“ Fields to Streams: Managing Water in Rural Landscapes," a University of Minnesota Extension bulletin, was released earlier this year as a downloadable pdf. Fields to Streams is now also available in print.
The bulletin explains the role of geology, changing rainfall and land management practices in altering the amount and timing of runoff reaching and shaping streams. Increased flows are eroding and widening stream and river channels and sending more sediment downstream in recent decades. Fields to Streams describes practices for managing crops, drainage systems and surface runoff to reduce peak flows and lessen the amount of streambank, bluff and ravine erosion. It concludes with considerations for working together at the local watershed scale to improve streams through water management.
The bulletin relies on graphics and brief explanations of research findings for both landowners and conservation professionals. Click here to download the free pdf or to order a print copy.
