As the spring planting season gets into high gear, the need to maintain grassed waterways becomes even more important.

Whether the waterways are plow skips or designed and constructed to NRCS technical guide standards, the need to protect sensitive cropping areas from gully erosion is critical.

Waterways should be maintained in natural drainage courses in crop fields or where road culverts discharge concentrated flows. These practices can be as simple as raising the tillage equipment to skip over depressions or be designed to a specific depth and width. At a minimum, waterways should be at least 20 feet wide and about one-half foot deep, but they can be as large as 40 feet wide depending on the up slope drainage.

Producers who receive USDA benefits are required to prevent any gully erosion on their operation and are subject to random spot checks, as well as anonymous complaints. So, establishing and maintaining proper erosion controls is imperative — not only for conservation compliance but for long-term economic stability of the farm.

To help producers offset the cost to establish waterways, there are two conservation programs which offer financial assistance to construct the practices.

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) offer cost share to establish waterways on crop ground. Under CREP, participants will receive cost share to establish the practice as well as an annual rental rate for a minimum of 10 years for the waterway acreage. Under EQIP, producers will receive incentives to only establish the practice.

For producers who need waterways on rented ground and who have landlords who are reluctant to commit to a 10-year agreement, EQIP might be the preferred route, as contracts can run a minimum of one year.

Sign-up is continuous for both programs, and interested applicants should contact our office for more program details.

Producers with pasture or who manage long-term hay acreage might be eligible for the Grassland Reserve Program, or GRP. This Farm Bill program offers applicants the ability to protect and enhance grassland on their property by entering into a contract which may run 10, 15 or 20 years. Permanent easements also are available.

Applicants can enroll owned or rented ground. However, control of rented land for the contract period must be documented. Any pasture or hay acreage that will be maintained as such for a minimum of 10 years is eligible, and routine hay management is permitted.

Rental rates for the county are $7 per acre per year. This rental rate seems minimal but should be viewed as a good deal since most eligible areas will be maintained in a permanent cover regardless.

Interested producers can apply at the Natural Resources Conservation Service office at the Butler County USDA service center or call 724-482-4800, Ext. 108. Although sign-up for the program is continuous, cutoff for 2009 funding ends May 29.

Andy Gaver is a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Butler County.