Preventing soil erosion helps man, nature

MOSES LAKE - There are two groups of winners when it comes to preventing soil erosion: some Columbia Basin farmers and fish living in the O'Sullivan and Potholes reservoirs.

One product called polyacrylamide, or PAM, is being touted by the Moses Lake Conservation District as a tool to aid farmers.

The water-soluble product is now available to growers within the boundaries of the Moses Lake and Warden conservation districts at half the cost.

The other half is being funded by the Washington State Conservation Commission, said Marie Lotz, office administrator with the Moses Lake Conservation District, on Tuesday.

"This is actual state funding that is coming back into their districts," she commented. "Basically you're putting state dollars into the ground and also helping the soil."

Stopping soil erosion also helps fish in the O'Sullivan and Potholes reservoirs because it reduces soil runoff into the water bodies.

Farmers don't want their soil to erode away as they would eventually have to pay to bring more topsoil in, she said. Production would also decrease.

Lotz said she knows offering the product was done in the past and proved popular.

She describes PAM as a "synthetic water-soluble polymer which binds soil particles together."

"Once soil particles suspended in water are bound together by PAM, they settle out, so water has a harder time washing them out of irrigated fields," she stated. "Less soil washed out of fields means better water quality for receiving waters and less topsoil being washed away."

Other soil erosion techniques used statewide include contour farming, buffer strips, wind breaks and mulching. 

The deadline to spend the state funds and complete the application for PAM savings is June 15. 

Technical assistance is also provided to help farmers place PAM on their property.

For more information, contact Lotz at 509-488-2802.