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Show Page Six -- BEAR RIVER VALLEY LEADER- - Trsday, Ap J 27, Northern Utah Soil Conservation District Program District Set-u- p On May 16. 1939 a public hear On March 11, 1937, II. I. No. was passed by the Utah ing was held in Tremonton to de termine if a soil conservation dis State Legislature. This act de- trict in North should be set clared the necessity cf creating ern Utah. In June aupreferendum of the state, to be vote was cast, and on the 2Uth known as "Soil Conservation and day of July the Certificate ot Flood Control Districts," to en- Organization was issued to the rsorthern Utah Soil Conserva gage in conserving resources and tion District by the Secretary of preventing and controlling soil State. Joseph A. Lnckson, oi erosion: To establish the State Beaver Dam and Carl C. Shriber Soil Conservation Committee and of Garland were appointed by A. W. Bishop of to define its powers and duties; the Governor N. Hunsaker of Horace Garland. To define the powers and duties Honey ville and D. G. Nelson Jr., of Soil Conservation Districts, of Snowville, were elected to fill and to provide for the exercise the position of Supervisors for of such powers, including the the Northern Utah District. Carl C. Shriber wasselected by the power to acquire property by district supervisors as chairman, purchase, gift, and otherwise: A. W. Bishop as To empower such districts to Horace N. Hunsaker as equip- moiN t i 164 Jife I sub-divisio- ns vice-chairma- n, pt programs and regulations ment supervisor and treasurer, for the discontinuance of land with Robert II. Stewart, county use practices contributing to the agent, acting secretary. Enthusiasm for conservation practices has steadily increased until at the present time hundreds cf fanners are asking for available assistance in conserving their farm resources. "The number of farmers represented by the district has increased from less than 500 at the financial assistance to such soil beginning to over 1500 at the soil wastage and soil erosion, and the adoption and canying out of soil conserving land use practices and to provide for the enforcement of such programs and regulations: To provide for establishing Boards of Adjustment in with land use, Smnection to define their functions and powers: To provide for r This picture was taken on Floyd StohTs dry farm west of Tremonton, Utah, March 21, 1943. This farm is included in the Northern Utah Soil Conservation District. The view shows the condition of the surface soil during the spring1 thaw. The water i3 from melting: snow. The ground has thawed to a depth of about two inches and a froz- en layer still exists just under the surface. The frozen layer prevents the water from being absorbed into the ground, consequently the top two or three inches which have thawed become so thoroughly saturated that it is almost a liquid. Pencil is stuck down to frozen ground, showing the depth the soil has thawed during the daytime. The person in the picture is attempting to scrape the layer of top-so-il into a pile. Close examination of the photograph will show that the layer of soil which has been thawed is in sort of a liquid state, and is so saturated with moisture that instead of piling up it simply flattens out much like a fresh mixture of thin concrete. Where this condition occurs on bare farm lands, especially where slopes are steep, the surface soil literally slides off the fields, resulting in tremendous losses of fertile soils. Unless soil conservation measures are applied which will hold this soil in place, .there will soon be nothing left but the raw, infertile subsoil. This is the starting point of runoff. present time," stated Mr. Carl C. Shriber. In Box Elder county, as in the other counties of the state, the farmers have voted for a Soil conservation district so that they can receive assistance in conservation work " "We realize that controlling erosion is a much bigger job than farmers alone can accomplish," said A. W. Bishop. "We need technical planning, lots of heavy to ac- equipment and man-power cates by the Secretary of State. All the counties of the state, except Cache, Daggett, Rich, Sevier and Utah are wholly or partially covered by soil conservation districts. MS will have bor Under this CaSj4 such things as contoft ai?:i needed on 138,217 cropping should h iZr 1480 acres, grass 37,537 acres, crop agement on 61,610 acres stocking on 2,573 r.s 31 DISTRICT ous weed control. j "Even though we rapul progress on &m,M vital practices necessary 3 trol erosion in the distal have barely begun cur m vation work program," sak P ace N. Hunsaker. "It k 1 known what the post-wJ ar ation will be, but we knowtl our soil conservation districts gram is going to be a vitjfe tor in developing bette the land. If a gram develops, this full-sca- work J district uJ le be prepared to perform the essary conservation wort" tivation to heavy-dut- y crops, but built and 25 miles of worn-ou- t, needs scrupulous protection leaky or poorly built irrigation erosion if they are to productive permanently. CLASS 4 Land consisting of 26,033 acres is all right for occasional or limited cropping, but should be kept out of erosion-invitin- g crops. This is the total of land suitable for cultivation in the Northern Utah District. CLASSES 5, 6 and 7 land, consisting of 300,243 acres, should not be put to the plow under any circumstances, but are adapted to grazing, with the understanding that conservation practices be applied to the six and seven in to-dat- e: Contour Cultivation 14,329 acres Controlled Grazing 52,644 acres Proper use of Crop Residue ....11,570 acres 84,679 feet Diversions 35.69 mile3 Fencing 647 each Gullies treated 2,400 acres Grass plantings 161 acres Land Leveling Stock Water develop15 each ments 266 each Structures (permanent Stubble mulching ....2,455 acres 2,761 acres Terracing 706 acres Brush Railing complish our objectives. "Conservationists from the soil conservation service are now assisting us with our farm planning. The total size of our conservation job and how much skilled labor will be needed, in addition to that furnished by the farmer, has been determined by a conservation needs survey of the district." Land Classified. The land in the Northern Utah district is classified in terms of its relative efficiency or capability. These classes are: CLASS No. 1 LAND ac3 5,UOo RIGHT VIEW: Farther down the slope, after the water has become concentrated and has which will be debegun to cut definite gullies. The water is heavily laden with debris, snow above and has travfrom is water below. Note melting on lands coming flatter posited Blue Creek.) near farm on Deakins' Ed dry eled only a short distance. (Picture taken cultivation and harIn addition to the huge soil losses caused by these gullies,, they make become so deep and vesting more difficult and expensive, particularly when gullies have wide that they can no longer be crossed with farming equipment as shown in view at left which is still farther down the slope. Here other rills and gullies have Joined to form this scar through good fertile soils. In many places the gully is too deep to be crossed with farmcovers roads, chokes and fills iring implements. The debris carried down by f Icod waters land farm or by covering it with a mantle of canals and good destroys injures rigation stones or infertile soil material. Once a gully has reached this stage it is very difficult to control This is truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Such by use of check dams and divergullies can be controlled by sodding the bottom and sides, sion. These, however, are expensive tre atments and it is far better to apply practices to the land that will prevent the formation of such gullies. (Picture at left taken some 3 mile3 South of Howell.) consist- ing of 27,037 acres, is the highly productive land lying smooth and level, safe from erosion. CLASSES 2 and 3 land consisting of 227,479 acres, are considered suitable, all things such as fertility, slope and drainage taken into consideration, for cul classes. CLASS 8 consisting of 13,-19- 1r t 1 i i 1 acres , is wasteland, too rough, stony or swampy for farm use. From this classification, it can be determined what conservation practices are necessary to put each and every acre to its greatest use Potential Possibilities: Close-u- p of break in diversion terrace. The terrace channel filled with snow, ice and silt and caused overtopping in the swale. Phot Diversion terraces graphed March 21, 1943, in the Collinston area. of at and the points to break fields, strategic upper portions along along slopes, in order to divert water that is coming from uncontrolled areas above into stabilized channels, are valuable aids m controlling erosion provided they are properly maintained at al times. Channels above the terraces accumulate silt and debris during each run-operiod and must be promptly removed in order to restore the channel to its full carrying capacity to prevent of conditions pictured above. Properly located, wel constructed, and fully maintained terraces can be very beneficial Improperly maintained terraces are a serious hazard. ff The potential producing pow- er of the Northern Utah Soil Conservation District is 254,500 acres cropland and 300,000 acres good range land. HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH? In order to insure continued maximum production from the above mentioned acres, special practices should be adopted. Nearly 9,000 acres of good crop land needs to be drained to improve production on those acres now suffering from a water table that is too high. More than 0 acres need extensive land leveling, and 27,000 acres need to be terraced. Close to 200 stock watering de velopments need to be installed. Nearly 4,000 acres of brush land need to be cleared, 12,128 acres ot contour furrowing and lOo miles of stock trails need to be lifted ' . it ' - 1 15,-00- & ' v ' ' " . ' . v;v' tr.v' - kv iv ? , V - " 2' i L s ' v. 'V'-- i , :. -- : Y " - - v ! i ''r - i l ' . Aj;f4"wiu Irrigated pastures are proving valuable as soil conserving, improving, feed producing and labor saving crops. A and properly established irrigated pasture for daiiy cattleJj generally produce more net income to the acre than can be from other crops. A pasture crop is produced at a small fraction" the labor required for other crops, since the livestock does tw harvesting. Picture shows aftermath' growth on an irrigated pasture seeded in the spring of 1943 by Hyrum Godfrey of Fielding Tnepa m ture was not grazed during the season, but was harvested for acw the to one ton of yielding good mixed grass and legume hay The pasture is ready for full grazing in 1944 and should carry tm two to three mature cows to the acre, possibly more, from May to Octobed 1st. tat Properly managed pastures will last eight year s or longer,to a may be plowed up at an earlier date if desired to conform e established rotation. Adapted mixture recomJ"en tions for different soils and use requirements may be obUr!: from the county agent, at Brigham City, or from the Jorue Utah Soil Conservation Office at Tremonton. "2" n, At the close of 1913 there wore thirtv soil conservation districts I muK'l mdividualfaimeranfc0;' District, the following is . that J a record of accomplishments f conservation districts, and making an appropriation for that purpose: To declare an emergency requiring that this act take effect from the date of its passage, and for ether purposes. The State Soil Conservation District Law in Utah is administered by a five-ma- n state committee. Three of these members, by virtue of the office they hold are: State Commissioner of Agriculture, State Director of the Extension Service, and State Engineer. In addition to these three, there are two appointed members one appointment made by the Governor and the other by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Present incumbents of these positions are Vernal A. Bergeson, State Commissioner of Agriculture, as chairman ; W. VV. Owens, Director of the Extension Service; Ed Watson, State Engineer; George L. Hob-iofanner, appointed by the Governor; and Bay Walker of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The office of the committee is located in the State Capitol, at Salt Lake City. Duties of Committee The duties of the state committee consists of organizing districts and administering the law as required in the proper functioning of these' districts. The committee receives petitions from interested landowners, hold hearings, conducts referenda, and appoints two members on each of the district supervisory boards. They prepare a budget for the districts for consideration by the legislature. They administer appropriate funds under the act according to the provisions of the Law. I ACCOMPLISHMENTS Since the organization of the Northern Utah Soil Conserva-tion- n i which had been issued certifi- canals need to be "aprovfct This 70,000 hours ment and 72ma? ed and 250 man ed labor. In addition to as these, which such eifoit. there is Northern Utah Soil Conservation Law Passed ii4.-iit'i- iSK4 sofl well-pla11- grass-legum- t u r, 1 f ft.., A Stubble mulch tillage is a comparatively new development in tillage practices that is proving its value as an aid to erosion control in the dry farming areas of midwest and western United States. In stubble mulch tillage an effort is made to leave all stubble on the surface instead of turning it under as is done in moldboard plowing. Straw, or stubble, left on the surface offers resistance to movement of water along the soil surface, thus slowing up the movement of water from rain or melting snows and more of it to be absorbed by the soiL permitting Erosion Is thus materially reduced and a larger proportion of the precipitation Is stored for crop use Stubble mulch tillage Is most effective where the quantity of available straw amounts to one and lf to two tons to the acre. Still amounts are desirable. Crop residue is a valuable aid to erosion control. Give it a chancelarger do not burn it. Contour tillage is the basis of erosion control and stubble mulch is a valuable practice For maximum erosion control benefits all tillage, and harvesting operations should bo performed as close to the true contour as possible.feeding Erosion when water is allowed to concentrate and move rapidly down the flop. The mosttakes place only from an erosion standcriticarriod, fallow-crop point dumg the two year cycle is from needing time in the fall until sufficient wheat growth has occurred the following spring to resist water movement down the sopes In normal tillage practices the stubble has lvn turned under during fallow operations and 'the mkI unprotected at seeding time. In stubble mulch tillage all crop residues hae been left on the surface and offer consider able protection each straw as a runoff, straw renuuning on the surface also serves as aacting mulch one-ha- minia-turdam-agai- protecting ' Jachf1 Largo tractors equipped with dozers, carrj'aH si'rnI" ing equipment, together with new and improved fan" rndfd demonstrates the various practices rcitnthe &s'Sctit the district work program. This equipment is on lonn from the Soil Conservation Service, with the undcrstanai be maintained in good opeiating condition. This equlpnici able to district cooperators on a renUl basis and is u""a. s v In the purchasing power of the ordinary farmer, but & v available for soil conservation work to all the farmers trict boundaries |