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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 this 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 Document
   

Info Sheet/ Practice Overview

CPPE

Network Effects Diagram

Access Control (Ac.) (472) (10/17)

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PDF

PDF

PDF

Access Road (Ft.) (560) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Agrichemical Handling Facility (No.) (309) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF 

Air Filtration and Scrubbing (No.) (371) (4/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Alley Cropping (Ac.) (311) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Amending Soil Properties with Gypsum Products (Ac.)(333)(6/15)

PDF

PDF

 

PDF

Amendments for  Treatment of Agricultural Waste (AU) (591) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Anaerobic Digester (No.) (366) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Animal Mortality Facility (No.) (316) (9/15)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

 PDF

Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Application (Ac.) (450) (9/2020)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF 

Aquaculture Ponds (Ac.)  (397) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Aquatic Organism Passage (Mi.) (396) (4/11)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

   PDF   

Bedding (Ac.) (310) (7/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Bivalve Aquaculture Gear and Biofouling Control (Ac.) (400) (9/2020)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Brush Management (Ac.) (314) (3/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Channel Bed Stabilization (Ft.) (584) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Clearing and Snagging (Ft.) (326) (5/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Combustion System Improvement (No.) (372) (5/19)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Composting Facility (No.) (317) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Conservation Cover (Ac.) (327) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Conservation Crop Rotation (Ac.) (328) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Constructed Wetland (Ac.) (656) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Contour Buffer Strips (Ac.) (332) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Contour Farming (Ac.) (330) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Contour Orchard and Other Perennial Crops (Ac.) (331) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Controlled Traffic Farming (Ac.)(334)(9/15)

PDF

PDF

 

PDF

Cover Crop (Ac.) (340) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Critical Area Planting (Ac.) (342) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Cross Wind Ridges (Ac.) (588) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Cross Wind Trap Strips (Ac.)   (589c) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

 

Dam (No.) (402) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Dam, Diversion (No.) (348) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Deep Tillage (Ac.) (324) (12/13)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Denitrifying Bioreactor (No.)(605)(9/2020)

PDF

PDF

 

PDF

Dike (Ft.) (356) (11/02)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Diversion (Ft.) (362) (5/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Drainage Water Management (Ac.) (554) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Dry Hydrant (No.) (432) (9/11)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Dust Control from Animal Activity on Open Lot Surfaces (Ac.) (375) (9/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and Surfaces (Sq. Ft.) (373) (5/19)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (Ac.) (647) (9/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Emergency Animal Mortality Management (No.)(368)(9/15)

PDF

PDF

 

PDF

Energy Efficient Building Envelope (No.) (672) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF 

PDF

PDF

Farmstead Energy Improvement (No.) (374) (5/11)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Feed Management (AUs Affected) (592) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Fence (Ft.) (382) (4/13)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Field Border (Ac.) (386) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Field Operations Emissions Reduction (Ac.)(376)(9/15)

PDF

PDF

 

PDF

Filter Strip (Ac.) (393) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Firebreak (Ft.) (394) (9/10)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF

Fish Raceway or Tank (Ft. and Ft3) (398) (5/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Fishpond Management (Ac.) (399) (9/11)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Forage Harvest Management (Ac.) (511) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Forest Stand Improvement (Ac.) (666) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Forest Trails and Landings (Ac.) (655) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Fuel Break (Ac.) (383) (4/05)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

 

Grade Stabilization Structure (No.) (410) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Grassed Waterway (Ac.) (412) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (Ac.) (548) (9/10)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF 

Groundwater Testing (No.) (355) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Heavy Use Area Protection (Sq. Ft.) (561) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Hedgerow Planting (Ft.) (422) (9/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315) (Ac.) (10/2020)

PDF

 PDF PDF PDF

Herbaceous Wind Barriers (Ft.) (603) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

High Tunnel System (Sq.Ft.) (325) (3/15)

PDF

PDF   PDF

Hillside Ditch (Ft.) (423) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Ft.) (320) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Irrigation Ditch Lining (Ft.) (428) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

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 PDF

Irrigation Field Ditch (Ft.) (388) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Irrigation Land Leveling (Ac.) (464) (10/2020)

PDF 

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Irrigation Pipeline  (Ft.) (430) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Irrigation Reservoir (Ac-Ft) (436) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Irrigation System, Microirrigation (Ac.) (441) (9/2020)

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PDF

PDF

PDF

Irrigation System, Surface and Subsurface (Ac.) (443) (9/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

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Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery (No.) (447) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF

PDF

Irrigation Water Management (Ac.) (449) (9/2020)

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PDF PDF PDF
 

Karst Sinkhole Treatment (No.) (527) (9/15)

PDF

 PDF PDF PDF

Land Clearing (Ac.) (460) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Land Reclamation, Currently Mined Land (Ac.) (544) (8/06)

 PDF PDF  PDF  

Land Reclamation, Abandoned Mined Land (Ac.) (543) (8/06)

PDF

PDF PDF  PDF

Land Reclamation, Landslide Treatment (No. and Ac) (453) (2/05)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Land Reclamation, Toxic Discharge Control (No.) (455) (4/05)

PDF

PDF PDF  

Land Smoothing (Ac.) (466) (12/13)

PDF

PDF PDF

PDF

Energy Efficient Lighting System (670) (9/2020) PDF PDF  PDF PDF

Lined Waterway or Outlet (Ft.) (468) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Livestock Pipeline (Ft.) (516) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF    PDF    
Livestock Shelter Structure (no) (576) (9/2020) PDF PDF     PDF

Mine Shaft and Adit Closing (No.) (457) (2/05)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Mole Drain (Ft.) (482) (3/03)

PDF

 PDF PDF  PDF

Monitoring Well (No.) (353) (9/2020)

PDF

 PDF PDF  PDF

Mulching (Ac.) (484) (10/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Multi-Story Cropping (Ac.) (379) (7/10)

PDF

 PDF PDF PDF
 

Nutrient Management (Ac.) (590) (5/19)

PDF PDF PDF PDF

Obstruction Removal (Ac.) (500) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF  PDF
On-Farm Secondary Containment Facility (No.) (319) (9/14) PDF PDF   PDF

Open Channel (Ft.) (582) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Pasture and Hay Planting (Ac.) (512) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF
Pest Management Conservation System (Ac.) (595) (10/19R) PDF PDF PDF PDF

Pond (No.) (378) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF
Pond Sealing or Lining - Compacted Soil (Ft2) (520) (5/16) PDF PDF   PDF
Pond Sealing or Lining - Concrete (Ft2) (522) (5/16) PDF PDF   PDF

Pond Sealing or Lining - Geomembrane  or Geosynthetic Clay Liner (No.) (521) (10/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Precision Land Forming (Ac.) (462) (9/14)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF 

Prescribed Burning (Ac.) (338) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Prescribed Grazing (Ac.) (528) (3/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Pumping Plant (No.) (533) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF
 

Range Planting (Ac.) (550) (4/10)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Recreation Area Improvement (Ac.) (562) (10/77)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (Ac.) (566) (4/13)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (Ac.) (345) (9/16)

PDF

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Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till (Ac.) (329) (9/16)

PDF

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Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (Ac.) (643) (3/17)

PDF

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Riparian Forest Buffer (Ac.) (391) (10/2020)

PDF

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Riparian Herbaceous Cover (Ac.) (390) (9/10)

PDF

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Road/Trail/Landing Closure and Treatment (Ft.) (654) (10/17)

PDF

 PDF PDF PDF

Rock Wall Terrace (Ft.) (555) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Roof Runoff Structure (No.) (558) (9/14)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Roofs and Covers (No.) (367) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Row Arrangement (Ac.) (557) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF
 

Saline and Sodic Soil Management (Ac.) (610) (10/2020)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF
Saturated Buffer (Ft.) (604) (9/2020) PDF PDF PDF PDF

Sediment Basin (No.) (350) (5/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Shallow Water Development and Management (Ac.) (646)(9/10)

PDF

 PDF

PDF

PDF
Short Term Storage of Animal Waste and Byproducts (Cubic Yards) (318) (9/2020) PDF PDF   PDF

Silvopasture (Ac.) (381) (5/16)

PDF

 PDF

DOC

PDF

 Spoil Disposal (Ac.) (572) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Spring Development (No.) (574) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Sprinkler System (Ac.) (442) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF  PDF

Stormwater Runoff Control (No. and Ac.) (570) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

 PDF

Streambank and Shoreline Protection (Ft.) (580) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Stream Crossing (No.) (578) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (Ac.) (395) (5/19)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Stripcropping (Ac.) (585) (10/17)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Structure for Water Control (No.) (587) (10/17))

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF
Structures for Wildlife (No.) (649) (9/14) PDF PDF   PDF

Subsurface Drain (Ft.) (606) (5/19)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Surface Drain, Field Ditch (Ft.) (607) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Ft.) (608) (9/15)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Surface Roughening (Ac.) (609) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Terrace (Ft.) (600) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Trails and Walkways (Ft.) (575) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Tree/Shrub Establishment (Ac.) (612) (5/16)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Tree/Shrub Pruning (Ac.) (660) (9/14)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (Ac.) (490) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

 

Underground Outlet (Ft.) (620) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (Ac.) (645) (9/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Vegetated Treatment Area (Ac.) (635) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF  

Vegetative Barrier (Ft.) (601) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Vertical Drain (No.) (630) (9/15)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Waste Facility Closure (No.) (360) (5/19)

PDF PDF PDF

PDF

Waste Recycling (No.) (633) (10/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Waste Separation Facility (No.) (632) (4/13)

PDF

PDF PDF

PDF

Waste Storage Facility (No.) (313) (9/16)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Waste Transfer (No.) (634) (9/14)

PDF

PDF PDF  PDF

Waste Treatment (No.) (629) (9/2020)

PDF

 PDF PDF PDF  

Waste Treatment Lagoon (No.) (359) (10/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Water and Sediment Control Basin (No.) (638) (10/17)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Water Harvesting Catchment (No.) (636) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF
Watering Facility (No.) (614) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF PDF PDF

Waterspreading (Ac.) (640) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

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Water Well (No.) (642) (10/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Well Decommissioning (No.) (351) (9/2020)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Wetland Creation (Ac.) (658) (9/10)

PDF  PDF PDF PDF

Wetland Enhancement (Ac.) (659) (9/10)

PDF  PDF PDF PDF

Wetland Restoration (Ac.) (657) (9/10)

PDF PDF PDF PDF

Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (Ac.) (644) (9/10)

PDF PDF PDF PDF

Wildlife Habitat Planting (Ac.) (420) (5/19)

PDF PDF   PDF

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (Ft.) (380) (5/11)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (Ft.) (650) (7/10)

PDF

PDF

PDF

PDF

Woody Residue Treatment (Ac.) (384)  (10/17)

PDF  PDF PDF  PDF

 

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