soil conservation

[upfrombottom]

I have been trying to build a lake/pond. I have been to local soil conservation office 4 times in last 19 months. They tell me I am on their list and they will call me soon. Still no calls. Is it like this everywhere or just in my district?

 

[1982vett]

I have been trying to build a lake/pond. I have been to local soil conservation office 4 times in last 19 months. They tell me I am on their list and they will call me soon. Still no calls. Is it like this everywhere or just in my district?

It's called politics.

 

[upfrombottom]

but what to stimulating the economy?

 

[1982vett]

Stimulating the economy and stimulating the farm/ranch economy is two different things.

 

[dun]

Some places are worse then others but they always have been. Most of the NRCS offices hav taken some cuts, i.e. not being able to replace people that are retiring or leaving and having to spend more time in the office shuffling paper. You might ask them where you are on the list.

 

[Jogeephus]

I got nothing but good to say about our office. There are a couple of older guys who have a true understanding of agriculture and soil conservation. I dread the day when these guys retire but hopefully they will have taught the younger guys how to think on their feet rather than through the eyes of bureaucracy.

 

[kenny thomas]

If everywhere else is like in VA go into the office and tell them you want to sign up for EQIP or CREP and don't leave until you get the papers. They will then have to come to the farm within a couple of weeks. If you don't want to do anything else at least you will have them there to look at the pond.

 

[cypressfarms]

Don't know if this will help you but:

Where I live it's very close to the Mississippi river, the soil is extremely fertile. There are a good many "dirt" companies that haul dirt to construction projects. Anyone who lives around here can get a pond dug for free, sometimes they even get paid for it. Basically you make a deal with a "dirt" guy, he comes out with his excavator and digs the pond for you. In return he gets the topsoil to sell to his clients. Not sure how well this would work in other parts, like I said we're lucky in that where we live is a naturally high old (maybe several hundred years or more) bank of the mississippi. The sandy type dirt is very good, and goes down pretty deep. I've seen it 30 feet in some places.

Good luck

 

[BARNSCOOP]

Where I am the NRCS wants you to fence around any and all ponds and creeks. They want to cost share up to 85% on an automatic waterer to keep your cattle out of those places.

 

[denoginnizer]

What about ducks unlimeted dont they have some funds for duck ponds?

 

[TheBullLady]

It's the same in this area.. you go to USDA, and sign up for these programs, and it's generally "first come, first served", based on what applications you want done. They have a certain amount of money available to each county, so once it's been dispersed, you have to wait until they get more. The people that have signed up for the longer term programs, like the 5 or 10 year, get first dibbs on the money available.

 

[upfrombottom]

I live in eastern Arkansas, on top of an unusual land formation called Crowley's Ridge. Its sometimes called the ridge and river region. The ridge is highly suseptable to errosion. Grows some of the prettiest grass you ever layed eyes on, but a mole can start a valley ( ever hear of a 2in rain called a gully washer; it started here). On both sides of the ridge (approx. 150mi. long x in places several mi, wide) there are rivers.

Alot of rice and other crops are grown in the river valleys that require irrigation, most all of which comes from ground water. A source which is replentishing itself, but is doing so at a much smaller rate than is being removed. We are constantly incouraged to conserve water and build lakes and resevoirs to help replentish ground water supplies and also as a soil errosion control devise.

The NRCS is supposed to help by surveying to see how much runoff there willbe, which inturn will determine levie sizes; soil sampling and core drilling to see how deep the levie core will need to be and see if indeed the lake will hold water. they will determime all of this for you. They also keep you out of hot water with your neihbors if they are using the same runoff or creek for water. Usually the surveying; soil testing; and levie design are done at no charge.

They have a cost share program, based on the number of acres you own and the size of the impoundment, that will help with construction. This program is restricted by the monies allotted for it in a given year. But that is not the route I was taking. I have a family with dozers and trackhoes waiting.
All I need is for them to tell me what I can or can't do to keep me out of trouble and then get out of the way.

 

[Jogeephus]

All I need is for them to tell me what I can or can't do to keep me out of trouble and then get out of the way.

They very well could be inundated by hordes of people wanting free money. I bet if you go by there on Friday you will find they are only working a 4 day week to cut their costs even though most of them have salaried positions. This has never set well with me but I can't complain cause our guys are very punctual but if I had to wait as long as you I think I'd be a bit upset too.

 

[1982vett]

All I need is for them to tell me what I can or can't do to keep me out of trouble and then get out of the way.

That won't ever happen. The purpose of the program is to gain control.

 

[backhoeboogie]

All I need is for them to tell me what I can or can't do to keep me out of trouble and then get out of the way.

That won't ever happen. The purpose of the program is to gain control.

Isn't that the absolute truth.

 

[Busterz]

agreed. They won't ever get out out of the way. They don't give you money for nothing.

Its not worth it to me any more. There are a couple programs that I thought about signing up for and wouldn't have much trouble complying. But the way things have gone with some other stuff, I don't think its worth even 75 or 80% cost-shares.

 

[OLF]

We were going to do some cost share about ten years ago. We were going to fence out creeks and put in 8 permanent frost free waterers on 80 acres of hilly, rocky terrain. NRCS priced it at $8000 (I believe using 1950's figures :? ). We priced it every way we could and it was going to be about $16000. NRCS still pays 75% of their figure, so $6000 for them and $10000 for us. We ended up fencing out one section of creek and installing one waterer near the barn which would be used for winter feeding.

We've gone back to doing what we want, how we want.

 

[talldog]

I'm building a small 1 ac.pond in between 2 15 ac. pastures. Here in NC, anything over a acre takes a permit, which usually takes a year to get----Go Figure !! :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Dave]

First there is a difference between NRCS (feds) and the conservation district (local). Those lines are blurred in some areas but there is a difference. As a rule NRCS staffing has been going down over the last 10 years or so. At the same time conservation district staffing has been increasing in most areas. In this state there are now more people working for districts than working for the NRCS.

Now painting with a broad brush. NRCS is better at getting cost share. They have money available but a person needs to go in with your eyes wide open. They pay based on their rate and things have to be built to their standards. Our standard joke is a elephant is a mouse built to NRCS standards. Conservation districts generally don't have the big bucks for cost share but they are generally are more helpful with questions and the one on one assistance.

To avoid the red tape I would find out who the members of the district board of directors are. i would talk to one or several of them and find out who in the district would have the knowledge I was seeking. then I wouod set up an appointment with that person. Go directly to the person you need to deal with. If all you are wanting is information doing that will put you to the front of the line. Information is pretty easy to get. It is design stuff that can take time.

 

[Australian]

Australia has a guru here in by the name of Peter Andrews (he's written two books so far) Finally the government is starting to take notice of his water and soil conservation ideas. They are just commonsense ideas. No burning,daming up certain streams or moreover retarding the flow of them to help raise the water level beneath adjacent pasture. Aerial views of adjacent properties that don't use his ideas are so different and virtually barren looking during the dry times. I'll be using his ideas as much as practicable.