Before Buying Utah Ranch for Sale in Riparian Zones, Know Your Duties

Buying a Utah ranch for sale is an exciting investment opportunity. Still, before finalizing this decision with the help of respectable brokers like Mirr Ranch Group, buyers should familiarize themselves with the available locations, and evaluate which is the most suitable for their intention, whether they want to raise cattle or grow crops.

Another point to consider when selecting a location is determining whether it sits on a riparian zone or not. A riparian area is a piece of land which borders any natural body of water like a lake or a stream. If it is a riparian area, the property owner will gain the right to use the water.

Still, just as the property owners will have privileges to water use when they purchase ranches for sale in Utah that border lakes or streams, they also have to keep in mind their duties and responsibilities to conserve water and preserve its quality. Here are some tips to get them started:

Time the grazing appropriately.

Manage grazing schedules properly to maintain the vegetative soil cover on riparian zones. Minimize grazing on riparian areas or completely avoid it during early spring because this is when soils are most susceptible to damage and erosion. Provide a source of clean water for the cattle to avoid overgrazing in riparian areas.

Consider riparian buffer zones.

Riparian buffer zones refer to vegetative strips of land along stream banks or shores. The buffer zones’ purpose is to minimize the risk of pollutants to the body of water. Certain groups of plants and trees are suitable for creating buffer zones, and their most important characteristic is their high tolerance of wet soil. Cattails and ironweed (plants) and ash and cottonwood (trees) are the best options to grow in soils surrounding waterways.

Apply good soil management techniques.

A well-maintained soil structure can prevent runoff and erosion of riparian properties, promoting plant growth as a result. Before ranch owners can employ effective methods to improve soil structure, they must first identify the causes for the poor structure and go from there.

Avoid using weed or pest control product in riparian zones.

Chemical products can greatly endanger vegetation and water quality. As such, ranch owners are recommended to explore other options, like integrated pest management, with minimal environmental impact.

A ranch located in a riparian zone can bring huge potential to its owner. Still, while the owner gains the benefits of free water use, he or she should also treat this privilege in high regard and learn about duties and responsibilities on water conservation and water quality preservation.

(Source: How to Buy Ranch Property, homeguides.sfgate.com)