Sherman County - Information for Partners and Participants

Sherman County has an area of 823 square miles, or 531,840 thousand acres. There are 514,004 acres in farmland of which 345,494 acres or 65% of the county is tilled and devoted to mainly to small grains. Grassland accounts for approximately 150,000 acres or 28% of the county. There are approximately 46,000 acres of land managed by the USDI Bureau of Land Management. The winter average temperature is 32.9 degrees F and the average daily minimum temperature is 25.9 degrees. The total annual precipitation is about 11.11 inches.

NRCS Local Conservation Activities and Strategies

The priority major resource concerns identified by the local conservation partnership include:

• Soil Erosion & Soil Quality Degradation
• Water Supply and Quality
• Threatened and Endangered Fish and Wildlife Species
• Degraded Plant Condition
• Inefficient Energy Use & Air Quality Impacts

Work is underway to develop conservation Implementation Strategies (CIS) based on local input geared towards improving the ability to farm terraced cropland. With increase size of farm equipment and interest in converting to direct seeding large terraces can pose unique concerns to soil erosion ad water quality.

There is also an effort to develop a CIS to address noxious weeds. Landowners countywide are willing to participate in this rangeland health effort as invasive species diminish the grazing capability, decrease stream quality, and destroy wildlife habitat. Success will be measured by anecdotal evidence from the landowner and the number of applied acres of practices expected to improve rangeland health.

Conservation Implementation Strategy

 

NRCS Programs Available

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP):
  • Funding for resource concerns identified in the Sherman County Long Range Strategies through CISs.
• Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative:
  • Funding for installing high tunnels.
• EQIP Organic Initiative
  • Funding for conversion to organic farming or improving existing organic operations.
• Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
  • A program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands.
• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP):
  • Funding for conservation stewardship and additional enhancements.

Additional Conservation Resources Available

Conservation agencies in the region are very cooperative and routinely work together with private landowners to accomplish resource enhancement projects. The following agencies provide assistance in planning, funding or implementing conservation and restoration projects:

• Bonneville Power Association
• USFS
• Bureau of Land Management
• Oregon Department of Agriculture
• Oregon State University-County Extension Service
• Sherman County Soil and Water Conservation District
• WyEast RC&D

Local Work Group Updates

The Moro County Local Work Group meets to discuss natural resource priorities and provide input to NRCS on conservation programs.  If you are interested in participating, please contact the NRCS District Conservationist listed below.

For meeting information, please click here.

For Additional Assistance Contact

Moro Service Center
302 Scott Street
P.O. Box 405
Moro, OR 97039

NRCS District Conservationist:  Kristie Coelsch, (541) 565-3551 ext 102
Sherman County SWCD, (541) 565-3216