Kansas Technical Committee Minutes - August 2006

Kansas Technical Committee (KTC) Meeting
Thursday, August 17, 2006
10:00 a.m.
NRCS Conference Center
747 Duval - Salina, Kansas

Harold L. Klaege, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), gave the welcome, introductions, opening remarks and an update on programs at 10:00 a.m.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Gaye L. Benfer, Soil Conservationist, reviewed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 EQIP Kansas ranking criteria, eligible practices, and funding distribution recommendation developed with the assistance of the EQIP subcommittee.

The KTC EQIP subcommittee (hereafter referred to as the subcommittee) recommended state priority resource concerns for FY 2007 of:

• Water Quality
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Ground or Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Ground or Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Soil Erosion – Stream Bank
• Soil Condition
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
• Grazing Lands Health
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor (Grazing Land)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Species
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
• Forestland Health
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor (Forestland)
• Livestock Waste
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Ground and Surface Water
• Water Quantity
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft

Fish, Wildlife – Threatened and Endangered Species; Declining Species; Species of Concern will be considered within each priority concern.

The KTC supported this recommendation.

Ranking Criteria

Water Quality – (Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Ground or Surface Water; Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Ground or Surface Water; Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water; Soil Erosion – Stream Bank)

The subcommittee recommended that priority be given by:

1. Location
   1. Within Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 11 watershed that drains directly into a federal reservoir
   2. Within HUC 8 that drains directly into a federal reservoir
   3. Smoky Hill River HUC 11 from Kanopolis Lake to the Kansas River
   4. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for eutrophication, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and/or pesticides
   5. Kansas Source Water Assessment Area
   6. Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) Sensitive Groundwater Area
   7. Within 180 feet of a receiving water body or a soil with frequent or very frequent flood frequency
2. High nitrate leaching potential for predominance of unit
3. Wetlands and Riparian Areas Project (WRAP)
4. High potential soil loss index for predominance of unit
5. Leveraging of funds
6. Treatment of At-Risk Species

KTC supported this recommendation.

Soil Condition – (Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion)

The subcommittee recommended that priority be given to applications by:

1. Erodibility
   1. All soils in unit of concern have Erosion Index (EI) > 8
   2. EI > 8 for any soil
2. Cropping management
   1. Positive Soil Conditioning Index (SCI) and Soil Tillage Intensity Rating (STIR) Index less than 10
   2. Positive SCI and STIR < 30
3. Treatment of At-Risk Species

It was discussed that additional priority should be given for crop rotations including legumes.

The KTC supported these recommendations.

Grazing Lands Health – (Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor; Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Weeds; Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water)

The subcommittee recommended priorities be given by:

1. Rest in grazing system
2. Treatment of invasive species. It was discussed that additional priority be given to those applications that use mechanical or spot treatment,
3. Treatment of At–Risk Species
   Lesser or Greater Prairie Chicken habitat contains five percent or greater infestation of red cedar or osage-orange. It was discussed that Siberian elm and honey locust should be added to this priority.
4. Brush treatment
   High priority level per NRCS electronic Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG), practice code 314, Brush Management, standards and specification.
5. Resource concerns of Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor; or Invasive Species

The KTC supported the recommendations of the subcommittee.

Forestland Health – (Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor)

The subcommittee recommended that priority be given to applications by:

1. Class I or II soils
2. Location
   1. Within a TMDL area for eutrophication, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and/or pesticides
   2. Within 180 feet from a receiving water body
   3. Within an At-Risk Species Habitat Area and treatment will assist that species

The KTC supported these recommendations.

Livestock Waste – (Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics In Ground and Surface Water; Air Quality – Objectionable Odors)

The subcommittee recommended that priority be given to applications by:

1. Location
   1. Within one mile of a population center
   2. Within a TMDL area for ecoli bacteria
   3. Within 180 feet of a receiving water body
   4. Within a Kansas Source Water Assessment Area
   5. Within a KGS Sensitive Groundwater Area
   6. Within an At-Risk Species Habitat Area
2. Type of Animal Feeding Operation (AFO)
   1. Existing AFO, not previously treated
   2. Existing AFO, received written notice from Kansas Department Health and Environment (KDHE) for insufficient treatment
   3. Existing AFO, improving efficiency
   4. Existing AFO, expansion
   5. New AFO

The KTC supported this recommendation.

Water Quantity – (Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use On Irrigated Land; Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft)

It was recommended by the subcommittee that priority be given to applications by:

1. Reduction of current water use
   1. By 50 percent
   2. By 35 percent
2. Conversion to non-irrigated on at least 40 percent of the application acres
   Acres enrolled in the State of Kansas Water Rights Conservation Program
3. Increase in irrigation rating
   Option in NRCS Administrative Areas 3, 4, and 5 only
4. Location
   1. At-Risk Species
   2. Kansas Water Plan Priority Groundwater Decline Area
   3. TMDL for nutrients/pesticides
   4. KGS Sensitive Groundwater Area
   5. Kansas Source Water Assessment Area

Priorities for Quick Response Areas (QRAs) were proposed as follows:

1. Location
   1. Kansas Water Plan Priority Groundwater Decline Area
   2. KGS Sensitive Groundwater Area
   3. TMDL for nutrients/pesticides
   4. Kansas Source Water Assessment Area
   5. At-Risk Species
2. Acres enrolled in the State of Kansas Water Rights Conservation Program
3. Leveraging of funds
4. Acre-foot/acre use (minimum of 6 acre-inch/acre average)

The KTC supported these recommendations.

Eligible Practices

Water Quality (includes Livestock Waste)

Reviewed the FY 2006 eligible practices and changes were recommended as follows:

1. Correct cost-share rate of NRCS practice code 606 to 70 percent.
2. Practices from air quality cost-share list will be transferred to this list.

Concern was voiced over the cost share of NRCS practice code 634, Manure Transfer, specifically the cost share of portable hose reels and main lines. Harold L. Klaege, State Conservationist, stated that he will take comments on EQIP concerns until September 1, 2006.

The KTC supported this recommendation with the exceptions noted.

Soil Condition

Reviewed FY 2006 eligible practices. The subcommittee did not have any additional recommendations.

The KTC supported this recommendation.

Including a cost-share payment for increasing microbial activity was voiced. Gaye stated that she would review this request with the NRCS Resource Conservation Staff and see if this was already included in a current standard and specification.

Grazing Lands Health

Reviewed FY 2006 eligible practices. The subcommittee recommended that NRCS practice code 645, Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, be added as an eligible incentive payment of $5/acre, specifically for patch burning.

The KTC supported this recommendation.

The following was discussed:

1. It was requested that the incentive for NRCS practice code 528, Prescribed Grazing, be reviewed for FY 2008 and adjusted to match lease rates in areas of the state.
2. NRCS practice code 314, Brush Management, Chemical – Aerial or Chemical – Broadcast, be reduced to 40 percent cost-share. No consensus was reached.
3. There was a recommendation to add a priority for the treatment of At-Risk Species in the short-grass prairie habitat. A subcommittee was requested to review how this could be implemented.
   Short-Grass Prairie Habitat Complex Management for At-Risk Species Subcommittee
   • Barth Crouch, Pheasant Forever, Salina, Kansas
   • Jeff Hart, NRCS, Salina, Kansas
   • Ron Klataske, Audubon Society of Kansas, Manhattan, Kansas
   • Joe Kramer, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt, Kansas
   • Dale Lambley, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Topeka, Kansas
   • Rob Manes, The Nature Conservancy, Pratt, Kansas
   • Steve Sorensen, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Valley Center, Kansas

Forestland Health

Reviewed FY 2006 eligible practices. KTC recommended that NRCS practice code 660, Tree/Shrub Pruning, be deleted from the eligible practices list.

Water Quantity

Reviewed FY 2006 eligible practices. No changes were recommended to this list.

The KTC supported these recommendations.

Funding Distribution

The subcommittee recommended the following FY 07 funding distribution for the regular EQIP allocation:

The subcommittee's recommendation for the EQIP Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) funds was as follows:

• Water Quantity (QRAs) - $2 million (60 percent)
• Water Quantity (statewide) - remaining allocation

KTC concurred with this recommendation.

Conservation Security Program (CSP)

Clinton J. Evans, Resource Conservationist, reviewed the accomplishments from the FY 2006 CSP sign-up.

CSP FY 2006 Accomplishments

Kansas had a total of 41 CSP contracts approved for FY 2006. Thirty-two Tier II contracts were approved with $404,798 in financial assistance (FA) on 48,388 acres. Nine Tier III contracts were approved with $92,210 in FA on 4,998 acres. All of the approved FY 2006 CSP contracts in Kansas were prorated to 70 percent for the FY 2006 payments, due to limited funding.

The KTC requested a brief description of the CSP. Clint explained that CSP includes stewardship payments, existing practice payments, enhancement activity payments, and a limited number of new practice payments.

CSP FY 2007

Kansas NRCS will utilize the criteria approved by the KTC in FY 2004 for evaluation of the proposed FY 2007 CSP watersheds. Watershed selection is completed at the national level not at the state level.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

Clinton J. Evans, Resource Conservationist, reviewed the recommendations for the FY 2007 WHIP developed with the assistance of the WHIP subcommittee.

WHIP FY 2006 Accomplishments

NRCS approved 116 WHIP general habitat contracts with $464,129 in FA. Thirteen WHIP essential habitat contracts were approved with $79,299 in FA. In FY 2006, approximately 22,931 acres were approved for WHIP general and essential habitat areas.

For FY 2006, 124 eligible applications are awaiting funding decisions. Due to funding limitations, they will be offered the opportunity to defer to FY 2007.

The WHIP essential habitat areas will be included in the WHIP general ranking criteria for FY 2007. The remaining FY 2006 essential habitat applications will be offered the opportunity to re-apply for WHIP general habitat in FY 2007.

WHIP FY 2007 Recommendations

The KTC WHIP subcommittee recommended that the following structural practices be removed from the eligible practice list:

1. (350) Sediment Basin
2. (356) Dike
3. (410) Grade Stabilization Structure
4. (560) Access Road
5. (561) Heavy Use Area Protection
6. (582) Open Channel
7. (600) Terrace
8. (620) Underground Outlet

The KTC WHIP subcommittee recommended that the cost-share cap for practice code 378, Pond, be reduced from $3,500 to $1,000.

The KTC WHIP subcommittee recommended that ranking points be awarded to applications for enrollment in a complimentary wildlife program (i.e., Walk-In Hunting Areas).

The KTC supported these recommendations.

Irrigation Ranking Tool

John F. Ourada, State Conservation Engineer, introduced the new Irrigation Rating Tool designed by Danny Rogers, Kansas State University. The KTC recommended adding this tool to the NRCS eFOTG for use in conservation planning. Handouts included the Kansas Irrigation System Comparison Rating worksheet (two pages), and examples of Kansas Irrigation System Comparison Rating (10 pages).

These documents are in Adobe Acrobat format.

Kansas Irrigation System Comparison Rating - worksheet (84 KB)
Kansas Irrigation System Comparison Rating - examples (786 KB)

Other Discussion

Mike Beam, Kansas Livestock Association, expressed concern that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants could not utilize Managed Haying and Grazing and Prescribed Burning, at no cost share, in the same year. It was recommended that he attend the Farm Service Agency (FSA) CRP meeting being held at the end of the month.

Meeting adjourned at 3:15 pm.

Follow-up

Following is a letter from Harold Klaege reporting his decisions regarding several issues that were recommended for change to the EQIP for FY 2007.

Letter from Harold Klaege - EQIP Decisions (545 KB)

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