Natural Resources Conservation Service

United States Department of Agriculture

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Conservation Practices

Technical guides are the primary scientific references for NRCS. They contain technical information about the conservation of soil, water, air, and related plant and animal resources. Technical guides used in each field office are localized so that they apply specifically to the geographic area for which they are prepared. These documents are referred to as Field Office Technical Guides (FOTGs).

What follows on the is webpage is part of what makes up a Field Office Technical Guide. These documents are the foundation of what is in FOTG, but all of these may be edited at the local level. To find these documents at the local level, visit our FOTG website.

NOTICE - National Conservation Practice standards should not be used to plan, design or install a conservation practice. You must have the conservation practice standard developed by the state in which you are working to insure that you meet all state and local criteria, which may be more restrictive than national criteria.

Alphabetical Index

A -C, D -F, G-I, K-M, N-P, Q-R, S-T, U-Z

Conservation Practice Name (Units) (Code) (Date Issued)	Standard PDF Word		Info Sheet/ Practice Overview	CPPE	Job Sheet/ Implement Require	National Statement of Work Template	Network Effects Diagram
Access Control (Ac.) (472) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Access Road (Ft.) (560) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Agrichemical Handling Facility (No.) (309) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Air Filtration and Scrubbing (No.) (371) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Alley Cropping (Ac.) (311) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Amending Soil Properties with Gypsum Products (Ac.)(333)(6/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF		DOC	DOC	PDF
Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste (AU) (591) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Anaerobic Digester (No.) (366) (9/09)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Animal Mortality Facility (No.) (316) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Application (Ac.) (450) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Aquaculture Ponds (Ac.) (397) (1/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Aquatic Organism Passage (Mi.) (396) (4/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Bedding (Ac.) (310) (7/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Bivalve Aquaculture Gear and Biofouling Control (Ac.) (400) (4/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Building Envelope Improvement (672)(4/13)	PDF	DOC		PDF		DOC	PDF
Brush Management (Ac.) (314) (9/09)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Channel Bed Stabilization (Ft.) (584) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF		DOC	PDF
Clearing and Snagging (Ft.) (326) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Combustion System Improvement (No.) (372) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Composting Facility (No.) (317) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Conservation Cover (Ac.) (327) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Conservation Crop Rotation (Ac.) (328) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Constructed Wetland (Ac.) (656) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Contour Buffer Strips (Ac.) (332) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Contour Farming (Ac.) (330) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	PDF	DOC	PDF
Contour Orchard and Other Perennial Crops (Ac.) (331) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	PDF	DOC	PDF
Controlled Traffic Farming (Ac.)(334)(9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF		DOC		PDF
Cover Crop (Ac.) (340) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Critical Area Planting (Ac.) (342) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Cross Wind Ridges (Ac.) (588) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Cross Wind Trap Strips (Ac.) (589c) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Dam (No. and Ac-Ft) (402) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Dam, Diversion (No.) (348) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Deep Tillage (Ac.) (324) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Denitrifying Bioreactor (No.)(605)(9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Dike (Ft.) (356) (11/02)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Diversion (Ft.) (362) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Drainage Water Management (Ac.) (554) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Dry Hydrant (No.) (432) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Dust Control from Animal Activity on Open Lot Surfaces (Ac.) (375) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and Surfaces (Sq. Ft.) (373) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (Ac.) (647) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Emergency Animal Mortality Management (No.)(368)(9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Farmstead Energy Improvement (No.) (374) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Feed Management (AUs Affected) (592) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Fence (Ft.) (382) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Field Border (Ac.) (386) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Field Operations Emissions Reduction (Ac.)(376)(9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF		DOC		PDF
Filter Strip (Ac.) (393) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Firebreak (Ft.) (394) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Fish Raceway or Tank (Ft. and Ft³) (398) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Fishpond Management (Ac.) (399) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Forage and Biomass Planting (Ac.) (512) (1/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Forage Harvest Management (Ac.) (511) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Forest Stand Improvement (Ac.) (666) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Forest Trails and Landings (Ac.) (655) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Fuel Break (Ac.) (383) (4/05)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Grade Stabilization Structure (No.) (410) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Grassed Waterway (Ac.) (412) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (Ac.) (548) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Groundwater Testing (No.) (355) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Heavy Use Area Protection (Sq. Ft.) (561) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Hedgerow Planting (Ft.) (422) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Herbaceous Weed Control (315) (Ac.) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Herbaceous Wind Barriers (Ft.) (603) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	PDF	DOC	PDF
High Tunnel System (Sq.Ft.) (325) (3/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Hillside Ditch (Ft.) (423) (5/08)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (Ac.) (595) (1/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Ft.) (320) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Ditch Lining (Ft.) (428) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Field Ditch (Ft.) (388) (4/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Land Leveling (Ac.) (464) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Pipeline (Ft.) (430) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Reservoir (Ac-Ft) (436) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation System, Microirrigation (Ac.) (441) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation System, Surface and Subsurface (Ac.) (443) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation System, Tailwater Recovery (No.) (447) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Irrigation Water Management (Ac.) (449) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Karst Sinkhole Treatment (No.) (527) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Land Clearing (Ac.) (460) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Land Reclamation, Currently Mined Land (Ac.) (544) (8/06)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC
Land Reclamation, Abandoned Mined Land (Ac.) (543) (8/06)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF			PDF
Land Reclamation, Landslide Treatment (No. and Ac) (453) (2/05)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Land Reclamation, Toxic Discharge Control (No.) (455) (4/05)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC
Land Smoothing (Ac.) (466) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Lighting System Improvement (670) (4/13)	PDF	DOC		PDF		DOC	PDF
Lined Waterway or Outlet (Ft.) (468) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Livestock Pipeline (Ft.) (516) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Livestock Shelter Structure (no) (576) (12/13)	PDF	DOC				DOC	PDF
Mine Shaft and Adit Closing (No.) (457) (2/05)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Mole Drain (Ft.) (482) (3/03)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Monitoring Well (No.) (353) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Mulching (Ac.) (484) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Multi-Story Cropping (Ac.) (379) (7/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Nutrient Management (Ac.) (590) (1/12)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	PDF	DOC	PDF
Obstruction Removal (Ac.) (500) (1/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
On-Farm Secondary Containment Facility (No.) (319) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Open Channel (Ft.) (582) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Pond (No.) (378) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Pond Sealing or Lining - Compacted Soil (No.) (520) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Pond Sealing or Lining - Concrete (No.) (522) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (No.) (521a) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Precision Land Forming (Ac.) (462) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Prescribed Burning (Ac.) (338) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Prescribed Grazing (Ac.) (528) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Pumping Plant (No.) (533) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Range Planting (Ac.) (550) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Recreation Area Improvement (Ac.) (562) (10/77)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (Ac.) (566) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (Ac.) (345) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till (Ac.) (329) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats (Ac.) (643) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Riparian Forest Buffer (Ac.) (391) (7/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Riparian Herbaceous Cover (Ac.) (390) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Road/Trail/Landing Closure and Treatment (Ft.) (654) (11/08)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Rock Barrier (Ft.) (555) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Roof Runoff Structure (No.) (558) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Roofs and Covers (No.) (367) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Row Arrangement (Ac.) (557) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Salinity and Sodic Soil Management (Ac.) (610) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Saturated Buffer (Ft.) (604) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Sediment Basin (No.) (350) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Shallow Water Development and Management (Ac.) (646)(9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Short Term Storage of Animal Waste and Byproducts (Cubic Yards) (318) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF		PDF	DOC	PDF
Silvopasture (Ac.) (381) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	DOC		DOC	PDF
Spoil Spreading (Ac.) (572) (1/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Spring Development (No.) (574) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Sprinkler System (Ac.) (442) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Stormwater Runoff Control (No. and Ac.) (570) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Streambank and Shoreline Protection (Ft.) (580) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Stream Crossing (No.) (578) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (Ac.) (395) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Stripcropping (Ac.) (585) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Structure for Water Control (No.) (587) (4/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Structures for Wildlife (No.) (649) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF			DOC	PDF
Subsurface Drain (Ft.) (606) (9/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Surface Drain, Field Ditch (Ft.) (607) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Ft.) (608) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Surface Roughening (Ac.) (609) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Terrace (Ft.) (600) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Trails and Walkways (Ft.) (575) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Tree/Shrub Establishment (Ac.) (612) (5/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Tree/Shrub Pruning (Ac.) (660) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (Ac.) (490) (1/06)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Underground Outlet (Ft.) (620) (12/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (Ac.) (645) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Vegetated Treatment Area (Ac.) (635) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Vegetative Barrier (Ft.) (601) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	PDF	DOC	PDF
Vertical Drain (No.) (630) (9/15)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waste Facility Closure (No.) (360) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waste Recycling (Ac.) (633) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF			PDF
Waste Separation Facility (No.) (632) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waste Storage Facility (No.) (313) (9/16)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waste Transfer (No.) (634) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Waste Treatment (No.) (629) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waste Treatment Lagoon (No.) (359) (10/03)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Water and Sediment Control Basin (No.) (638) (9/08)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Water Harvesting Catchment (No.) (636) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Watering Facility (No.) (614) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Waterspreading (Ac.) (640) (4/13)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Water Well (No.) (642) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Well Decommissioning (No.) (351) (9/14)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Wetland Creation (Ac.) (658) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Wetland Enhancement (Ac.) (659) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Wetland Restoration (Ac.) (657) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (Ac.) (644) (9/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (Ft.) (380) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF	DOC	DOC	PDF
Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (Ft.) (650) (7/10)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF
Woody Residue Treatment (Ac.) (384) (5/11)	PDF	DOC	PDF	PDF		DOC	PDF

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Conservation Practices

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