Way back in the '70s there was a commercial on television where a mechanic held up an oil filter and said "you can pay me a little now or pay me a lot later." The commercial was pointing out that replacing your vehicle's oil filter was less expensive than replacing the engine.
The same is true of conservation structures. You can pay a little now (maintenance) or a lot later (major repairs). The choice is yours.
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Obviously, most of us would choose the lower cost for maintenance rather than the higher cost for repairs. Maintenance of terraces, diversions, ponds, grassed waterways or any other conservation structures should be scheduled annually.
Terraces should be plowed up every two or three years. This helps maintain the grade and removes any sediment or silt deposits in the terrace channel. Small water holes also can be removed by plowing. When plowing a terrace, the soil should be thrown toward the ridge. This helps maintain the terrace height and prevents water from flowing over the top of the terrace.
Diversions that are farmed should be maintained the same way as a terrace. Diversions that have been seeded to grass should be checked for problems every year. Any problems should be corrected immediately and any disturbed areas should be reseeded.
Pipelines should be inspected every year. Erosion around a pipe should be repaired as soon as its discovered. This will prevent the pipe from washing out. Risers, in underground outlet type of terraces, must be kept free of debris so they can function properly. Any pipe showing excessive rust should be replaced quickly to reduce the chance of structure failure.
Grassed waterways should be mowed and fertilized yearly.
Any trees or woody vegetation growing in the waterway should be removed. Trees and woody vegetation provide shade, which can kill the grass in those areas. Trees also can force the water to channelize rather than spreading out over the entire bottom of the waterway. Eroded areas should be repaired and reseeded to eliminate further erosion.
Pond slopes and emergency spillways must have any eroded areas repaired and reseeded as soon as they are discovered. Delaying the repair of these areas could lead to the failure of the structure. A healthy grass stand should be maintained on both the slopes and emergency spillway.
Cattle paths are a real problem on pond dams. These paths should be repaired and reseeded. Sometimes it becomes necessary to fence the dam and emergency spillway so cattle access is controlled and regulated. Flash grazing during dry times is recognized as a good management practice for maintaining a healthy grass stand on a pond dam and spillway area. Cattle should be removed when the grass has been grazed down to 6 inches or if the weather turns wet. Cattle tracks, made during wet periods, can start erosion and also can destroy the grass stand.
For most landowners in Douglas County, the time spent checking conservation structures would be one day or less. Any problems discovered could then be corrected inexpensively, before they become major problems. Remember, you can pay a little now for maintenance or a lot later for major repairs or replacement.
If you have questions concerning maintenance of structures, installing new structures or anything concerning conservation of natural resources, call our office at (785) 843-4288 Ext. 3.
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