The Upper Cannonball River Watershed contains over 400,000 acres in the Slope-Hettinger District.  The Cannonball Watershed begins in the middle of Slope County reaching into Billings and Stark Counties where the North Fork of the Cannonball and Philbrick Creek converge to create the headwaters of the Cannonball River to flow east through Hettinger County.  The Cannonball River eventually empties into the Missouri River at Lake Oahe. 

 

A grant for $990,000 has been approved by the ND Department of Health and EPA for the Slope-Hettinger Soil Conservation District to provide costshare assistance (60%) to livestock producers to aid in either manure management of their feeding/feedlot areas or riparian grazing projects.  The Upper Cannonball Watershed 319 Program is a voluntary program. 

 

There are several manure management projects starting in the Slope-Hettinger District.  One project is already in the middle of construction!  It is a dairy operation that has many components to their manure management system: dikes, diversions, slurry pond, runoff pond, etc.  The runoff or water inside the containment area will get piped over to one of the ponds for containment.  Fresh water will be funneled around the farmstead to be kept free of contamination.  Even though the fresh water and water in the manure is separated, the manure and manure-laden water will be properly utilized on cropland for the crops to utilize the nutrients when growing. Below are some photos of the progress made on this project. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Upper Cannonball Watershed 319 Project also assists with grazing projects along riparian areas which can include costsharing water developments, cross fences and following grazing plans.  These projects will alleviate the pressure on the riparian although does not mean that all grazing is excluded – just better management which includes better distribution of livestock. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If interested, please contact the Slope-Hettinger Soil Conservation District or Mott NRCS office at 701.824.3218.