Phase IV Sand Hill River Watershed Erosion BMP's

This project is Phase IV of work to install water and sediment basins located within Sand Hill Watershed. A water and sediment basin is an earthen embankment built so that sediment-laden runoff is temporarily detained, allowing sediment to settle out before runoff is discharge. These are installed on agricultural cropland where erosion exceeds the allowable soil rate. Minimum detention time to store water is 36 hours for a 10 year, 24 hour runoff event. Starting in 2010, the District received dollars to assist landowners with flood-related projects. Some of these projects were water and sediment basins on cropland with slopes greater than 10%. The success of these Best Management Practices had landowners requesting more funding than what the district had money available. Because of this popular conservation practice, the district has landowners on a waiting list. Water and sediment basins are a practical practice landowners can install while at the same time addressing the impairments of the Sand Hill River. Phase IV will install an additional 50 water and sediment basins with estimates of sediment reduction of 966 tons per year; phosphorus reduction of 1033 pounds per year and soil saved of 1658 tons per year.