Office Location: 650 Hawthorne Ave SE, Ste # 130 Salem, OR 97301-5894 We are located in the Salem USDA Service Center Phone: (503) 391-9927 Fax: (503) 399-5799 E-mail: marion.swcd@oacd.org Office Photo and Map

Publications Conservation Insider Newsletters Marion SWCD Annual Reports Marion SWCD Board Meeting Minutes Marion SWCD Budget

Plans Marion SWCD Business Plan Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie & North Santiam Subbasins Ag WQ Plan

Conservation Insider Newsletter

The "Conservation Insider" chronicles the current issues and successes of the Marion SWCD. Beginning in Winter, issues are released quarterly, and the Fall issue doubles as the Marion SWCD Annual report. Contained within the pages of the "Insider" are articles about ag, rural & urban conservation: unique projects, educational activities, current trends in conservation technology, SWCD events, and info about staff, board directors, and partners. To subscribe to our free newsletter, e-mail us at newsletter@marionswcd.net or contact the office staff at 503-399-5799.

Marion SWCD Annual Reports

These reports are annual summaries of the work and finances of the Marion SWCD. They are published each year in the fall after the wrap-up of our fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). This report now takes the place of our fall issue of the Conservation Insider, our quarterly newsletter. To subscribe to our free newsletter, e-mail us at marion.swcd@oacd.org.

Marion SWCD Board Meeting Minutes

Marion SWCD Budget

Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins Ag Water Quality
Management Plan Summary (Plan Adopted January 2002)

INTRODUCTION

The Agricultural Water Quality Management (AgWQM) Area Plan provides guidance for addressing agricultural water quality issues in the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins. The purpose of the plan is to identify strategies to reduce water pollution from agricultural lands through a combination of education programs, suggested land treatments, management activities, and monitoring.

The plan was created in response to Senate Bill 1010, which requires the reduction of pollution from agricultural sources. It was developed by a Local Advisory Committee (LAC) consisting of affected landowners residing within the basin, with assistance from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District. The plan applies to all lands, regardless of size, within the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins that are outside the urban growth boundaries and also not covered by Forest Practices Act.

MISSION

The mission of this plan is to produce sound agriculture conservation within a framework of economic profitability and agricultural viability. The plan is designed to achieve chemical, physical, and biological water quality standards as outlined in the Clean Water Act.

The LAC committee used the following guiding principles in the development of this plan:

• Control pollution as close to the source as possible
• Base actions on scientifically based conservation planning
• Promote a variety of conservation practices that allows individual landowners the flexibility to address their situations on their own land
• Recognize the need for producers to maintain agricultural profitability
• Protect beneficial uses of water in the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins

IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE

The AgWQM Area Plan encourages producers to develop Voluntary Conservation Plans, which outline management strategies for addressing pollution. Voluntary Conservation Plans are developed by the landowner, with assistance from the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) who works cooperatively with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resource Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, and OSU Extension Service.

While the emphasis of the plan is on voluntary action by landowners or occupiers to control the factors affecting water quality in the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins, the Prevention and Control Measures are outlined as a set of minimum standards that must be met on all rural lands. Landowners or occupiers who fail to address these Prevention and Control Measures with or without an individual conservation plan may be subject to the enforcement authority of the Oregon Department of Agriculture under administrative rules for the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins and Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) 603-095-1900 through 603-095-1980.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES

MOLALLA-PUDDING-FRENCH PRAIRIE-NORTH SANTIAM SUBBASINS:
Prevention and control measures (PCMs) provide guidance to help landowners and operators reduce water pollution from all agricultural and rural lands. The following table summarizes the prevention and control measures that must be met on all agricultural or rural land, indicators of non-compliance, and the management practices that will address the problems.

PCMs	Minimum standards to meet	Clear indicators of non-compliance	Example best management practices
#1: Chemigated Irrigation Water	Prevent chemigation runoff from entering state waters	Visible runoff into water or evidence of runoff	Riparian buffers Waste storage structures Filter strips
#2: Surface Drainage & Irrigation Ditches	Prevent movement of pollutants or runoff into state waters	Visible soil erosion from excessive channel slope	Streambank stabilization Grassed waterways
#3: Erosion Prevention & Sediment Control	Soil erosion rate should be below 5T/Ac/yr	Sediment accumulation in waterways Visible rills or gullies Muddy runoff	Cover crops Filter strips Buffer areas Residue management
#4: Irrigation Management	No irrigation runoff from fields into state waters	Visible irrigation runoff into water or evidence of runoff	Filter strips and buffers Integrated water management Equipment calibration & maintenance
#5: Waste Management - Livestock & Other	Prevent movement of livestock waste or runoff into state waters	Runoff from livestock facilities into water Waste accumulation in a vulnerable area	Vegetative buffer areas Seasonal grazing Fencing Off-stream watering
#6: Nutrient Management	Prevent crop nutrient applications that have adverse impacts on state waters	Nutrients applied to water Visible trail of compost, ash, or biosolids to water	Use current fertilizer guides Use modern practices Maintain & calibrate equipment
#7: Pesticide Management	Use all pesticides according to label requirements	Pesticide applied to open water Contamination of water source Improper disposal of containers	Follow label & calibrate sprayer Vegetative buffer strips Leakproof storage pad Integrated pest management
#8: Riparian Management Areas	Streamside areas will be managed to allow establishment and growth of riparian vegetation appropriate to site; vegetation must be sufficient to provide shade and protect streambanks during 25-yr flood events	Active stream bank erosion due to destruction of vegetation	Riparian buffer zones Protect streambanks Filter strips Forest buffers Exclusion zones or limited use areas
#9: Roads & Staging Areas	Roads shall be constructed and maintained to prevent sediment and/or contaminants from entering state waters	Surface runoff carrying contaminants into state waters Pesticide or oil cans stored outdoors	Appropriate design & construction Roadside seeding & critical area vegetation Water bars Grading roads Heavy Use Protection

For additional information about the Molalla-Pudding-French Prairie-North Santiam Subbasins Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan, please call the Marion SWCD at (503) 391-9927. For a complete copy of the plan, stop by the SWCD office located at 650 Hawthorne Ave. SE, Ste. 130, Salem, OR 97301. The plan may also be downloaded from the Oregon Department of Agriculture's website.

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Marion Soil and Water Conservation District
650 Hawthorne Avenue SE, Suite 130
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 391-9927
Fax: (503) 399-5799
E-mail: marion.swcd@oacd.org
Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday thru Friday (except federal holidays)

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