2014 ANNUAL REPORT RIPLEY COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Transcription

1 2014 ANNUAL REPORT RIPLEY COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT PROVIDING A MEANS FOR ALL PEOPLE IN RIPLEY COUNTY TO WORK TOGETHER FOR NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT Photo Courtesy of the 2014 Photo Contest Winner, Elizabeth Evans

2 ABOUT THE SWCD History of SWCD The Ripley County SWCD was declared a district on July 1, 1949 at the request of county citizens who were interested in soil and water conservation, flood prevention and land use planning. The SWCD is a legal subdivision of state government, responsible for providing leadership for all conservation development of soil, water, and related natural resources for all of Ripley County. A district constitutes a governmental subdivision of the state and a public body corporate and politic exercising public powers (IC ). A board of five supervisors, who are acquainted with the resource needs and problems of the county, manage the SWCD. Landowners of the county elect three of the supervisors and the State Soil Conservation Board appoints two. The SWCD does not have the power to tax or bond, does not have the power of eminent domain, and does not have regulatory power. It cannot replace or duplicate functions of the other local government units. Financing SWCD operations is accomplished through a combination of appropriations from state and local government units, money earned by SWCD activities, and contributions from private sources Staff Kim Jolly - District Coordinator Kim has been with the district since June As coordinator she serves as Department Head, Treasurer, Board Secretary, event coordinator, educator and HHH RC&D Council Member. Steve Franklin - Conservation Technician Steve started in 2009 and provides conservation planning and technical assistance for agricultural lands. He is also responsible for operating the drill rental program and monitoring the Rule 5 process. Tim Schwipps - NRCS District Conservationist Tim provides guidance to the Conservation team and technical assistance to landowners. Tim has been with the district as a DC since Mark Thomas - ISDA Resource Special Mark has been a Resource Specialist for 25 years, Mark provides technical assistance by way of the area Tech Team and covers 5 districts but is located in the Ripley County office. Lindsay Martinez - NRCS Soil Conservationist Lindsay is the newest member of the Ripley County team. She started in Ripley County March of 2014 and has been with NRCS as a Soil Con. since S. Industrial Park Road Versailles, IN 47042, (812) ext 3, Follow us on Twitter & Facebook

3 Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:00-4:30 Closed for all major holidays & county holidays. Due to the nature of our work there will be times the office must be closed due to staff being in the field. Equipment Rental Program 10 Great Plains No-till Drill, 10 Great Plains No-till Drill with Warm Season Grass Box, & Brillion Seeder Rates are $9.00/ac in County and $11/ac out of County ATV Seeder & Outback S-Litebar System $25/day or $75/week $50.00 minimum applies to all equipment For questions, contact us: (812) ext. 3 For Sale Ripley County Plat Books $25.00 ea, Topographic Maps $7.00 ea, Marking Flags $10.00 for 100, Fish Sale in spring & fall, Tree Sale in January with distribution in March 2014 Board Supervisors Brian Evans - Chairman Danny Geisler - Vice Chairman Jeff Meinders Gary Back Jeremy Dixon Bob Mulford - Associate

4 CONSERVATION PROGRAMS Hogan Creek Watershed 2014 Review The Hogan Creek Watershed Project had a very successful and busy year in 2014 wrapping up the grant that started in November The year started with several presentations, workshops, and field days as part of the watershed s outreach and educational efforts. Project information was present at Dearborn SWCD, Ripley SWCD, and Historic Hoosier Hill RC&D Annual Meetings along with Ripley County s Annual No-Till Breakfast and County Fair. Several youth education presentations were conducted during Dearborn County Ag Days, Arbor Day, and Milan s High Ability s Camp. A couple of workshops were held in the spring. One workshop was held for teacher/ educators on how to incorporate the use of an outdoor classroom into their lesson plans. The other workshop was on pond management which included the following topics: construction, weed id, weed management, fish management, and stocking rates. The Hogan Creek Watershed also participated in the Annual River Sweep Clean-up for the Ohio River and its tributaries in June. The highlight of the year was the Grazing Field Day held in August which was very well attended and successful. It was held at Jeff & Leah Meinders s Farm near Milan and had many informative presenters discussing beef health, nutrition, and management. A farm tour was also given to highlight some best management practices that have been installed on the farm. Many landowners and operators in the Hogan Creek Watershed participated in the watershed s costshare program to implement and install conservation practices. The grant that concluded in November provided $260,000 in cost-share funds. The costshare program funded 36 landowners in Dearborn and Ripley Counties. The following conservation practices were installed at 70% cost-share rate: 43,570 of Fence 94,821 sq ft of HUAPs 5,168 of Pipeline 19 Watering Facilities 1,488 of Underground Outlet 162 of Roof Runoff 560 Animal Walkways acres of Cover Crops 1 Stream Crossing 252 of Access Roads 230 Grassed Waterway 6,903 sq ft of Mulch 1 Waste Storage Facility 1 Riprap Pad 1.6 acres of Tree Plantings 1 Trickle Flow Collector 21.7 acres of Hay Plantings The following load reductions were the result of installing the above conservation practices: 4,492 T/year of Sediment 5,304 lbs/year of phosphorus 11,576 lbs/year of nitrogen The watershed was fortunate enough to receive another 319 grant to continue its educational, outreach, and implementation efforts for another 3 years. The project will be able to start implementing their next cost -share program very soon. The main focus will be on implementing and installing complete conservation systems for both grazing and crop land. If you are interested in participating or learning more about the cost-share program or would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact Heather Wirth, Watershed Technician at (812) ext. 107 or heather.wirth@in.nacdnet.net

5 Central Muscatatuck Watershed Cost-Share Funds Available Historic Hoosier Hills recently was awarded $449, to implement the Central Muscatatuck Watershed Project. The grant was awarded by Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The funds will be used to implement a costshare program on best management practices and for educational outreach. The Central Muscatatuck Watershed consists of approximately 164,196 acres in portions of Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Ripley and Scott Counties in Indiana. The voluntary cost-share program is intended to provide landowners with financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices, also known as Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the watershed. The cost-share program will pay up to 60 percent of the total cost with a $25,000 cap per participant. To be eligible for this program you must tend crops or livestock in the Central Muscatatuck Watershed and be interested in encompassing conservation practices into your operation. Received applications will be ranked based on proximity to a waterbody and potential for reducing sediment, E. coli, and nutrient pollution. Practices included in the cost-share program include: cover crops, fencing, alternative watering systems, heavy use area protection, pasture and hayland seeding, riparian buffers, conservation cover and filter strips, grass waterways, critical area planting, stream crossings, roof runoff systems, waste utilization and comprehensive nutrient management plans. For more information on the cost-share program please contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District in Ripley County or contact Historic Hoosier Hills office at EQIP Program The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that promotes agricultural productions and environmental quality. Ripley County has awarded payments totaling $172,270 in the year Another $136,921 is obligated with 5 new contracts. Some of the completed practices for 2014 are the following: 2,181 acres of Cover Crops, 1 Waste Storage Facility, acres of Residue and Tillage Management including no-till, acres of Nutrient Management, acres of Integrated Pest Management, 1,288.1 Waste Recycling, and 40 acres of Forest Stand Improvement. CRP Program The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides technical and financial assistance to eligible producers to address soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. FSA currently administers 850 contracts in Ripley County. In 2014 FSA assisted with the installation and/or re-enrollment of 47 contracts for a total of acres consisting of the following conservation practices: 32.6 acres of Grassed Waterways, 16.5 acres Filter Strips, 2.0 acres Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds, and 75.4 acres State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Native Grasses.

6 Regional No-Till Breakfast The 21st Annual No-Till Breakfast was held on March 6, This annual event is a partnership effort between the Ripley County SWCD, Purdue Extension, and the Historic Hoosier Hills RC&D No-till Committee. The 22nd Annual No-Till Breakfast will be held on March 5, It will begin at 8:00 AM and will be held at either the Hopewell Baptist Church or Versailles Baptist Church pending repairs on Hopewell. Larry Huffmeyer will be the moderator for the morning with a panel to help with the round table discussion. To receive your PARP credits you must be present at 8:00. For reservations please call (812) ext. 3. Grazing Field Day at Meinders On August 21st over 100 farmers and landowners gathered at Jeff Meinders farm in Milan to learn about new systems in grazing and tips for livestock care and production. The day was full beginning in the early morning with a presentation by Jeff and his wife Leah and concluded with multiple speakers ranging on a wide variety of topics. The Ripley County SWCD was very pleased with the turnout and would like to thank Hogan Creek Watershed for partnering and working together to have such a successful event. Cover Crop Field Day In the spring of 2014 the Ripley County SWCD partnered with the Indiana Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI) to host a two day training event at the farm of Larry Huffmeyer. Larry is the area HUB farmer for CCSI. Sampling is being done on his farm to track the progress and benefits to using cover crops in a real situation. Training started on March 12th for agencies personnel to go over types of cover crops but also portions of sampling to be done on the farm through CCSI. On March 13, 2014, many landowners attended. They received information on blends of cover crops and also saw soil pits that showed the rooting depths of different cover crops. In the fall of 2014 the Ripley County SWCD planted a small plot at Larry s farm and will hold another Cover Crop Field Day on March 31, At this field day will be a demonstration of a Drone by Laughery Valley Ag and soils pits with NRCS Soil Scientist Dena Anderson. To register for this event please call the office at ext 3.

7 EDUCATION & OUTREACH Ag Day Each year the Ripley County SWCD staff participates in the Ripley County Ag Day at the Ripley County Fair Grounds in Osgood. On the morning of October 1, 2014, third graders from South Ripley, Jac Cen Del, Batesville and Milan came to learn about the many aspects of agriculture. The SWCD staff taught the importance of conservation using the Enviroscape model. This model shows the children the difference between point and nonpoint source pollution and how they can help keep our water clean. A huge thank you to the local FFA chapters for hosting the event and helping teach the children the importance of conservation and agriculture. Poster Contests Each year the National Association of Conservation Districts provides local SWCDs with education guides and themes for the poster contest. In 2014, students were asked to create posters for the title Dig Deeper Mysteries of the Soil. All schools in Ripley County were invited to participate and over 400 posters were submitted. There are 5 age brackets with 3 winners from each. The overall winner was Eli Oleker from Milan. Congratulations to all the winners in each division. Ripley County 4-H Fair This year once again the SWCD displayed a booth at the Ripley County 4H Fair promoting Soil Health. At the fair the Great Plains No-Till Drills was on display for landowners to view. Soil Health has been the focus throughout the past couple years and will continue to be a top priority for the SWCD. Other displays highlighting current events, cost share programs and the equipment rental were present. The watershed projects of Ripley County also participated throughout the week. The Ripley County SWCD annually sponsors two project categories, Soil & Water and Forestry. Winners for those groups get a scholarship check and a trophy. Congratulations to our 2014 Ripley County Conservation Farmer of the Year, James D Benham Watch for

8 Ripley County Soil & Water Conservation District 1981 S Industrial Park Rd, Suite 2 Versailles, IN NON PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #6 VERSAILLES, IN Ripley County SWCD Annual Report 2014 Annual Meeting Feb 26, 2015 The Ripley County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold their 65th Annual Meeting on Thursday, February 26th beginning at 6:30 pm at the South Ripley Elementary School. Tickets are $10.00 per person including dinner. Speaker for the evening will be Charlie Adams a motivational speaker. Door prizes donated from local businesses will also be given at the conclusion of the meeting. For tickets, please contact any Ripley County Soil and Water Board Supervisor or the SWCD Office at (812) , ext. 3 by Feb 19th, January - IASWCD Annual Conference Jan. 11 to13, Annual Tree Sale due by Jan 31st February - 65th Annual Meeting Feb 26, 2015 at 6:30pm South Ripley Elem. March - 22nd Annual No-till Breakfast March 5th at 8:00 am Hopewell Baptist Church or Versailles Baptist depending on repair status at Hopewell. Please call to confirm location. - Cover Crop Training March 31st at Calendar of Events Larrry Huffmeyer s - Wildlife Seed Sign Up (if available) - Tree Distribution at end of month April - Spring Fish Sale - Soil and Water Stewardship Week May - Residue Transect June - Newsletter mailing July - Ripley County 4-H Fair August Budget Planning September - IDEA Conference October - Fall Fish Sale - Ripley County Ag Days November - Annual Plan of Work December - Poster Contest - Newsletter mailing - End of Year Financial & Report