Today (Oct. 29, 2021) is the deadline to submit comments to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources on its Riparian Buffer Initiative.
The goal of the Initiative is to improve water quality through increased use of riparian buffers in the Big Sioux watershed and impaired waterbodies across South Dakota. Riparian buffers, vegetated areas adjacent to streams and lakes, are an effective conservation practice filtering out pollutants and capturing nutrients before they enter waterbodies.
Information on DANR’s Riparian Buffer Initiative is available at https://danr.sd.gov/Conservation/WatershedProtection/RiparianBuffer.aspx. Comments may be submitted via email to DANRmail@state.sd.us.
Producers who enroll in the initiative will receive direct payments to install and maintain buffers on eligible lands. Buffers must be a minimum of 50 feet and not exceed 120 feet wide, may not be harvested or mowed between May 1 and August 1, may not be grazed between May 1 and September 30, and must always maintain a minimum of four inches of cover.
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