Untitled Document Soil erosion is a serious problem in the Palouse. Every year it is estimated that 13 to 15 tons of soil per acre are lost to erosion-a rate that is one of the highest in the country.
Erosion depletes productive soils for farming and is a major source of water and air pollution.
While all farming produces some erosion, it's nothing like what we have here in the Palouse. Erosion is especially serious in the Palouse because of the steep sloping hills together with the amount of rain and snow the area receives. Although the Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP, has helped stem erosion on about one million acres in Washington state, the tenuous nature of the program is of concern. And that is why Steve Jones and Tim Murray teamed up several years ago to investigate what they believe is a promising alternative to the wheatgrasses grown on CRP land. With their best perennial wheat lines, these WSU researchers are yielding 70 bushels per acre in the first year.