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Columbia Corridor Soil Health

County or Counties: Columbia

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion

Project Description
Declining soil health of the pasture and croplands of the Columbia River Corridor is occurring due to low inputs, management levels, and farming experience.  This strategy seeks to improve soil quality through better management practices, provide better forage for livestock and wildlife, increase productivity and profitability of agricultural operations, and improve water quality and aquatic habitat through riparian improvements.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Brush Management (314)
  • Forage Harvest Management (511)
  • Prescribed Grazing (528)
  • Critical Area Planting (342)
  • Herbaceous Weed Control (315)
  • Fence (382)
  • Forage and Biomass Planting (512)
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)
  • Mulching (484)
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490)
  • Watering Facility (614)
  • Pumping Plant (533)
  • Spring Development (574)
  • Pipeline (516)
  • Roof Runoff Structure (558)
  • Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647)
  • Cover Crop (340)
  • High Tunnel System (325)
  • Conservation Cover (327)
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)
  • Hedgerow Planting (422)
  • Heavy Use Area Protection (561)
  • Underground Outlet (620)

Project Partners

  • Scappoose Bay Watershed Council
  • Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Local EQIP Ranking Questions
NRCS uses these questions to evaluate eligible applications for this project and to prioritize applications for potential funding. State and national ranking questions also apply. See more information on the EQIP program page.

Screening Questions

  1. Is the property within the geographic priority area of the CIS? If not, low priority, do not rank.
  2. Is the property currently being used for agricultural purposes, i.e., the participant is actively raising livestock or produce? 

Ranking Questions
1. Will the Applicant include practices that improve pollinator habitat? (I.E. hedgerows, conservation cover, field borders) Points awarded to those who already have those practices in place.
2. Is the Applicant's property located within 1000 feet of a perennial stream with potential ESA listed species and will include practices that improve water quality of the waterway?
3. Will the application include practices that address other natural resource concerns beyond soil health and water quality? (i.e., plant productivity, fish and wildlife habitat, etc.)

4a. The application will include a combination of practices such as cover crops, mulching and/or other soil health practices?               
OR              
4b. Will the Application include practices such as deferred grazing, cross fencing, heavy use areas, sacrifice lots, that allow grazing improvements and rest periods?

5. Does the application include practices to increase irrigation efficiency or reduce surface or ground water usage to improve production?
6. The applicant has a current market strategy. (I.E. Applicant currently sells their product to customers or donates their produce to local food pantries)?
7. The Applicant has been active in this operation for more than 3 years.
8. The application will address noxious weed issues on the operation?