2008 Waterways

Advanced Agri-Solutions

Tom Kohlrieser

LANDOWNERS GUIDE TO PLAN & INSTALL A COST-SHARED GRASS WATERWAY PRACTICE

After the waterway is cut according to design.  It needs to be seeded and mulched down as soon as possible.  The sooner it is seeded down, the better the fescue grows.  Most waterways are seeded down with Kentucky 31 tall fescue.

The finished product of a successful waterway should look similar to this photo.  The seed coming up uniform throughout the waterway and the dirt that was taken out of the waterway laid along the side spread out across the field.

The grass-lined waterway is one of the most commonly used conservation practices.  When rainfall exceeds the infiltration rate or available water holding capacity of the soil, surplus water will run off over the land.  Since the success of any soil conservation program depends on the removal of this surplus water without undue erosion, the area needed for waterways should be dedicated to this purpose and forage production should be secondary consideration.  Grassed waterways are applicable only to those areas where rainfall or irrigation provides the moisture needed to grow and sustain a good grass cover.

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