Ranchers protecting Squaw Creek

Sisters area farmers and ranchers have been invited to participate in a new conservation program to protect natural resources in the Squaw Creek watershed.

The project was introduced at a March 10 meeting in Sisters.

The federal government has allocated $3.5 million dollars that will be divided between 12 areas that submitted proposals, including the Squaw Creek Watershed, which boundaries extend as far north as Indian Ford Creek, northeast as the Deschutes River, west as the Cascades and south as just past Sisters, including McKenzie Canyon.

Squaw Creek producers will receive $160,000.

Todd Peplin of the Madras Natural Resources Conservation Service, a branch of the Department of Agriculture indicated that 23 people signed up to participate in the program.

The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) will provide technical, educational and financial assistance to producers who will address natural resources concerns on

their business property. "Producers" are farmers or just about any kind of ranchers (emus, ostriches and other exotics qualify).

"EQIP promotes whole farm plans," Peplin said. "We look at soil, water, plant, animal and human aspects of the farm, and determine which conservation practices can be applied that would benefit the producer within their objectives."

According to Peplin, the focus in the Sisters area will probably be primarily on pasture management.

"For example," he said, "EQIP personnel will assist with grazing management. This might entail erecting fences or installing water troughs to prevent grazing in riparian areas, calculating the correct number of 'animal units' that should graze each acre, or rotating cattle grazing areas by fencing.

"EQIP might assist the producer in transporting water through a pipe, rather than an open ditch, or other irrigation management," he said.

Hal Gordon, a state economist present at the March 10 meeting, said "50 percent of the money needs to be spent on livestock - it's supposed to be friendly to ranchers."

Harald Dilling of the Farm Service Administration office in Prineville explained that each producer will be eligible for up to $50,000 (and $10,000 annually) in cost-share money for the conservation projects.

According to Dilling, the producer meets with an EQIP representative to prepare a list of conservation-related items that require attention. The producer submits this as part of his application, which goes to a local working group to prioritize. The local working group also sets cost share rates; EQIP will fund up to 75 percent.

Incentive payments may also be available to producers who agree to let their land lie fallow, if it would benefit the environment. Wetlands, streams home to fish needing protection, or falcon nesting areas might qualify.

"It is a five-to-10-year commitment under each contract," Peplin said.

Dilling noted that, "it is a minimum five year contract, and there may only be one year of cost share with additional management requirements."

Peplin also said that "the producer is committed for ten years after the life of the contract to maintain" the conservation measures specified in the contract.

Peplin offered examples of conservation measures that can benefit the producer as well as the community.

"Flood irrigation converted to sprinklers for water efficiency provides down-stream users with more water," he said. "Using water control measures like structures to divert proper amounts of water" prevents using water unnecessarily.

Peplin said it is surprising how little water is needed to produce a crop.

"The drought years of 1987-1989 were the best crop years because producers really watched their water," he said.

Producers interested in participating in the conservation practices program must sign up between March 26 and April 11, 1997. Producers should contact the Crook-Deschutes Farm Service Agency at 541-447-5171; applications are accepted by appointment only