Protecting shellfish and salmon habitat through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Mason County


Hunter Farm’s pastures and confinement area have been under scrutiny over the last eight years - due to high bacteria counts from samples taken by Washington Department of Ecology and the Skokomish Tribe. A conservation plan was developed to restrict livestock access, establish vegetation along Weaver Creek, and provide proper manure storage and application while diverting clean water away from waste storage areas. These installed practices will address non-point agricultural pollution sources and are effective in reducing overall waste contamination as well.


Mason County Conservation District - Shannon Kirby, Rich Geiger; Natural Resources Conservation Service - Bari Williams, George Riley, Dan Larsen; Skokomish Tribe - Gus Miller; Landowner - Paul Hunter.


The Hunter Farm is located on Weaver Creek, a tributary of the Skokomish River which is a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) approved watershed which drains into Hood Canal, a sensitive shellfish area. Washington Department of Ecology, the Skokomish Tribe, and Mason County Health Department have been taking routine water samples from the creek to determine purity levels. Hunter’s 200 head beef operation was identified as a possible contributor to elevated levels of fecal coliform bacteria and other contaminants. It was decided that a covered waste facility would help divert storm water runoff from areas of high concentration of contaminants preventing discharges into the stream.


NRCS through EQIP provided Paul Hunter the flexibility he needed to address several different issues and concerns on the farm. Mr. Hunter was able to fence his cattle out of the creek, construct a 15,000 square feet waste storage facility, and replace a bridge over a salmon-bearing stream. Hunter Farm has not experienced a wet winter yet but Mr. Hunter is confident his new facility will serve its purpose well and decrease the amount of contaminants from entering into Weaver Creek.


The Waste Storage Facility was the largest building Rich Geiger, an engineer from Mason County, has ever designed. The exact dimensions were 60 ft. wide by 253 ft. long by 40 ft. tall. It was intended to cover a large amount of animal waste from over 200 head of beef cows. This was necessary in an area that can receive up to 80 inches of rainfall each year along with floods from high precipitation levels. The cooperation between landowner, tribe, county government, and NRCS was outstanding considering the area’s unique climate and sensitive salmon/shellfish habitat. Each interest had to be addressed with all options weighed, so each conservation partner could agree upon a viable management solution.


The roof was just completed and awaits its first winter. A roof runoff system was designed to control rain water and direct that flow to an outlet for clean water. By preventing contaminated storm water from entering the Skokomish River, water quality will be improved while fish and shellfish habitat is protected. A comprehensive nutrient management plan has been written to provide guidance for each step in waste nanagement - manure application plans, crop rotation and nutrient uptake, land application and site information. Any changes to the initial nutrient management plan must be reviewed and approved by the cooperating partners.


Dan Larsen, Port Orchard Field Office, (360) 337-4433


NRCS, Spring 2007
 

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