Douglas SWCD Capacity Grant 25-27

The purpose of this project is to implement the applicable Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan (Area Plan) by using the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) as the local management agency to the fullest extent practical. In this project, the SWCD will: (1) engage agricultural landowners and provide technical assistance, (2) implement projects to improve agricultural water quality, (3) develop partnerships to support this project, (4) monitor or evaluate conditions, (5) use adaptive management to support continuous improvement, and (6) support ODA in conducting biennial reviews of Area Plans. This project will contribute to achieving the goals of the Area Plan and to implementation of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds on agricultural lands. This project includes targeted work identified in the SWCD’s agricultural water quality Scope of Work (SOW) and Focus Area Action Plan (FAAP).

The goals and purpose of the Ag Water Quality program is to work with private Ag landowners to improve water quality and habitat conditions that benefit Coastal Coho Salmon and other aquatic species. The first goal is to educate and work with landowners on natural resource issues and practices to improve conditions which can lead to on the ground projects. Project goals are to decrease mud/manure/bacteria and Ag nutrient loads from entering stream systems. Nutrient and sediment loads can deplete oxygen and lead to algae blooms that result in fish kills. A first consideration in reducing nutrient loads is by excluding livestock from streams and restoring the riparian areas to better filter Ag runoff. Project goals are also to improve instream habitat complexity by stabilizing banks, increasing native plant diversity, and implementing BDAs instream. This will help to reduce water temperatures, increase pooling for shade and protection, increase food source availability, increase cold water refugia and increase spawning and rearing habitat. Improving these habitat elements will also help coastal coho and other aquatic species.