Project Search
Since its inception in 2004, CIG has funded hundreds of projects, boosting natural resource conservation while helping producers improve the health of their operations for the future. Use this tool to search for CIG projects based on any of the criteria listed below.
CIG projects from 2004-2009 may be missing information in the following categories: Resource Concern (specific), Conservation Practice, Production/Use.
Showing 781 - 790 of 1721 projects
Oklahoma State University
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OK
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2012
This project aims to demonstrate, quantify and communicate the impact of biologically diverse crop rotations on soil chemical, biological and physical properties conducive to soil health. The project will demonstrate and communicate the adaptability and benefits of Cover Crops and “cover crop cocktails” to farmers, ranchers, Extension personnel and NRCS personnel and develop a web-based plant available water estimator that will provide stakeholder utility beyond the life of the project and increase visibility of Extension and NRCS services.
North Dakota State University
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ND
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2012
The project goal is to determine the impact of using controlled drainage to reduce soil sodification, downstream flooding and water quality risks and compare with “free-drainage” systems The project will develop management and soil amendment guidelines that optimize production on saline- and sodium-affected soils in the Northern Great Plains region. It will also develop non-drainage options that reduce salinization and sodification in high risk soils, maintain wildlife Habitat and reduce flooding risks along the Red, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers.
Clark Fork Coalition
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MT
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2012
The overall goal of the project is to evaluate, improve and promote a promising fish screen technology for small-scale irrigation diversions that is locally fabricated in Montana. Specific Objectives:
• Procure expert evaluation of the Watson screens hydraulic performance in its current form, and provide recommendations for the fabricator to modify and improve his screen design. Measurable outcome: Professional analysis of hydraulics of existing screen and concrete proposals to improve the design.
• Evaluate the biological performance of several variants of the Watson screen with fry and/or juvenile size Oncorhynchus trout, and incorporate biological criteria into modified designs. Measurable outcome: New designs for Watson flat-plate screens adapted to meet or closely approach NMFS criteria for application on bull trout streams, and a less expensive design for westslope cutthroat streams.
• Develop design guidelines for sizing and installing the modified Watson flat-plate fish screens, and train engineers and engineering techs from NRCS and other entities in selecting appropriate sites for their use; offer guidance on alternative fish screen options where the Watson flat-plate will not work. Measurable outcome: Provide training and tools for designing locallv fabricated flat-plate fish screen installations in Montana that meet criteria for native fish conservation.
• Promote appropriate fish screens with conservation leaders in the agricultural community, educating the public about the issues and opportunities for conserving native fish with improved fish screens, and facilitate their installation and maintenance with irrigators. Measurable outcome: Double the number of effective fish screens installed on irrigation canals in the Upper Clark Fork in two years.
• Procure expert evaluation of the Watson screens hydraulic performance in its current form, and provide recommendations for the fabricator to modify and improve his screen design. Measurable outcome: Professional analysis of hydraulics of existing screen and concrete proposals to improve the design.
• Evaluate the biological performance of several variants of the Watson screen with fry and/or juvenile size Oncorhynchus trout, and incorporate biological criteria into modified designs. Measurable outcome: New designs for Watson flat-plate screens adapted to meet or closely approach NMFS criteria for application on bull trout streams, and a less expensive design for westslope cutthroat streams.
• Develop design guidelines for sizing and installing the modified Watson flat-plate fish screens, and train engineers and engineering techs from NRCS and other entities in selecting appropriate sites for their use; offer guidance on alternative fish screen options where the Watson flat-plate will not work. Measurable outcome: Provide training and tools for designing locallv fabricated flat-plate fish screen installations in Montana that meet criteria for native fish conservation.
• Promote appropriate fish screens with conservation leaders in the agricultural community, educating the public about the issues and opportunities for conserving native fish with improved fish screens, and facilitate their installation and maintenance with irrigators. Measurable outcome: Double the number of effective fish screens installed on irrigation canals in the Upper Clark Fork in two years.
North Carolina State University
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NC
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2012
The overall goal of this project is to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate the use of simple tools to quantify the impacts of DWM on the reduction of N losses from subsurface drained cropland. Specific objectives include:
• Developing two easy to use and reliable DRAINMOD-based tools to quantify the reduction of annual N mass losses due to the implementation of DWM. These tools can be utilized by the Midwest and Southeast states as part of a water quality credit trading system involving DWM.
• Testing the accuracy of the tools by comparing DWM-caused reductions of annual N mass loss estimated by the developed tools to measured and/or DRAINMOD-NII predicted losses for Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, and North Carolina. Historic measured data will be used and no additional measurements will be needed for the evaluation of the performance of the tool.
• Developing a website for the tools which includes educational material on DWM, instructional and training materials on how to use the tools, and utilities for preparing the required inputs.
• Developing two easy to use and reliable DRAINMOD-based tools to quantify the reduction of annual N mass losses due to the implementation of DWM. These tools can be utilized by the Midwest and Southeast states as part of a water quality credit trading system involving DWM.
• Testing the accuracy of the tools by comparing DWM-caused reductions of annual N mass loss estimated by the developed tools to measured and/or DRAINMOD-NII predicted losses for Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, and North Carolina. Historic measured data will be used and no additional measurements will be needed for the evaluation of the performance of the tool.
• Developing a website for the tools which includes educational material on DWM, instructional and training materials on how to use the tools, and utilities for preparing the required inputs.
NatureServe
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VA
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2012
The goals of this project are to increase ecological and wildlife knowledge and data accessibility on a local and regional basis to support, enhance and accelerate the development of Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs). The project will also enhance Wildlife Interpretation sections of ESDs by linking classification information to wildlife species of concern.
Sustainable Conservation
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CA
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2012
Sustainable Conservation has an organizational goal to reduce nitrate contamination of groundwater from dairy lagoon water in California. The purpose of the proposed CIG project is to demonstrate a simple, low-tech and effective biological wastewater treatment system on a commercial dairy. This demonstration will take place in a region with limited available cropland, highly permeable soils, and a shallow groundwater table. Project objectives include:
• Build a biological wastewater treatment system on a commercial dairy;
• Measure environmental benefits and economic costs of this biological wastewater treatment system; and
• Conduct education and outreach to encourage technology transfer to additional California dairies.
• Build a biological wastewater treatment system on a commercial dairy;
• Measure environmental benefits and economic costs of this biological wastewater treatment system; and
• Conduct education and outreach to encourage technology transfer to additional California dairies.
Morgan Soil & Water Conservation District
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OH
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2012
This project proposes to demonstrate the successful and economical use of windmill-powered water pumping plants to supply and distribute water to higher elevation pasture fields to enable livestock producers to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their overall grazing system and livestock operation.
National Association of State Conservation Agencies
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DE
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2012
This project proposes to develop a comprehensive boilerplate template that will aid states in developing agricultural certainty programs. The template will be derived from the best features of existing certainty programs as well as improvements suggested by a wide array of stakeholder groups. The project will provide training sessions to state agencies that will include an overview of existing programs, steps to take in developing a certainty program, and how to use the template.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
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DC
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2012
This project seeks to fill two critical gaps in understanding that prevent managers from prioritizing and evaluating the success of Environmental Quality Incentives Program investments to coral reefs in real time. The first gap is providing a standardized methodology toolkit across island jurisdictions to evaluate the source of sediments and nutrients that are impacting reefs downstream and the relative inputs coming from agricultural operations to other land-based sources of pollution. The second gap is using newly available technologies in genetic markers in corals to test the impact of reducing stressors from agricultural operations to coral reefs in real time.
North Carolina State University
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NC
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2012
The major objective of the project is to coordinate and advance P management in the southern region by ensuring that most southern P assessment tools have been tested based on guidance in the 2011 NRCS 590 standard and compared to water quality data, and that these tools produce more consistent results across physiographic regions in order to promote greater similarity between southern state P Index ratings and recommendations. The secondary objective of this project is to work across regional and physiographic boundaries outside the southern region to coordinate and advance P management.