DESCRIPTION
Deadman Creek Snake River Steelhead and salmon are limited by reduces water quality and habitat condition caused by the routing of fine sediment from adjacent uplands. Several methods have been employed by the local conservation districts and private landowners to improve conditions in channel by minimizing sediment routing. The best management practices employed includes No-till direct seeding and other minimum till methods. Direst seeding involves a single pass over an untilled field in which seeds fertilizer and herbicide are all applied. This method reduces erosion by maintaining ground cover throughout the fallow period aiding in holding soil on fields. Minimum till methods reduce the time in which a field is exposed to increased erosion rates by leaving behind straw and in-tacked roots on the field after harvesting until the next planting. The programs summarized in this report were installed and maintained for 5 years to aid in establishing the new practice. Funding was based on a cost share basis to offset the cost of converting to modern methods.