Improving Water Quality by Using Cover Crops and Other Conservation Systems

Join EPA for a Watershed Academy Webcast on March 25 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern on “Improving Water Quality by Using Cover Crops and Other Conservation Systems.”  This webcast will provide basic information on how cover crops and other conservation systems can be used to provide environmental benefits in watersheds across the U.S.  Cover crops are plants that are used to protect and improve soil on farm fields, especially at times when cash crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans are not being grown. The webcast will explain how cover crops can reduce nutrient losses to watersheds by scavenging nitrates that would otherwise be lost to leaching. In addition, cover crops reduce sediment and phosphorous losses to nearby waterways by acting as a vegetative buffer to slow down surface erosion and increase water infiltration. By using cover crops, farmers can provide environmental benefits while also providing other on-farm benefits, including increased soil health, improved water retention, and increased yield. Register for the Webinar to learn more about cover crops.