This training was prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) team of Otto Gonzalez-USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (Team Leader), Jon Fripp (Civil Engineer) and Chris Hoag (Wetland Plant Ecologist)-USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (Civil Engineers). Fripp and Hoag were the primary authors of this material. The U.S. AID provided funding support for the USDA team. An Example of a Ranch in US that has land in all three zones of a watershed

Hoag Ranch

Depositional Zone Transport Zone Collection Zone I have all three watershed zones on my ranch.

Keep the soil where it is and encourage infiltration Keep the soil from being blown away by the wind Keep too much sediment from being deposited Manage and use Let the water and sediment flow through Protect and strengthen the banks Collection Zone I manage my ranch to match the strategy or goal for each different watershed zone Transport Zone Deposition Zone

Goals and Objectives Lots of erosion Too many cows Rainfall is 30 cm/year

Hoag ranch in the collection zone Because the area was so dry, terraces were installed level with small ditch plugs to keep the all the water on the slope.

The terraces reduced hillside erosion and allowed us to harvest grass hay.

Only 23 cm/year rainfall 80 ha 350 cows for 6 months 2 water sites Cattle in upper part of the ranch which is in the collection zone

Keep the soil where it is and encourage infiltration Keep the soil from being blown away by the wind Keep too much sediment from being deposited Manage and use Let the water and sediment flow through Protect and strengthen the banks Collection Zone I manage my ranch to match the strategy or goal for each different watershed zone Transport Zone Deposition Zone

This part of the ranch is in the transport zone. We have some riprap that we have planted and we are establishing a riparian buffer.

In areas where the stream bottom is soft, we harden the bed with rock to make it easier for the cows to cross so they would not damage the streambanks.

The hardened crossing might also work for Taxi.

Keep the soil where it is and encourage infiltration Keep the soil from being blown away by the wind Keep too much sediment from being deposited Manage and use Let the water and sediment flow through Protect and strengthen the banks Collection Zone I manage my ranch to match the strategy or goal for each different watershed zone Transport Zone Deposition Zone

Wind erosion on the depositional zone

Installed windbreaks to reduce wind erosion

64 ha pasture with 8 smaller pastures 750 cows Move every 7 days Graze on pasture for 6 months Perennial grass significantly reduced wind erosion Control Grazing Cattle in the lower part of the ranch which is in the deposition zone

1 of the 8 small pastures after the cows have grazed it for 7 days.

Grazed pasture on left and current pasture on the right.

Pastures were flood irrigated. This used too much water. Irrigation

We changed to siphon tubes for more efficient irrigation.

All of our trees and shrubs in the windbreaks are drip irrigated for more efficient water use and less weeds.

Crop Rotation to reduce erosion and improve fertility of the soil. Corn

I work with my neighbor to rotate to potatoes on my land. This helps to reduce weeds and to improve fertility. Potatoes

Terraces Control grazing Windbreaks Control grazing Improve irrigation Crop rotation and weed control Rock riprap Riparian buffer Harden cattle crossing Collection Zone Transport Zone Deposition Zone Hoag Ranch- Management strategies

Hoag Ranch