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Soil Health Restoration and Management North Coast/Lower Willamette Basin

Counties: Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: 

  • Soil quality limitations - Aggregate instability
  • Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion
  • Wind and water erosion - Sheet and rill erosion
  • Degraded plant condition - Plant productivity and health

Project Description
This Conservation Implementation Strategy will improve soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in the North Coast and Lower Willamette Basin (NC/LWB) to restore soil health and improve the health and diversity of agricultural ecosystems to conserve soil and water resources.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Soil Health Management Plan (116) 
  • Conservation Cover (327) 
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329) 
  • Cover Crop (340) 
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345) 
  • Prescribed Grazing (528) 
  • Fence (382) 
  • Livestock Pipeline (516) 
  • Heavy Use Area Protection (561) 
  • Nutrient Management (590) 
  • Pest Management Conservation System (595) 
  • Watering Facility (614) 
  • Soil Carbon Amendment (808) 
  • Soil Health Testing (216) 
  • Pumping Plant (533) 
  • Annual Forages for Grazing Systems (810) 
  • TA Design (911)
  • TA Application (912)
  • TA Check-out (913)

Project Partners

  • Marion SWCD
  • Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)
  • USDI Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
  • Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
  • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)
  • Technical Service Providers (TSP)
  • Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)
  • OregonState University Extension (OSUE)
  • Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • Partners of the North Santiam (PNS)
  • Council of Water Leaders (CWL)
  • Basin SWCD's
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Application Questions
NRCS uses prioritization questions to evaluate applications for this initiative. See the list of workload prioritization questions on the Oregon EQIP page. Ranking questions below will also apply.

Ranking Questions

  1. Does EQIP plan of operation include soil health management plan –written (116)? If yes, no further ranking is needed.
  2. Does the plan of operation fall within both the CIS focus area for organic matter depletion (moderate or higher) and groundwater restricted areas of the NC/LW Basin?
  3. Is there evidence of soil erosion on the project target area as documented by a farmer interview, site visit, and/or RUSLE2 evaluation?
  4. Does the applicant have a recent soil test within the last two years where organic matter was evaluated AND the applicant is scheduling practice 216 - Soil Health Testing (Basic Soil Health Suite + Chemical) for two non-consecutive years to meet a Soil Health resource concern? NOTE: 216 Sample collection is completed by an agricultural service provider, soil scientist, or other agriculture professional. The producer CANNOT collect or submit the test to the lab.
  5. Does EQIP plan of operation include no-till or reduced tillage practices to reduce soil disturbance?
  6. Does EQIP plan of operation include conservation cover and/or cover crop to improve soil cover and living roots?