Stream Protection Practices

Stream Protection Practices help livestock and horse farmers whose pasture borders a stream access financial incentives for practices that support healthy waterways and livestock and that help comply with the Nutrient Management Program's livestock setback requirements for streams. Keeping animals away from waterways protects local streams and drinking water, prevents erosion, pollution, and habitat loss, ensures compliance with setback requirements, reduces herd disease and injury risk, and improves productivity. Practices delivered through the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program include horse and livestock watering facilities and spring developments (up to 87.5% cost-share), livestock exclusion (stream) fencing (up to 87.5%), stream crossings (up to 87.5%), and stream buffers (up to 100% cost-share to plant riparian forest buffers, plus $2 for each tree planted). The Conservation Buffer Initiative offers up to $4,500 an acre to install a riparian forest buffer with pasture fencing, plus a one-time bonus payment of $1,000/acre for new riparian forest buffers. Maryland's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) pays land rental rates to remove environmentally sensitive land from production for 10-15 years, with a one-time $1,000/acre bonus for new streamside riparian forest buffers.

Livestock and horse farmers whose pasture borders a stream. Individual practices are delivered through the MACS program and follow MACS eligibility. The Conservation Buffer Initiative is available during its annual open enrollment period (November 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026). CREP is a federal-state partnership program applied for through the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Contact your local soil conservation district for free technical assistance and to apply for MACS-funded stream protection practices and the Conservation Buffer Initiative. For CREP, contact your local USDA Farm Service Agency office. Program information: Maryland Department of Agriculture, Office of Resource Conservation, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-841-5865.