Subject: Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife and Wetland Pond Design

An Excel computer workbook, Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife and Wetland Pond Design, has been developed. The program documentation is found in the worksheet tab entitled “Instructions.” This program computes average monthly, 4- and 6-month water depths within a depressional enclosure (excluding groundwater influences) for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) CP9 (Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife), and wetland pond design support documentation.

The following technical and CRP application items are established:

• The surface area of the wetland for CRP-CP9 consideration is that resulting from maximum water depth within the 4- or 6-month maximum average depths. Additional area can be added to the inflow side of the perimeter for the buffer (maximum of 20- to 120-foot average width).



• The soil permeability data can be obtained based on the textural classification from the National Engineering Handbook Part 651, Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook (AWMFH). In-place samples can be tested in a laboratory to get site-specific data if needed. Amoozemeter data can also be used if it is available.



• The soil criteria supporting high potential for development of Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife and Wetland Pond Design are as follows:
  
  
  • The soils are not shallower than 40 inches to weathered bedrock, sand, or gravel;
  • The sails have 20 percent or more passing a No. 200 sieve; and
  • The soils have a P1 of greater than 16.
  
  These soil properties can be found in the Engineering Index Property report contained in Section II of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). The above criteria should be used with guidance for meeting Permeability Groups Ill and IV found in Tables 10D-1 and 10D-2 in the AWMFH.



• The hydrology documentation from this Excel workbook is applicable to wetland pond designs, as well as CRP-CP9. The acceptable FOTG practices that can be used with CRP-CP9, Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife, are more restrictive than other wetland designs. The Farm Service Agency has determined that the following FOTG practices are appropriate for CP9:
  
  
  • Dike - Code 356
  • Pond - Code 378
  • Shallow Water Management for Wildlife - Code 646
  • Structure for Water Control - Code 587
  • Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management - Code 644

Contact Marty Soffran, Hydraulic Engineer, Cimarron, at 620-855-3515 (Extension 104) if you have any questions regarding operation of the workbook.

Contact Gaye Bletscher, Agricultural Economist, at 785-823-4580 for questions concerning the Conservation Reserve Program.

/s/

TOMAS M. DOMINGUEZ
State Conservationist

DIST: A, F, S, NPR, FSA (3), Lyle Frees, Krueger, Sherraden, Bletscher, Sotfran (Cimarron), Schroeder (KDWP), Kramer (KDWP), Sexson (KDWP), Gamble (USFWS), Ifland (USFWS), Kramos (USFWS), Minnerath (USFWS)