Inventive monies are available for the following options:
1. Filter strips, riparian buffers and grassed waterways installed under the USDA's Continuous CRP program will be eligible for a one-time only incentive payment.
2. Landowners will receive an up-front incentive payment of $100/acre for a 10-year enrollment and $150/acre for a 15-year enrollment.

Filter Strips: are strips of grass or other close growing vegetation located in areas adjacent to an upgradient of streams and ditches. This zone of vegetation is primarily designed to intercept surface runoff and remove nutrients, sediment, organic matter, pesticides and other pollutants prior to entry into surface waters. Sediment reduction of 30 to 50% can be expected for a properly designed filter strip, according to the MPCA publication Agriculture and Water Quality: Best Management Practices for Minnesota.

Guidelines (eligible adjacent & parallel to):
* Permanent water bodies that provide water cover throughout the year,
* Perennial and seasonal streams,
* Drainage ditches that meet the definition of perennial or seasonal streams,
* Sinkholes,
* Wetlands, identified being appropriate references and verified in the field,

* Minimum filter strip width is required to be 33 feet for water quality purposes.

* Maximum average width should not exceed 120 feet unless a documented water quality reason exists.

* Drainage ditches that meet the definition of a perennial or seasonal stream could be eligible if impacted by surface water runoff or subsurface flow from the adjacent field.

Riparian Buffers: the planting of trees, shrubs and grasses along a waterbody, such as a stream or lake, to catch pollutants from both surface runoff and ground water. Riparian buffers improve water quality by removing sediment, nutrients and other pollutants, create shade to lower water temperature, and provide a source of large woody debris for aquatic and riparian habitat. These buffers also help improve fish and wildlife habitat.

Guidelines (eligible adjacent and parallel to):
* Permanent water bodies that provide water cover throughout the year and which have at least seasonal flow off the farm (crop and pasture),
* Perennial and seasonal streams (crops & pasture),
* Wetlands which have permanent water cover throughout the year and which also have some seasonal flow off the farm (crop & pasture),
* Sinkholes (crop)

*Minimum widths are required to be either, the lessor of 100 feet or 30% of the geomorphic floodplain feet for water quality purposes or 35 feet.

* Maximum average width shall not exceed 180 feet unless a documented water quality problem exists.

Grassed Waterways: is a natural or constructed channel, usually broad and shallow, that is planted with grass to protect soil from erosion by concentrated storm flow. Runoff water that flows down the drainageway flows across the grass rather than eroding soil and forming a gully. An outlet is often installed at the base of the drainageway to stabilize the waterway and prevent a new gully from forming.

Grass waterways are estimated to reduce sediment losses from the flow area by 60 to 80% according to the MPCA publication Agriculture and Water Quality; Best Management Practices for Minnesota. Although grassed waterways act as a filter to remove sediment from runoff, waterways should not be utilized primarily as a filter strip because siltation leads to reduced filtering capacity. Likewise, the watershed above a waterway should be treated to control erosion before construction to prevent the waterway from prematurely filling in with sediment. Vegetation may be difficult to establish in a waterway, so erosion control barriers or mulching may be needed during vegetative establishment.

Guidelines:
* The program may enroll an area up to twice the minimum waterway design width not to exceed 100 feet.
* The CP-8A practice can also include the construction of a structure to provide a stable outlet for the waterway.

For more information contact the Farm Service Agency:
* Sibley County: 507-237-5435 ext. 2
* Renville County: 320-523-1550 ext. 2
* McLeod County: 320-864-5178 ext. 2