Latest news with #NaturalResourceConservationService
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Landowner enrollment begins for Walk-In Access program
Mar. 18—Enrollment is open for Minnesota's 2025 Walk-In Access program, which pays landowners to allow public access on private lands. Since 2011, the Walk-In Access program has enrolled parcels of 40 acres or larger with high-quality natural cover. These parcels are usually enrolled in conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program or Reinvest in Minnesota. Although it is not a requirement, it is preferred to ensure quality habitat for outdoor recreation. For enrolling in the program, landowners can receive $18 per acre. The DNR partners with select soil and water conservation districts across the state to assist landowners in enrolling parcels into the Walk-In Access program. The participating counties along with their contact information are listed on the Minnesota DNR's website ( A $3 Walk-In Access validation is needed to gain access to enrolled parcels, which are marked with highly visible signs. The one validation allows access for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy a variety of activities, whether it be hunting, bird watching, nature photography and more. "Walk-In Access is often seen as a win-win for outdoor enthusiasts and landowners," said Amber Knutson, Walk-In Access program coordinator. "With almost 30,000 acres of privately-owned Walk-In Access land available to use, outdoor enthusiasts can have confidence that they're welcome on these parcels. And landowners receive a monetary incentive while also gaining liability protection through the recreational use laws written in Minnesota state statute." Participating outdoor enthusiasts can access Walk-In Access parcels from Sept. 1 through May 31, one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset with a current Walk-In Access validation. All hunting laws apply and are enforced by Minnesota DNR conservation officers. For nonhunting users, it is advised to wear blaze orange or pink during firearms seasons to make yourself visible to hunters. This program is primarily funded through the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program grant offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service. Additional funding sources include a $5 surcharge on all nonresident hunting licenses, Walk-In Access validations, and donations made by individuals. Landowners can sign up for the program at their local soil and water conservation district office or by contacting Amber Knutson at 507-706-6172. More information is available at the Minnesota DNR's Walk-In Access webpage (
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Landowner enrollment begins for Walk-In Access program
Mar. 18—Enrollment is open for Minnesota's 2025 Walk-In Access program, which pays landowners to allow public access on private lands. Since 2011, the Walk-In Access program has enrolled parcels of 40 acres or larger with high-quality natural cover. These parcels are usually enrolled in conservation programs like the Conservation Reserve Program or Reinvest in Minnesota. Although it is not a requirement, it is preferred to ensure quality habitat for outdoor recreation. For enrolling in the program, landowners can receive $18 per acre. The DNR partners with select soil and water conservation districts across the state to assist landowners in enrolling parcels into the Walk-In Access program. The participating counties along with their contact information are listed on the Minnesota DNR's website ( A $3 Walk-In Access validation is needed to gain access to enrolled parcels, which are marked with highly visible signs. The one validation allows access for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy a variety of activities, whether it be hunting, bird watching, nature photography and more. "Walk-In Access is often seen as a win-win for outdoor enthusiasts and landowners," said Amber Knutson, Walk-In Access program coordinator. "With almost 30,000 acres of privately-owned Walk-In Access land available to use, outdoor enthusiasts can have confidence that they're welcome on these parcels. And landowners receive a monetary incentive while also gaining liability protection through the recreational use laws written in Minnesota state statute." Participating outdoor enthusiasts can access Walk-In Access parcels from Sept. 1 through May 31, one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset with a current Walk-In Access validation. All hunting laws apply and are enforced by Minnesota DNR conservation officers. For nonhunting users, it is advised to wear blaze orange or pink during firearms seasons to make yourself visible to hunters. This program is primarily funded through the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program grant offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service. Additional funding sources include a $5 surcharge on all nonresident hunting licenses, Walk-In Access validations, and donations made by individuals. Landowners can sign up for the program at their local soil and water conservation district office or by contacting Amber Knutson at 507-706-6172. More information is available at the Minnesota DNR's Walk-In Access webpage (
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Nevada snowpack improves, but deficits persist
Hole in Mountain SNOTEL, East Humboldt Mountains, Clover Valley Basin, February 27, 2025 (Photo Credit: Logan Jamison, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) A string of storms in California and Nevada brought some moisture back to the West this winter, improving snowpack in the region, but not enough to erase deficits in the state. Snowpack is a crucial source of water for Nevada and the West. As snowpack melts, it recharges ecosystems and replenishes reservoirs that provide drinking water for millions of people and irrigation water for millions of acres of farmland. Most of Nevada's water supply starts as snowpack that accumulates in high elevations during the winter before melting in the spring, meaning substandard snowpack can leave the state with a weak water supply outlook. Nevada has seen above normal snowpack the last couple of winters, but this year researchers are seeing a wide range of conditions that could negatively impact Nevada's water supply this summer — including well below normal snowpack in eastern and southern Nevada, as of March. Last month, snowpack in the state fell well below normal for that time of year, following disappointing snowfall and persistently warm temperatures. Those conditions greatly improved this month, after a flurry of late-February storms helped push snowpack in Nevada and the Eastern Sierra to about normal at 94% of historical median. Still, that snowpack improvement has not been distributed evenly, according to the Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service. Snowpack across the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Upper Colorado Basin — two major water sources for Reno and Las Vegas, respectively — have remained below normal for this time of year, according to the agency's Nevada Water Supply Outlook. There is still time for conditions in Nevada to improve, say federal water managers. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center's outlooks favor a likely colder and wetter pattern over the next month in the West, which could be favorable for snow accumulation and help improve conditions for the state. 'Weather forecasts look promising for additional storms through the middle of March. Hopefully the storm track benefits the entire state, especially eastern and southern Nevada where drought conditions have worsened in recent months,' reads the report. Snowpack in the Upper Colorado Basin — the largest source of water for Lake Mead — improved slightly since last month, but remains below normal for this time of year. The Upper Colorado Basin's snowpack is at 88% of the historical median, up 3 points from last month. Precipitation in the region was also about normal in February. However, several basins in the Upper Colorado River have recorded low snowpack that could impact water supply to Lake Powell and Lake Mead if they do not improve. Lake Powell's water levels directly affect Lake Mead because water from Lake Powell is eventually released to Lake Mead. Based on historic data there is less than a 10% chance the Upper Colorado will reach a normal peak snowpack by early April. Reservoir storage in Lake Mead and Lake Powell is also at just 36% of capacity. The Spring Mountains in Southern Nevada — the biggest source of groundwater for the region — finally got the first significant snowstorm on Valentine's Day. Snowpack for the mountains reached 55% of the historical median in March, but it is becoming 'very unlikely' the mountains will reach normal snowpack by April, according to the report. As of March, extreme drought has also persisted in a majority of Clark, Lincoln, and Nye counties. Snowpack in several basins that supply water for the Reno-Sparks area — including the Walker River Basin, Carson River Basin, and Lake Tahoe Basin — have also remained below normal despite recent February storms. Fortunately, robust reservoir storage in the region is expected to supplement water supply this summer, according to the report. Lake Tahoe is currently storing enough water to meet demands on the Truckee River, hitting 73% capacity in March. Water levels at Lake Tahoe are also projected to rise about another foot during snowmelt this spring and summer. Moderate drought conditions extended into parts of Washoe, Lyon, Churchill, and Storey counties in March. Other basins in northern Nevada greatly benefited from February storms, which significantly boosted snowpack and precipitation in regions along the Oregon-Nevada border. February storms pushed snowpack in the Northern Great Basin — and the Humboldt, Owyhee, Snake and Clover Valley basins — above historical medians. Hydrologists also said they expect incoming storms forecasted in March to push snowpack in those basins above their normal peak snow amounts by April. Snowpack in Eastern Nevada — which covers the majority of White Pine County and part of Eureka County — has also failed to improve despite February storms. Snowpack in Eastern Nevada is well below normal at 55% of median, compared to 115% at this time last year. While February storms brought drought improvements to western Nevada, in eastern Nevada where dry conditions persisted in February severe drought expanded into White Pine and Eureka counties. Three of the four main snow accumulation months are over making it 'very unlikely' that eastern Nevada will reach normal snowpack by April, said hydrologists in the Nevada Water Supply Outlook.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conservation service has offered vital support to Kansas farmers and ranchers. Cuts imperil it all.
A farmer bales a crop on an irrigated field in southwest Kansas. (Kevin Hardy/Stateline) My family has ranched in the Flint Hills for more than 100 years, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service has always been a part of my life. Hearing that 1,200 NRCS employees have been eliminated nationwide is heartbreaking. On our ranch, we worked closely with NRCS advisers, and I was honored to join the service to assist ranchers after graduating from Kansas State University. In a post-9/11 world, I felt like I was serving my country, and the work was profoundly meaningful during my husband's deployments. I believe strongly in creation care and that conservation is an act of patriotism. NRCS is not a political organization, and as an employee I signed a form to basically keep my politics private. As I am no longer employed by the organization, I am free to speak my mind. I hope to convey why this is so distressing for us all. NRCS employees are technical experts: rangeland management specialists, civil engineers, wildlife specialists, soil conservationists and scientists. I can't speak to the requirements for each position, but as a rangeland management specialist, I had to have 21 credit hours of range management coursework along with soils and soil genesis. This is difficult. While the classes aren't easy, they are also not offered at most universities. Even K-State had the classes staggered, so the process of getting them took three years, even if you transferred in as a junior. In short, it is a tricky field to enter, and you must be dedicated to study it in the first place. Beyond this come the necessary people skills. NRCS's goal was 'Helping people help the land.' Applicants undergo background checks, reference checks and interviews to find the right people others would trust on their land. A great scientist isn't always a people person, so the service carefully searches for those who can do both. Staffing has long been an issue. After college, there's so much more to learn. To be more well-rounded, a new hire begins training with experts in their own and related fields. I trained with range management folks, wildlife people, engineers on pond building and with an adored soil scientist everyone called 'professor.' I learned a ton and saw a lot of different issues. If this generation of mentors retire without passing on knowledge to new recruits, this hard-won knowledge will be lost. Not only were these experts incredibly knowledgeable, but they were good, kind people — the kind you'd feel comfortable having on your ranch to share the best and worst of your operation. There's a huge amount of trust involved. The Soil Conservation Service, as NRCS was first known, was formed in the midst of the Dust Bowl. Founders studied ancient civilizations and effects of long-term loss of productive lands, such as salinization — salts building up in soils from irrigation, such as in Egypt and the Nile delta. These remain global concerns, leading to food insecurity and civil unrest in places such as sub-Saharan Africa, where residents face desertification — overgrazing to the point that plants can't hold soil and water, turning once-lush lands into deserts. Soil conservation was seen as essential to success of American civilization FDR wrote: 'The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.' Accordingly, since 1935, the U.S. has depended on this crucial private-public partnership: dedicated, government-sponsored NRCS scientists and advisers working with farmers and ranchers to maintain soil quality, water quality, other natural resources and agricultural production. The results have been astounding. As a kid, my chest would swell with pride driving past road signs reading 'A Kansas farmer feeds 125 people AND YOU!' I knew that my dad's work was so important to so many people, and that families would gather and grill burgers from this rocky, rocky land and celebrate good fortune with a steak. All while not thinking that conservationists and ranchers were also protecting water in the glass right by their plate, and not thinking that our peace and prosperity as a nation depended on strong trade relations from our abundant commodities. The numbers on those signs increased over my childhood, and the current count is 155 fed per Kansas farmer. NRCS works to prevents the complex problems resulting from degradation of natural resources. One ranch overgrazing might not seem like a big deal, until you consider that soil loss can be quick but take centuries to rebuild. Long term the land will be less productive, and water running off will be contaminated by sedimentation. Sedimentation is expensive for municipalities to filter, and it often settles into lakes. It decreases lakes' capacity as a water source and their holding capacity during flooding, which shortens the lifespan of the lake and is insanely expensive to dredge. There are major financial implications to these ecological problems, not to mention our loss of standing in the world as an agricultural powerhouse. We, as a nation and internationally, are all affected by how land is managed here in Kansas. I have always found it sweet that our native grasses do so much good. Yes, they are great feed for cattle. They also increase our soil carbon, which makes land more productive and pulls carbon from the atmosphere, while providing habitat to countless beloved wild species. However, this beloved prairie is under constant threat from invasive species such as eastern red cedars. A mature cedar tree can produce up to 1.5 million seeds annually, and this problem's growth has been exponential. My concern is not only the lost agricultural production, but the creation of drought-like conditions as they change the hydrology of land. According to research from K-State, half of the rainfall on a cedar tree is intercepted by its branches, never reaching the ground. The top 4 inches of soil under cedar trees is 20% dryer than rangeland. Having watched Los Angeles burn recently, I can't help but think how the mess of cedars south of Manhattan, a single careless smoker and the prevailing winds would rain down embers on K- State and the community, causing immense tragedy and loss — as well as skyrocketing everybody's insurance. There are many homes and communities at risk across the state. We need to push back hard against these problems, not holding back and giving them ground! The invasive species sericea lespedeza and old world bluestems have no grazing value and threaten to overtake our native prairie. They are also increasing exponentially and require knowledge and action and money, sooner rather than later. I do not know the next step. NRCS by no means has the monopoly on dedicated public employees within the USDA, and there have been a number of decisions lately with horrific consequences for American agriculture. A guiding quote to many in conservation and environmental education comes from Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum: 'In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.' I share this in the spirit of the public servants who served a noble and patriotic goal, and a government agency guided by a spirit of benevolence and foresight. I hope we can all understand and mourn this loss and to stand our ground in the future in every sense. Katie (Wilson) Hancock grew up on Flint Hills ranches and graduated from Kansas State University with her degree in range management. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Nevada snowpack takes a turn for the worse following warm, dry conditions
Willow Flat SNOTEL, Walker Basin, January 27, 2025. (Photo Credit: Jeff Anderson/Natural Resource Conservation Service) Nevada's water supply outlook is in trouble after snowpack in the state fell below normal for this time of year, following disappointing snowfall and persistently warm temperatures. Most of Nevada's water supply starts as snowfall that accumulates in the mountains during the winter before melting in the spring, meaning substandard snowpacks can leave the state with a weak water supply. February marks the half-way point of the snow accumulation season in Nevada, but conditions have trended in the wrong direction since New Year's Day, according to the Department of Agricultural Natural Resources Conservation Service's water supply outlook report. While early data hinted at the possibility of another healthy water year for Nevada, snowpack percentages are down significantly across the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Upper Colorado Basin, two major water sources for the state. December data recorded above normal early snowpack in Nevada, but an abnormally dry January resulted in snowpack across Nevada and the Eastern Sierra dropping by about 41% in a month. Snowpack in the state is now below normal at 73% of median. Warm temperatures also contributed to the lack of snow accumulation in Nevada. In areas of the state that did receive near-normal precipitation, warm temperatures prevented snow from forming, meaning that water could not be stored for later months in the form of snowpack. 'Most of the storms we've had this winter, including the ones in early February, haven't been cold enough. Storms have often brought rain instead of snow to valleys and up to the middle elevations in the mountains,' according to the report. Outside of Nevada, snowpack in the Upper Colorado Basin — the largest source of water for Lake Mead — fared better, falling by about 6% from January to February. Snowpack in the Upper Colorado Basin, which supplies the majority of Las Vegas' water, is now at 85% of normal for this time of year. The Spring Mountains in southern Nevada, the biggest source of groundwater for the region, has continued its dismal pace with just 1% of the median snowpack. Snowpack across the Sierra Nevada basins — which provides much of northern Nevada's water supply — saw the steepest declines across Nevada. Snowpack in the Lake Tahoe and Truckee River basins — both major sources of water for the Reno-Sparks area — declined by about 50% from January to February. From January to February, snowpack in the Lake Tahoe Basin declined well below normal to 59% of median after reaching 115% of median a month earlier. During that same time, the Truckee River Basin snowpack also fell well below normal to 68% of median after reaching 129% above median a month prior. Snowpack in the Carson River and Walker River basins also decreased by half since January 1, falling to about 58% of median. Snowpack in the Upper and Lower Humboldt River Basin fared much better, staying at about 94% of normal for this time of year. However, both basins fell much lower than they were a month ago. Shallow snowpacks across the Sierra Nevada basins may exacerbate water shortages in Nevada's reservoirs, according to the report. Reservoir storage in the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Truckee River Basin are at about 60% capacity as of February 1, compared to 70% the same time last year. Reservoir capacity in the Carson River Basin and Walker River Basin are even lower at about 48% as of February 1, compared to 78% the same time last year. Drought expanded further into southern and eastern Nevada after below normal precipitation in January. About 65% of Nevada is now in moderate to exceptional drought due to precipitation deficits over the last six months. While Nevada's water outlook is grimmer than a month ago, hydrologists said storms in early February have broken the state's dry pattern, and conditions are likely to improve. 'Hopefully the next two months bring colder storms to fill in the lower elevation snow and increase high elevation snow. That is exactly what happened by April 1, 2018 after a miracle March brought a late season come-back to all elevations,' reads the report prepared by Nevada Snow Survey water supply specialist, Jeff Anderson, and Nevada Snow Survey hydrologist, Jason Welz.
