Contour Buffer Strips

August 2008 CONTOUR BUFFER STRIPS

PRACTICE INTRODUCTION

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service―Practice Code 332

CONTOUR BUFFER STRIPS The practice is not well suited for undulating Contour buffer strips are strips of perennial grass terrain with steep irregular slopes where alternated with wider cultivated strips that are contouring is impractical. farmed on the contour. The effectiveness of contour buffer strips is dependent on several variables such as steepness, PRACTICE INFORMATION soil type, crops grown, strip widths, management, The benefits of farming on the contour with the and climatic factors. added protection from the grass strips make contour buffer strips an effective and cost efficient COMMON ASSOCIATED PRACTICES conservation practice. Contour Buffer Strips is commonly used in a Contour buffer strips slow runoff water and trap Conservation Management System with practices sediment. Consequently, soil erosion is generally such as Contour Farming (330), Conservation Crop reduced significantly by this practice. Sediments, Rotation (328), Residue Management (344), Cover nutrients, pesticides, and other potential pollutants Crop (340), Nutrient Management (590), and Pest are filtered out as water flows through the grass Management (595). strips. The grass strips also provide food and cover For more information, refer to the practice for wildlife. standard in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide and associated specifications and design criteria.

The following page identifies the effects expected to occur when this practice is applied. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. All appropriate local, State, Tribal, and Federal permits and approvals are the responsibility of the landowners and are presumed to have been obtained. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site. The diagram above identifies the effects expected to occur when this practice is applied according to NRCS practice standards and specifications. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. All appropriate local, State, Tribal, and Federal permits and approvals are the responsibility of the landowners and are presumed to have been obtained. All income changes are partially dependent upon market fluctuations which are independent of the conservation practices. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site. Initial setting: Cropland, forestland Contour Buffer Strips Contour Buffer Strips (Herbaceous) (332 ) grazing land containing runoff to Start (Herbaceous) sensitive areas 5/2002

D.1 (+) 1. Area of permanent vegetation 2. Cropped area changed 3. Cropland removed from Filtration planted on the contour to contour farming production

D.2 (-) Sheet and rill D.8 (+) Forage erosion D.5 (+) Infiltration production

D.4 (+) Ponding D.6 (+) Wildlife of runoff water food and cover D.7 (-) Particulate matter D.9 (-) D.3 (+) Adsorption and I.6 (+) Nutrient (-) Chemical drift Crop transformation of absorption by production pollutants organisms I.13 (+) Biodiversity I.7 (+) Crop D.10 (+) Maintenance biomass/ carbon requirement―removal sequestration I.10 (+) Quality of wildlife habitat of sediment, revegetation

I.3 (-) Dissolved I.4 (+) Soil I.1 (-) Sediment and contaminants quality particulate contaminants I.8 (-) Greenhouse (including nutrients) I.9 (+) Beneficial (including pathogens) to gas emissions to sensitive areas insects sensitive areas

I.11 (-) Pesticide use

I.2 (-) Maintenance LEGEND C.2 (+) Quality of of drainage ditches I.5 (+) Crop production I.12 (+) Net return receiving waters #. Created by practice and other structures to farmer

I.12 (-) Net return D. Direct effect C.4 (+) Air quality in to farmer the air shed C.1 (+) Preservation of C.3 (+) Fishable and I. Indirect effect infrastructure; reduced swimmable waters; reduced (+) (-) community health and safety issues for C. Cumulative effect maintenance costs humans, domestic, and wild C.6 (+) Habitat animals C.5 (+/-) Income and suitability, health to income stability humans, domestic, Pathway (individuals and and wild animals community) (+) increase; (-) decrease

Note: Effects are qualified with a plus (+) or minus (-). These symbols indicate only an increase (+) or a decrease (-) in the effect upon the resource, not whether the effect is beneficial or adverse.

The diagram above identifies the effects expected to occur when this practice is applied according to NRCS practice standards and specifications. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. All appropriate local, State, Tribal, and Federal permits and approvals are the responsibility of the landowners and are presumed to have been obtained. All income changes are partially dependent upon market fluctuations which are independent of the conservation practices. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site.