Third-generation farmer David Adams has seen Sage Grouse, other birds, and deer on his Douglas County, Washington, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres. But his main interest in CRP is soil conservation.

During a trip to Greece many years ago, David observed rocky soils. "The land used to be farmed, and it has wasted away," he said. "We've only farmed for about 100 years here."

The terribly eroded soils got his attention. Since David enrolled 2,000 acres of his worst soils in CRP, he hasn't had erosion problems. He participated in the first signup in 1986.

David described the land in his area west of Coulee City as steep with fairly good soils or thin soils susceptible to blowing away. Dry conditions tend to make soil more likely to blow, and ongoing drought conditions have just make things worse. David mentioned seeing soil blowing two miles from fields being worked during drought conditions in Douglas County.

But too much water can also leave an erosive mark. Heavy rains in 1948 left ditches in areas that can still be seen today.

CRP cover holds soil susceptible to wind erosion in place even during drought conditions.