EQIP - Redwood SWCD

Redwood Soil & Water Conservation District

"Helping bring YOU clean water"

Your Conservation Needs + EQIP = $$ Dollars $$ to You

Producers, Now is the Time Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Conservation Opportunities Available Through EQIP Cost Share

Landowners and operators can receive cost share to install conservation practices on their land through federal funds as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

EQIP is a voluntary program which offers financial and technical assistance to implement measures that will address issues of water quality, wildlife and trees, pasture management, structural practices, conservation cropping systems and livestock management.

Producers can receive payments and incentives to install the conservation measures that follow.

Water Quality

Well Decommissioning - The sealing and permanent closure of a water well no longer in use.

Critical Area Planting - Establishing permanent vegetation on sites that have or are expected to have high erosion rates.

Filter Strip - A Strip or area of herbaceous vegetation situated between cropland, grazing land and environmentally sensitive areas.

Pest Management - Managing agricultural pest infestations including weeds, insects, and disease to reduce adverse effects on plant growth, crop production and environmental resources.

Wetland Restoration - A rehabilitation of a drained or degraded wetland where the soils, hydrology, vegetative community, and biological habitat are returned to the natural condition to the extent practicable.

Wildlife and Trees

Windbreak - Plantings of single or multiple rows of trees or shrubs for protection of farmstead or cropland.

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation - Widening, partial replanting, removing and replacing selected trees and shrubs to improve an existing windbreak or shelterbelt.

Upland Wildlife Habitat Management - Creating, restoring, maintaining or enhancing areas, for food, cover and water for upland wildlife species.

Pasture Management

Prescribed Grazing - Manage vegetation with grazing animals, to improve or maintain the health and vigor of the plants. Components include fence, pipeline, wells and water facilities, as well as pasture plantings.

Structural Practices

Grassed Waterway - A constructed channel that is shaped or graded to required dimensions and established with suitable vegetation for the stable conveyance of runoff.

Diversion - A channel constructed across the slope with a supporting ridge to convey water to a stable outlet.

Terrace - An earth embankment, or a combination ridge and channel constructed across the field slope.

Streambank Protection - Using the vegetation or structures to stabilize and protect banks of streams, and excavated channels against scour and erosion.

Water and Sediment Control Basin - An earth embankment or a combination ridge and channel generally constructed across the slope and minor watersheds to form a sediment trap and water retention basin.

Dams - An earthen barrier that can impound water to reduce downstream flood damage. Provide permanent water storage. Create or improve habitat for fish and wildlife.

Conservation Cropping Systems

Conservation Crop Rotation - Growing crops in a recurring sequence on the same field.

Contour Buffer Strips - Narrow strips of permanent vegetative cover established across the slope and alternated down the slope with wider cropped strips.

Contour Farming - Tillage, planting and other farming operations performed on or near the contour of the field slope.

Cover Crop - Grasses, legumes, forbs or other herbaceous plants established for Seasonal cover and conservation purposes.

Residue Management - No-Till, strip till, ridge till - Managing the amount of crop residue and other plant residues on the soil surface year-round using reduced tillage.

Strip-cropping - Growing row crops, forages, small grains or fallow in systematic arrangement of equal width strips on or near the contour of the field slope.

The Redwood Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.