What is the process for adding a watering hole?

[Hillsberger]

I am new to all this and don't really know where to start. We lease our land to a fellow who brings about 350 head of cattle to graze half the year. There is very little standing water on our property, especially during Summer and Fall. I'd like to add a watering hole or stock pond to keep the herd hydrated but from what I've read there is a "right way" and a wrong way to do it.

I don't know (yet) if we have water rights and our property has neighboring ranches on two sides and open land and a lake on the other two sides. There are a few streams that are only active in the Winter and Spring.

I suspect I'd need to hire an engineer to take a look first but not even sure how I'd find one (Central CA). I assume I can't just widen one of the streams in a spot and let water collect?

Can anyone point me in a direction for starting this process?

 

[hillrancher]

Go to your farm extension office, or county agent they have all the info. you need.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Go to your farm extension office, or county agent they have all the info. you need.

Yep and it is not as easy as just digging a hole. Have seen a many of one dug that wouldn't hold water.

 

[Hillsberger]

Thanks for the replies. I googled "farm extension office" and my county and nothing came up. Maybe it goes by another name? Is it the same as the Farm Bureau?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Thanks for the replies. I googled "farm extension office" and my county and nothing came up. Maybe it goes by another name? Is it the same as the Farm Bureau?

If we knew your location I am sure there is someone on this board that point you in the right direction.
The Farm Bureau is an insurance company.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I've built a few. Fixed a few that some tried to build. Failed to fix a couple and finally sealed them with bentonite. Some places require prior county approval. Sometimes it is simple. A contractor in your area will likely discuss options with you at no cost. Farmers in your area likely have experience. You need local expertise.

 

[John SD]

You need to get aquainted with your local USDA NRCS office. (Natural Resources Conservation Service) They offer technical assistance and advice for a project like yours, and possibly financial assistance.

I put in a new 3000 cu/yd dam that was designed by NRCS and financed by a program offered through the SD Game, Fish, and Parks Dept. GF&P once had a program where they would finance a new dam for a landowner with no real strings attached. It was a good program and several new dams were built in this area.

On my own I hired the same contractor who put in the new dam to do some repair work on 7 existing dams. Seems I spent about $12K on that about 20 yrs ago.

NRCS has a program that is minimumly restrictive called EQIP. (Environmental Quaility Incentives Program) One of the neighbors dug a good artesian well and put in 10K gallons of reserve capacity at his ranch. 8 of us neighbors then formed a non-profit water co-op to bring his artesian water to our ranches. Neighbor charges us $1.50 per 1000 gallons. We charge ourselves $2 to cover power and maintenance costs of the 17 miles of our distribution system for a current total cost of $3.50 per 1000 gallons.

We hired the contractor who installed the distribution system in ourselves at a cost of about $40K each because EQIP does not finance domestic water. The NRCS engineered distribution system works basically flawlessly. I have a constant 60psi at my house.

Many of us then got approved for EQIP to distribute the water around the ranches. I now have 9 water tanks providing water in every pasture. Cows don't have to walk over half mile to water.

The "catch" to EQIP is the "Environmental" part of the plan. I had to plant a shelterbelt and fence out on dam in order to meet the "environmental" requirements. IMO, a small price to pay to have a good workable water system in place. When you are raising cattle, if you don't have water, you don't have much.

The cost share for EQIP is 50% for items covered. I now have a Cadillac water system where a Chevy would have done the job, but I still wouldn't have it done without EQIP assistance. I used earthmover tires and 10' round fiberglass tanks. I also did an EQIP project before this one on another ranch I own. I installed 6 - 12' earthmover tires there. Hope this helps.

 

[Dave]

I see that you said in the first post that you said Central CA. I would try asking Cow Pollenator here on the board as he is from your area. I am not sure about CA water law but being from the west I would pretty well assume that you have to have a water right to dig a pond. Look for county extension agent. They are generally run through the state land grant univercity. I know that Washington is through WSU. Oregon is through OSU. I don't know which school in CA they are with. UC Davis maybe?
A word of caution. NRCS even though it is a federal agency will vary considerably from state to state and even county to county. Look over any of their programs very carefully before signing up. I know people who have been very happy with their programs and I know of some train wrecks. Remember you will be climbing in bed with the federal government. Howwever, they can be a resource. If nothing else they will know where you can find the information you need.

 

[John SD]

A word of caution. NRCS even though it is a federal agency will vary considerably from state to state and even county to county. Look over any of their programs very carefully before signing up. I know people who have been very happy with their programs and I know of some train wrecks. Remember you will be climbing in bed with the federal government. Howwever, they can be a resource. If nothing else they will know where you can find the information you need.

Ditto to this post. I did not intend my post about NRCS to sound like it was "all peaches and cream". The folks who work at my local NRCS office are all locals who know and understand agriculture. They are a pleasure to work with. In fact, I don't think of them as "government workers" at all.

Be aware that if you do sign up for EQIP you must complete the practice in the time frame alloted or you must pay back any payments you receive plus interest. That would be expensive. Rules are rules.

And as with most federal programs, what Uncle Sam giveth, Uncle Sam taketh away, at least it seems that way when tax season rolls around. ;-)

 

[pdfangus]

I see that you said in the first post that you said Central CA. I would try asking Cow Pollenator here on the board as he is from your area. I am not sure about CA water law but being from the west I would pretty well assume that you have to have a water right to dig a pond. Look for county extension agent. They are generally run through the state land grant univercity. I know that Washington is through WSU. Oregon is through OSU. I don't know which school in CA they are with. UC Davis maybe?
A word of caution. NRCS even though it is a federal agency will vary considerably from state to state and even county to county. Look over any of their programs very carefully before signing up. I know people who have been very happy with their programs and I know of some train wrecks. Remember you will be climbing in bed with the federal government. Howwever, they can be a resource. If nothing else they will know where you can find the information you need.

I ditto this as I work for a soil and water district as my day job. Districts are a state level resource. some districts work closely with NRCS and some seldom do.
NRCS has some good people and it has some bureaucrats....get a feel for the folks in your area and talk to others who have done projects before jumping in. Varies tremendously by state..... Varies a good bit here within regions of our state.

 

[Dave]

I see that you said in the first post that you said Central CA. I would try asking Cow Pollenator here on the board as he is from your area. I am not sure about CA water law but being from the west I would pretty well assume that you have to have a water right to dig a pond. Look for county extension agent. They are generally run through the state land grant univercity. I know that Washington is through WSU. Oregon is through OSU. I don't know which school in CA they are with. UC Davis maybe?
A word of caution. NRCS even though it is a federal agency will vary considerably from state to state and even county to county. Look over any of their programs very carefully before signing up. I know people who have been very happy with their programs and I know of some train wrecks. Remember you will be climbing in bed with the federal government. Howwever, they can be a resource. If nothing else they will know where you can find the information you need.

I ditto this as I work for a soil and water district as my day job. Districts are a state level resource. some districts work closely with NRCS and some seldom do.
NRCS has some good people and it has some bureaucrats....get a feel for the folks in your area and talk to others who have done projects before jumping in. Varies tremendously by state..... Varies a good bit here within regions of our state.

Either very funny or very sad. We are at opposite ends of the country. We have the same day job. And the same experience working with the feds.

 

[cow pollinater]

Where in central CA are you? Wherever you are the government in any shape or form is NOT your friend on anything and everything water related in this state. Your best bet is to not say a dam thing to anyone and just build your dam. :lol: That way it's just there and you're grandfathered in on any new plans they have(and there's a whole bunch) for water quality/usage. Otherwise you're a sheep seeking out wolves for direction. If you're up in good hillside pasture it's pretty easy, just pick a spot where a few hills will drain to the same area and doze out a hollow spot at the bottom. It a little more challenging in the easy foothills but the concept is the same. Most of our soil in my part of the state is so heavy with clay that we don't have the leakage issues that you hear about in other parts of the country.
The guy you want to talk to is the guy who does dozer work on your neighbors' ranches/roads. That's the guy who knows all about your country and how to keep his mouth shut. :nod:
Another way to add water is to wait until this time of year and then go look for green grass or sycamore trees in your draws. If there's either one of these two there's potential to develop a spring there. Grass is best as it means the water is close up to the surface.

 

[Dave]

Where in central CA are you? Wherever you are the government in any shape or form is NOT your friend on anything and everything water related in this state. Your best bet is to not say a dam thing to anyone and just build your dam. :lol: That way it's just there and you're grandfathered in on any new plans they have(and there's a whole bunch) for water quality/usage. Otherwise you're a sheep seeking out wolves for direction. If you're up in good hillside pasture it's pretty easy, just pick a spot where a few hills will drain to the same area and doze out a hollow spot at the bottom. It a little more challenging in the easy foothills but the concept is the same. Most of our soil in my part of the state is so heavy with clay that we don't have the leakage issues that you hear about in other parts of the country.
The guy you want to talk to is the guy who does dozer work on your neighbors' ranches/roads. That's the guy who knows all about your country and how to keep his mouth shut. :nod:
Another way to add water is to wait until this time of year and then go look for green grass or sycamore trees in your draws. If there's either one of these two there's potential to develop a spring there. Grass is best as it means the water is close up to the surface.

Yep, there does seem to be more weekend work going these days. I guess people are just too busy to work the same hours as government employees.

 

[cow pollinater]

Yep, there does seem to be more weekend work going these days. I guess people are just too busy to work the same hours as government employees.

That is flat out survival down here. They haven't started in on our foothill ponds yet in my area but they are hitting northen central valley hard on ponds and farmers who irrigate anything anywhere in the central valley are borderline criminals period. It's all "heafty fines" with no actual reasoning or criminal penalties so we know up front that it's just a money grab.

 

[kenny thomas]

I ditto this as I work for a soil and water district as my day job. Districts are a state level resource. some districts work closely with NRCS and some seldom do.
NRCS has some good people and it has some bureaucrats....get a feel for the folks in your area and talk to others who have done projects before jumping in. Varies tremendously by state..... Varies a good bit here within regions of our state.[/quote]

Either very funny or very sad. We are at opposite ends of the country. We have the same day job. And the same experience working with the feds.[/quote]

Small world, I dont work for a SWCD but I am on the local board of directors.

 

[Sir Loin]

In TN all you need is 2 sticks of dynamite and a long fuse.
SL

 

[Angus Cowman]

I ditto this as I work for a soil and water district as my day job. Districts are a state level resource. some districts work closely with NRCS and some seldom do.
NRCS has some good people and it has some bureaucrats....get a feel for the folks in your area and talk to others who have done projects before jumping in. Varies tremendously by state..... Varies a good bit here within regions of our state.

Either very funny or very sad. We are at opposite ends of the country. We have the same day job. And the same experience working with the feds.[/quote]

Small world, I dont work for a SWCD but I am on the local board of directors.[/quote]
getting smaller my wife WAS a board supervisor for our local SWCD office until I moved her to the flatlands