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<br /> <br />KEYS TO A HEALTHY <br />RIPARIAN AREA <br /> <br />Good srewardship maintains or <br />improves important riparian vcgcm~ <br />[ion and prevents srrcambank ('ro~ <br />sion, loss of warer qualiry and loss of <br />wildlife habirat. <br /> <br />A healthy riparian system will: <br /> <br />A Slow flood flows and reduce soil <br />erosion and property loss <br /> <br />A Provide food and cover, as well as <br /> <br />nesting and breeding habitat, for <br />wildlife <br /> <br />A Keep water cooler in the summer <br />and prevent ice damage in winter <br /> <br />A Reduce water pollution by filtering <br /> <br />out sediments, chemicals and <br />nutrients from runoff <br /> <br />A Shelter animals during calving, <br />lambing or fawning <br /> <br />A Hold more water in the soil, slow. <br />ly releasing it to keep streams <br />flowing longer and to replenish <br />groundwater <br /> <br />DOES YOUR PROPERTY <br /> <br />HAVE A WETLAND? <br /> <br />Whether an area is a wetland or not is <br />determined by specific soil. vegetation <br />and hydrologic conditions. Before <br />YOll drain or fill an area, contact your <br />local office of the Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service to find out if <br />you have a wetland on your property. <br /> <br />Wetlands are legally protected under <br />Section 404 of the fc'lleml Clean Water <br />Act from land management practices <br />that would destroy them or change <br />their function. Section 404 estab. <br />Iishes a permitting process [0 ensure <br />that excas'ating, dredging or filling in <br />a wetland or riparian area complies <br />with the law. The U. S. Army Corps <br />of Engineers and the Environmental <br />Protection Agency jointly administer <br />this permitting process. <br /> <br />The "Swampbuster" provision of the <br />federal farm bill requires all agricul. <br />tural producers who receive federal <br />farm benefits to protect wetlands on <br />land they own or openlte. <br /> <br />See the "ContaCts" section at ,he back of <br />,his booklet for agencies that can help <br />YOII learn more about <<'ater qllality, <br />riparian areas and wetlands. <br /> <br />+ Plant shrubs <br />and grasses along <br />streams and <br />around corrals <br />and pens to trap <br />and absorb poilu. <br />tion.laden runoff <br />before it reaches <br />streams or <br />ground"...ater. <br /> <br />+ Locate corrals <br />and pens away <br />from streams and <br />domestic wells. <br />Use off.stream <br />stockwater tanks <br />to keep livestock <br />from trampling <br />streambanks. <br /> <br />+ Avoid over. <br />irrigation. It <br />wastes valuable <br />water, leaches <br />soil nutrients and <br />also causes ero~ <br />sian and fertilizer <br />and pesticide <br />runoff. <br /> <br />qllCstions a <br /> <br />+ Locate "our state and fe <br />, . .( <br />corrals and septic water-qlUlliry lti <br /> <br />system down.;# <br /> <br />slope of your . Cl _ <br />-.'1:3' <br />drinking-water It <br />well. . <br />