What waters have to be protected by buffer strips?
Streams, lakes and ponds that have water in them year round and that receive runoff from row crop land. Does this mean drainage ditches and streams that do not flow all year do not have to be protected by buffer strips? Yes, but to prevent streambank erosion, it is a good practice not to till the land right up to these intermittent waters. How wide does the buffer strip have to be? At least 25 feet where ordinary rainfall events enter adjoining waters by sheetflow runoff and at least 50 feet where ordinary rainfall events enter adjoining waters by channelized runoff. If runoff does not enter adjoining water because the top of the bank is higher than the adjacent row crop land, then the buffer strip is not required. (See diagram on reverse side) Who decides what vegetation to plant? The landowner. It can be any perennial vegetation, including grass, legumes, trees or shrubs. The goal is to have adequate vegetation to use the nutrients coming from cropland and to control erosion. Can the
