Oregon State University

College of Agricultural Science | Agricultural Experiment Station

Malheur Experiment Station

Sustainable Agricultural Techniques




  Options to Protect and Improve Water Quality

Clinton C. Shock
Malheur Experiment Station, Oregon State University

in cooperation with the Malheur Soil and Water Conservation District, the Malheur Watershed Council
and the Owyhee Watershed Council!!

Links

The following table displays current water issues and management practices. The management practices that are beneficial in helping solve the problems are marked "X".  The appropriateness of any specific practice has to be determined for each site.
Irrigation Induced Erosion
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Laser leveling
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Gated pipe
X
X 
X 
 
X 
X 
X 
Filter strips
 
 
X
 
 
X
X
Sediment ponds
 
 X
X 
 
 
X 
X 
Mechanical straw mulching
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
PAM (polyacrylamide) (Spanish)
   X X   X X X
Surge irrigation
 
X
X
 
X
X
X
Reduced tillage
 
X
X
 
 
X
X
Field slope 
engineering, furrow design 
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Strip Tillage
X
X
 
X
X
Nitrate Contamination in Groundwater
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Soil sampling
X
 
X
 
X
 
X
N rates, budgeting based on crop needs and soil test results
X
 
 
 
X
 
X
N budgeting, credits from N mineralization
X
 
 
 
X
 
X
N timing
X
 
 
 
X
 
X
N adjusted using tissue testing
X
 
 
 
X
 
X
Use of deep rooted rotation "sop up crops"
X
 
 
 
X
 
X
Irrigation criteria by soil water potential, ET
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Nutrient management
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
Irrigation System Conversion
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Irrigation system redesign
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Drip irrigation
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Irrigation scheduling
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
Sediment retention ponds
 
X
X
X
 
X
X
Pump back system
 
X
X
 
 
X
X
Buried tail water pipelines
X
 
X
X
 
X
X
Dryland Farming
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Grass waterways  
 
 
X
 
X
X
Chemical application options        
X
X
  
Reduced tillage      
X
  
X
X
Riparian Management
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater Protection
Pesticide Losses 
Riparian water quality 
Grazing management
X
 
 
X
 X
 
X
Riparian plantings       
X
    
X
Fish screens            
X
Upland Pasture Management
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Forest practices
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Watering facilities
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Fencing
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Planting and reseeding
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Controlled burns
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Juniper control
X
 
 
X
X
 
X
Noxious weed control
X
 
 
X
 
 
X
Dacthal Breakdown Product in Groundwater
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Dacthal banding on 1/3 of the soil along onions        
X
X
  
Dacthal elimination, use of Prowl and Poast        
X
X
  
Urban Areas
Improve 
productivity
Irrigation water use efficiency 
Erosion control and phosphate losses:
Irrigated land 
Erosion control and 
phosphate losses:
Non-irrigated land
Groundwater protection
Pesticide losses 
Riparian water quality 
Recycling of chemicals and oils  
 
 
 
X
X
X
Nutrient management
 
 
X
X
X
 
X
Runoff management
 
X
X
X
 
X
X

© 1996, 1998, 2012
Clinton C. Shock