The reno fish and wildlife office partners for fish and wildlife program will work with a private landowner in elko county, nevada to improve meadows in the floodplain of cottonwood creek that will…

The reno fish and wildlife office partners for fish and wildlife program will work with a private landowner in elko county, nevada to improve meadows in the floodplain of cottonwood creek that will have benefits for both wildlife and livestock the landowner owns a multi generational ranch that is comprised of private property and public land grazing allotments flood irrigation has been a ranch practice for over 100 years and depletion of minerals in the soil has resulted, particularly on the south side of the ranch soil saturation is no more than a few inches deep which has resulted in a sharp decline of native, perennial grasses in the meadow through soil testing, calcium levels were documented as low in these meadows in addition, soil pits displayed a 2 inch layer of thatch mechanical aeration was successful in improving water infiltration, but this is not a long term solution to a self sustaining meadow system the landowner has worked with partners to develop a plan to bring the chemical composition back into balance i e , increase soil calcium calcium will flocculate the soil or, in essence, draw soil colloids together creating a clumpy soil with spaces that allow for water and root penetration this project has three components phase i soil amendments purchase and apply 250 tons of calcium carbonate i e , a by product of the sugar beet industry in idaho , 340 tons of dolomite sources in winnemucca, NV , 30 tons of diammonium phosphate, and 30 pounds of elemental sulfur phase II cover crops early in project implementation, cover crops will be planted to maintain ground cover in order to reduce evaporation, retain water, and provide inputs back into the soil while not native, these species will have a forage value to both livestock and wildlife phase III native plants ultimately, the objective is for a self sustaining meadow that hosts a variety of native plant and forb species