How to manage snowmelt on a farm

After a winter of heavy snow and ice, farmers must ensure snowmelt doesn’t flood buildings, damage feed, and destroy equipment on their homesteads. Here are a few ways farmers can mitigate the risk of water damage during a wet spring.

• Remove deep snow. Regularly plow or scrape snow to the side of large drives during the winter. Pile snow where the meltwater will drain away from buildings and exercise areas and feed lots rather than through them.

• Clear the eaves on buildings. Ensure the gutters and downspouts on barns and outbuildings are debris-free. It’s also important to point them away from the foundation. This ensures that snowmelt and rain runoff will be directed away from essential structures and their contents.

• Plant native greenery. Plants help reduce soil erosion, soak up moisture, and provide an obstacle to water. Look for native grasses and meadow plants or native trees and shrubs that have deep roots to mitigate the effects of spring melt.

• Improve grading. Pay attention to places around the property eroding during snowmelt and plan to improve them in the spring. Grading, for example, helps provide continuous drainage away from animals, feed storage, and high-traffic areas. A slope of four to six percent is recommended.

Finally, farmers should store harvest crops on high ground or wood or cement blocks to lift them off the ground to prevent them from being damaged by moisture.