Ron Harben Conservationist Ron Harben, Conservationist NRCS

Ron Harben,
Harben Conservationist
NRCS - Retired
What is a Watershed?
A WATERSHED is
the land area onto
which rain falls that
drains into a distinct
creek, river, lake,
bay or ocean
bay,
ocean.
It includes all major
and minor creeks,
seasonal drainages,
riparian corridors,
flood plains, and
land that water flows
over or through on
its way to a bay or
the ocean.
The Hydrologic
y
g Cycle
y
A Portion of the Chorro Creek Watershed
Castle
Road
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Horse F
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Facilities
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Planning
Horse F
Facilities
Why should you write a conservation
plan for your horse facility?
1. Maintain or improve the health and safety of your
horse(s)
2. Maintain or improve your “environmental footprint”
as a responsible land owner
a. water quality
b. soil quality
c. air quality
Conservation Planning for Horse Facilities
Facility conditions that affect
your horse’s health and safety:
1.
2
2.
3.
4.
standing
g water ((mosquitoes
q
and horse flies
can carry equine encephalitis, West Nile Virus,
and Equine Infectious Anemia [Swamp Fever] )
mud (abscesses,
(abscesses scratches
scratches, rain scald
scald, thrush
thrush,
and more)
poisonous plants (everything up to and
including death)
rocks, stones, ditches, and other uneven
ground features (hoof and leg problems
problems,
lameness)
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STANDING WATER and MUD
Causes:
1. Lack of an adequate drainage system; both
roof runoff and surface drainage
2. Lack of adequate
q
soil p
permeability;
y i.e.,
compaction and loss of vegetative cover
3. Leaking water system
4. Natural springs and seeps
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POISONOUS PLANTS
Causes:
1. Can be either native, naturalized, or
ornamental
t l plants
l t
2. Lack of knowledge
g about which
plants are poisonous
3 Lack of vigilance in detection
3.
Conservation Planning for Horse Facilities
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Plants Toxic to Horses
Adam-and-Eve (Arum, Lord-and-Ladies, Wake Robin, Starch Root, Bobbins, Cuckoo Plant) | Scientific Name: Arum maculatum | Family:
Araceae
African Wonder Tree | Scientific Name: Ricinus communis |
Alocasia (Elephant's Ear) | Scientific Name: Alocasia spp. | Family: Araceae
Alsike Clover | Scientific Name: Trifolium hybridum | Family: Leguminosae
Ambrosia Mexicana (Jerusalem Oak, Feather Geranium) | Scientific Name: Chenopodium botrys | Family: Chenopodiaceae
American Bittersweet (Bittersweet, Waxwork, Shrubby Bittersweet, False Bittersweet, Climbing Bittersweet) | Scientific Name: Celastrus
scandens | Family: Celastraceae
American Holly
y ((English
g
Holly,
y European
p
Holly,
y Oregon
g Holly,
y Inkberry,
y Winterberry)
y) | Scientific Name: Ilex opaca
p
| Family:
y Aquifoliaceae
q
American Mandrake (Mayapple, Indian Apple Root, Umbrella Leaf, Wild Lemon, Hog Apple, Duck's Foot, Raccoonberry) | Scientific Name:
Podophyllum peltatum | Family: Berberidaceae
American Yew | Scientific Name: Taxus canidensus | Family: Taxaceae
Angelica Tree (Hercules' Club, Devil's Walking Stick, Prickly Ash, Prickly Elder) | Scientific Name: Aralia spinosa | Family: Araliaceae
Apple (Includes crabapples) | Scientific Name: Malus sylvestrus | Family: Rosaceae
Apricot (Group also includes Plum, Peach, Cherry) | Scientific Name: Prunus armeniaca | Family: Rosaceae
Arum (Cuckoo-pint, Lord-and-Ladies, Adam-and-Eve, Starch Root, Bobbins, Wake Robin) | Scientific Name: Arum maculatum | Family:
Araceae
Autumn Crocus (Meadow Saffron) | Scientific Name: Colchicum autumnale | Family: Liliaceae
Avocado (Alligator Pear) | Scientific Name: Persea americana | Family: Lauraceae
Azalea (Rosebay, Rhododendron) | Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp | Family: Ericaceae
Barnaby's Thistle (Yellow Star Thistle) | Scientific Name: Centaurea solstitialis | Family: Compositae
Bead Tree (China Ball Tree, Paradise Tree, Persian Lilac, White Cedar, Japanese Bead Tree, Texas Umbrella Tree, Pride-of-India,
Chinaberry Tree) | Scientific Name: Melia azedarach | Family: Meliaceae
Bergamot Orange (Bergamot, Citrus bergamia) | Scientific Name: Citrus Aurantium | Family: Rutaceae
Bird of Paradise Flower (Crane Flower, Bird's Tongue Flower) | Scientific Name: Strelitzia reginae | Family: Strelitziaceae
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R O C K S , S TO N E S , D I T C H E S , A N D
O T H E R U N E V E N G R O U N D F E AT U R E S
Causes:
1 Often
1.
Oft these
th
are natural
t l features
f t
but
b t can
also be caused by grading for homes and
b ildi
buildings
2. Land slippage and slumping
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Uneven
ground
features
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What is a conservation plan?
A conservation p
plan is a document that is developed
p
by a landowner (generally with the help from a
natural resource specialist) who wishes to manage
their natural
nat ral resources
reso rces effecti
effectively
el on their propert
property.
The planning process can help horse keepers
identify,
y, assess,, and develop
p ways
y to avoid potential
p
water, soil, and air quality problems.
Conservation Planning for Horse Facilities
Six steps in for developing a conservation plan:
1. Set goals for the operation
2. Inventory and map your resources
3. Identify, asses, and prioritize real or potential problem
areas
4. Develop alternative solutions
5 Schedule
5.
S h d l and
d iinstall
t ll conservation
ti measures (BMP
(BMPs))
6. Maintain and monitor BMPs; replan if necessary
Step 1 - Setting
g Goals
Questions to ask yourself when setting
goals:
1 What type of operation do you have now and what
1.
do you want it to be in 2,5, and 10 years?
2 What conditions do you want to provide for your
2.
horse(s): housing, exercise, food, water?
3 What conservation goals do you want for your
3.
land: reducing/eliminating erosion, restoring a
creek, improving pasture, have a healthy
ecosystem?
Step
p 2 - Inventory
y and map
p
your resources
Resources to inventory:
1. Soil (texture,
(texture depth
depth, stability,
stability slope
slope, water table
table,
permeability rates, plant suitability, etc.)
2. Surface water features ((springs,
p g , seeps,
p ,
creeks, ponds, seasonal drainages, wetlands, runoff
patterns)
3 Property
3.
P
t improvements
i
t (buildings, wells,
corrals, fences, roads and trails, parking lots, bridges,
manure storage
g areas,, horse wash areas))
4. Existing conservation measures
Inventory
y and map
p yyour
resources
Resources to inventory:
5 Vegetation/plant communities; poisonous
5.
plants
6 Wildlife habitat
6.
7. Groundwater conditions (shallow
groundwater quality)
8. Other stuff: g
geology,
gy wetlands, air q
quality
y
concerns (odors), endangered species
Sample conservation plan map
Google Earth is an excellent source of aerial photography.
Step
p 3 - Identify,
y, assess,, and prioritize
p
existing and potential problem areas
1. Water quality tests especially if you are using a well;
stream water quality also
2. Drainage problems: walk around during or after
f a
heavy rainfall; take pictures of problem areas
3 Notice any erosion,
3.
erosion standing water,
water or mud problems
due to roof runoff
4. Manure storage areas in relation to house (odor), wells
(water quality), horse wash areas (water quality,
standing water, mud)
Identify, assess, and prioritize existing
and potential problem areas
Identify assess
Identify,
assess, and prioritize existing
and potential problem areas
Id if assess, and
d prioritize
i i i existing
i i and
d
Identify,
potential problem areas
Id if assess, and
d prioritize
i i i existing
i i and
d
Identify,
potential problem areas
Id if assess, and
d prioritize
i i i existing
i i and
d
Identify,
potential problem areas
Id if assess, and
d prioritize
i i i existing
i i and
d
Identify,
potential problem areas
Id if assess, and
d prioritize
i i i existing
i i and
d
Identify,
potential problem areas
St 4 - Develop
D
l solutions
l ti
Step
1. Conservation measures need to fit your unique
2
2.
3.
4.
5
5.
6.
conditions
Conservation measures often work (or need to
work) in combination
Look for the problem not the symptom
y
of the
problem
Include a manure management strategy
B aware off local,
Be
l
l state,
t t and
d federal
f d l regulations
l ti
that apply to your projects
Implementation
p
will p
probably
y be a long-term
g
process
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
Settling
basin for
sediment
di
t
laden runoff
Develop solutions
Roof runoff
system
that diverts
rain water
into a
cistern
One inch of rain falling on a 1,000 sq-ft roof will produce 625 gallons of water!
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
Cross
slope
grassed
waterway
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
The same
cross
slope
grassed
waterway
in winter
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
The same
cross
slope
grassed
waterway
in late
spring
Wh t’ wrong iin thi
i t ?
What’s
this picture?
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
A 3-bin
compost
system – it
probably
needs a
cover
D
l solutions
l ti
Develop
Your basic
no-hassle
manure
management
system
Step 5 – Schedule and properly
install conservation measures
1. 2012 - Install runoff recovery system
2. 2012 - Grade and seed the slope behind the horse
paddocks
3. 2013 - Remove Powder River panels and re-grade
paddocks to drain to the south
4. 2013 - Install contour ditches in north paddock to
control erosion and runoff
5 2014 – Build
5.
B ild compost bins
Step 6 – Maintain and monitor
conservation measures
1. Monitor your projects
2 Be
2.
B prepared
d ffor emergencies
i – especially
i ll after
ft
3.
4.
5.
6.
storm events (e.g., have straw bales ready for
erosion control)
Photographic monitoring to show the results of
your efforts – may help in meeting regulations
Monitor water quality in wells and streams
Document your efforts in writing
Adjust your conservation plan based on monitoring
Th E
d
The
End