GREEN THUMB

TIPS FOR IMPROVING WATER QUALITY ON SMALL ACREAGES

a good neighbor
> CONTROLS RUNOFF & DIVERTS CLEAN WATER
  • Reduce water contamination by decreasing the amount of clean water that enters areas where animals are kept.
  • Construct berms, terraces, waterways or use downspouts to divert clean water away from corrals and manure storage areas​.
  • Ensure runoff from an animal corral or manure storage area will not enter a water body or leave the property.
> MANAGES IRRIGATION
  • Increasing irrigation efficiency can reduce non-point source pollution of ground and surface waters.
  • Drip or low flow irrigation will save water and money, as well as decrease runoff of contaminates into waterways .
  • In addition to over-fertilization and runoff losses of nutrients, over-watering also flushes nutrients (e.g., nitrates) from the soil into the groundwater.
  • For more information visit, USU Extension’s Small Farm Program.

> rEGULATES FERTILIZERS

  • Get a soil test before applying fertilizer to see what your soil needs.
  • To prevent harmful contamination of your drinking sources, don’t apply fertilizer close to waterways.
  • Fertilizer with slow release nitrogen is better for the environment.
  • Over fertilizing can increase weeds.

CHECK YOUR SOIL BEFORE YOU FERTILIZE

Check out these interactive maps that show the recommended phosphorous levels vs. tested phosphorous levels from soil samples around Utah based on crop use.
> PROVIDES A FILTER STRIP
  • A filter strip is a strip or area of vegetation situated between animal corrals or feeding areas and streams or waterways.
  • A filter strip removes pollutants from runoff before the material enters a body of water.
  • It also serves as a buffer between water and the fields above the water so that pesticides and other chemicals are not applied directly adjacent or into the water body. 
  • Filter strips also reduce sedimentation of streams, lakes and other bodies of water.
  • The width of a filter strip will depend on the land slope, intensity of upland land uses, and type of vegetation.
  • Vegetative filter strips can provide additional benefits, such as wildlife habitat or a place to plant fruit or nut trees. 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
EPA Filter Strips
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION >>+
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS:
  • Filter strips should be strategically located to reduce runoff and increase infiltration and ground water recharge throughout the watershed.
  • To avoid damage to the filter strip consider using vegetation that is somewhat tolerant to any herbicides used upslope.
  • Filter strip size should be adjusted to a greater flow length to accommodate harvest and maintenance equipment.
  • Consider planting crops in your filter strip, such as fruit trees.
> COMPOSTS MANURE
​Composting turns manure into a highly valuable, low odor, and rich topsoil. It requires a balance of carbon, oxygen, and liquid. When done properly, the center of the pile will reach 140 degrees. 
PURPOSE:
  • Stabilize available nutrients
  • Kill pathogens
  • Reduce odor
  • Reduce manure volume
  • Kill weed seeds
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
USU Extension Yard & Garden
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION >>+
  • The composting site can be set in several long windrows, 4 to 6 feet high, on compacted ground, gravel or concrete. You can also use several small dry stack-type bays connected side by side, and the manure moved from one bay to the next. 
  • The pile should be turned regularly to mix and aerate. This can be done using a small tractor equipped with a front bucket loader. 
  • Composting requires taking the pile’s temperature.
  • You may need to apply water to your compost pile occasionally.
  • Manure and bedding, when mixed properly can transform into compost in as little as six weeks. 
Utah Water Quality Task Force
We’ve designed this website for Utah’s small acreage farmers. We hope you like it. We value your feedback, questions and concerns.  Email us at waterquality@usu.edu.