2005, agricultural activities must allow the establishment or improvement of vegetation to provide bank stability and shading of natural streams consistent with the capability of the site. Evaluation of vegetation will consider conditions for a stream reach in contiguous ownership.

(b)   Except as provided in (a), grazing, weed control, and other common agricultural activities are allowed in riparian areas.

CREP allows you to receive substantial cost-share for establishing appropriate vegetation. It also pays you an annual rental for the acres of pasture or cropland you remove from production for a 10 to 15 year period, to permit the proper establishment of that vegetation. Perhaps most important, it provides you with documented proof that you are working toward achieving the Agricultural Water Quality Management objectives established for the watershed in which you operate.

There is a lot more to Senate bill 1010, and a lot more to CREP. Give us a call and we’ll do our best to help you navigate the red tape and transition smoothly as the new rules take effect.