In Whitman County, Washington, the rolling wheat fields are the scenic signature of the area known as the Palouse. Each year, national and international visitors marvel at the steep, fertile hills of amber waves of grain. It is a photographer's dream. But those same steep hills pose an erosion control challenge for Whitman County producers.

Wes Wagner, like other Whitman County producers, has found a solution to soil runoff using the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Through CRP, he has installed contour buffer strips and filter strips on portions of his fields to reduce water erosion.

Wes farms Palouse hills in both Washington and Idaho. When he took over farming more of the land himself as his father scaled back, he assessed his situation: physically he would have to cover more ground to stay even if grain prices continued to remain low; the clay ridges were not productive; and the draws could not be farmed until late in the year because of moist soils. Wes felt he needed to make some changes.

In 1999 and 2000, he improved his situation dramatically by enrolling 300 acres of the steep, erosive hillsides and low drainages into the continuous CRP. He also has another 50 acres of planted native grass enrolled under the general CRP. "It took some of the risk out by putting in the CRP," said Wes. "Of course conservation was a factor as we have steep hills in the Palouse."

Wes was able to install contour buffers on some of the steepest ground, and on the north-facing slopes, which stayed cool and moist late into the season. He also installed filter strips in some of the drainage bottoms. This enabled him to get into the fields earlier and he could cover the ground more efficiently. He now receives a CRP payment on the least productive soils.

He indicated that a lack of erosion has been one of the most dramatic results of installing the riparian buffers and filter strips. He also had quit using the plow. "I don't get ditches in the bottom anymore," Wes said.

Increased wildlife has been an added benefit. Wes put in a pond, surrounded by bushes and trees, and he planted trees in the riparian buffer strips. The pond has attracted geese, ducks, Red-Wing Blackbirds, and even a couple of moose. He has also seen an increase in pheasants as a result of the buffer and filter strips.

Maintaining the mix of grass, legumes, bushes, and trees on CRP acreage for wildlife has posed a challenge. The plant variety makes chemical weed control more difficult. Wes has used mechanical means for some weed control as he looks at transitioning to organic farming.

Installing CRP filter strips in drainage bottoms enabled Wes Wagner to get into crop fields earlier and farm more efficiently.

Contour buffer strips stop water erosion on steep hillsides in Washington's fertile Palouse farming region.