Water Conservation
Most of Yamhill County lies in the Yamhill Basin Watershed, of which, about 31,000 acres extends to the south into Polk County. Dozens of small creeks supply three sub-basins; North Yamhill, South Yamhill, and the Yamhill River main stem. Beneficial water uses include: fishing, swimming, boating, wildlife habitat, native species enhancement, agriculture, domestic and industrial development.
Water supply varies seasonally with high winter stream flows and low summer flows. Oregon Water Resources Department has appropriated water rights for 8300 acre feet of water in the Yamhill Basin with 6423 acre feet being for irrigation and the rest primarily for urban uses (OWRD, 1998).
In some communities municipal water use is in direct competition with agricultural uses. Irrigation withdrawals are primarily during summer months when stream flows are low and this can negatively influence water quality. When stream flows are very low, temperature, nutrient and bacteria concentrations increase, which can negatively impact wildlife.
Our current work includes work to increase irrigation efficiency with area irrigators using USDA’s EQIP contracts to improve irrigation systems and encourage better irrigation scheduling. District staff has established riparian buffers along 20+ miles of local streams to protect water quality and provide riparian area habitat. Establishing permanent wetlands on private lands to restore and clean water and provide wildlife habitat. Assisting the Yamhill Basin Council and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality with water quality monitoring.
Conserving Water In Your Home
A typical home uses about 260 gallons of water a day. You can save large amounts of water and energy by making simple changes in your home water uses. Simple things like:
- Fix leaks right when you notice them
- Install low flow shower head and faucet aerators, which your can get from Mac Water and Light for free!
- Take a shorter shower
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes
- Compost your food waste instead of using the disposal
- If you use a dishwaser, you usually do not need to pre-rinse the dishes
- Keep a gallon of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the faucet and waiting for the temperature to cool
- Water your lawn only when it needs it and in the morning
Also visit h2ouse.org for more tips on water conservation in your home and garden and H2Oconserve.org for a water use calculator!
Other websites with helpful informaiton:
Texas Guide To Rainwater Harvesting
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
Rainwater Sustainable Resources
How to Build a Rainwater Collection System
Oregon Rainwater Harvesting Manual (Basic)
Oregon Water Conservation Manual
Rain Water Harvesting
With the Willamette Valley's dry summers, rain water harvesting is becoming more and more popular in Yamhill County. Water quantity is a real concern for landowners as people's wells are going dry and the county's residents are concerned about water shortages. We often get quesitons about installing systems for both urban and rural land uses.
The district has been involved in installing several rain water harvesting systems for agricultural irrigation and livestock watering.
Click here for the Clackamas Rainwater Harvesting Page which has a rainwater calculator
Examples:
OWEB grant on Leo Krick's property that installed four 2,500 gallon tanks to capture rainwater from the 7,225 sq ft. barn roof. The tanks are plumbed to 7 watering troughs, 4 at the barn and 3 downhill below the barn to supply water 15 head of cattle. Between the months of October and May nearly all cattle water needs can be supplied by rainwater capture saving approximently 162,000 gallons of water a year being pumped form the aquafier.
Over the life time of the system, the estimated savings are over 2 million gallons!
OWEB and organic EQIP programs on Mike Paine's property that installed gutters on the roofs of two farm buildings to harvest rain water that is stored in four 2,500 gallon tanks above the fields with overflow being diverted to the irrigation pond below. In the spring and fall months, the micro-drip irrigation system will be run exclusively from stored rainwater.
A solar water pump was installed to supply the tanks form the irrigation pond in the summer months when water is more limited.
The estimated water savings over 5 years is 203,730 gallons!
A conservation practice of this kind has not been previously developed by the NRCS and is an excellent example of how funding sources can be used in conjunction to implement exciting and innovative practices.