Small Acreage

Issues

     Living on a rural small acreage property can provide many benefits, but ​there are often aspects of small acreage living that are not considered. Some of the common issues small acreage landowners face include;

• Water Quality and Quantity​
  • If your acreage is not in an area where city water is available, you may have to drill a private water well.
    • The State Engineer grants permits for wells, and the cost for drilling can be significant.
    • Quality and quantity of well water can vary by location and season.
  • Although there may be water running across the property, it may not belong to you but instead be a neighbor's irrigation water. Check water rights and water availability carefully.
• Small Wastewater (Septic) Systems
  • ​In Campbell County, you need to obtain a permit for a small wastewater (septic) system by contacting the Planning and Zoning Department.
  • If you have never had experience planning a small wastewater system, it would be in your best interest to consult a contractor who has experience with the process.
  • It is also necessary to have a percolation test done to determine the soil filtering capacity or permeability. 
• Grazing Management and Overgrazing
  • ​Proper grazing management is a balancing act between what the animals need for forage and what the plant needs to maintain itself.
  • To understand stocking rates, you must first understand the forage your land produces and the amount of forage your animals require. Proper stocking rates will prevent excessive grazing and degradation of desirable plants.
  • Overgrazing is a term often used to indicate poor rangeland or pasture land condition. Overgrazing occurs when a grazing animal is left to graze too long in a particular area. Repeated overgrazing can lead to reductions in desirable forages species. 
• Weed Management
  • ​A weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted. The most troublesome weeds are those that rapidly reproduce and take over a site and are extremely difficult to control. Weeds compete with desirable plants for water and nutrients, shade out older plants, decrease the nutritional value of the forage, and can kill or injure livestock and people.
  • There are three key steps to managing weeds;
    1.  Correctly identify the weeds 
    2. Understand how they grow and reproduce
    3. Select the appropriate combination of control methods​
• Landscaping
  • ​Most landscapes contain plants with high water demand. Many of our existing trees need a streamside environment, and lawns require 36 inches of supplemental water every year. 50 to 70% of your annual household water use goes to maintaining landscapes. There are ways to have attractive landscapes and still conserve water.
• Wildfire
  • ​Living on a small acreage usually means there are no fire hydrants readily available.
  • The time required for emergency personnel to respond is greater living in rural areas. Also, you are responsible for wildfires that start on your land and spread to neighboring properties.
• Wildlife
  • ​Most of the time people can co-exist with many wildlife species without any problems. But sometimes pets are lost to predators, wildlife become sick or injured, and some wildlife may become a nuisance.
• ​Mineral Rights
  • Many property owners do not own the mineral rights under their property. Owners of mineral rights have the right to change the surface characteristics to extract minerals.

Resources

Fortunately, there are many resources available to assist with maintaining and improving your small acreage property!

​For additional information contact the Campbell County Conservation District at
​(307) 682-1824.
​
Barnyards and Backyards: Rural Living in Wyoming
​Barnyards and Backyards YouTube Videos

Living on a Few Acres in Campbell County

​​Grazing Livestock on Small Acreages

Campbell County Weed & Pest
www.ccgov.net/189/Weed-Pest
​11 Northern Drive
Gillette, WY 82716
(307) 682-4369