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Valley View Water Quality Improvement

County: Malheur

Primary Resource Concerns Addressed:

  • Field sediment, nutrient and pathogen loss - Sediment transported to surface water
  • Source water depletion - Inefficient irrigation water use
  • Soil quality limitations - Organic matter depletion

Project Description
This Conservation Implementation Strategy provides landowners in the Valley View area in the Owyhee Irrigation District an opportunity to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders to improve water quality, increase irrigation water efficiency, and promote soil health. This CIS is a landowner driven effort that has brought together multiple partners with common goals. This CIS will use practices such as irrigation systems, irrigation water management, cover crop, and residue management to positively effect the identified resources. This CIS is in line with the priority resource concerns identified in the Malheur County Long Range Plan.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Conservation Cover (327)
  • Conservation Crop Rotation (328)
  • Cover Crop (340)
  • Field Border (386)
  • Irrigation Pipeline (430)
  • Irrigation System, Microirrigation (441)
  • Irrigation System, Sprinkler (442)
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)
  • Nutrient Management (590)
  • Pumping Plant (533)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329)
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345)
  • Structure for Water Control (587)
  • Water and Sediment Control Basin (638)
  • Farmstead Energy Improvement (374)
  • Obstruction Removal (500)

Project Partners

  • Owyhee Irrigation District
  • Malheur County Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Malheur County Watershed Council
  • Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
  • 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. Using the Irrigation Water Savings Estimator Tool, what percent annual water savings will result from the planned practices or from an irrigation system that has been installed within the previous 5 years?
  2. Will the conservation treatment improve wildlife habitat, food, and or cover? (Use Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide)   
  3. Is the applicant currently working with the local partner to install a complimentary project that increases the magnitude of conservation benefits or improves existing conservation practices or systems that are already in place?  
  4. Will the conservation treatment include one or more of the following practices: 329, 340, 345, 386, 449 and/or 590?
  5. Are inventory, evaluation, and draft designs complete for the proposed activities?
  6. Based on CIS cultural overview, are the proposed activities likely to NOT affect cultural resources or cultural properties?