FINAL REPORT L Anguille River Water Quality Project Cross County Conservation District

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1 FINAL REPORT L Anguille River Water Quality Project Cross County Conservation District SUMMARY Agricultural Producers, land users and landowners in the L Anguille River Watershed are committed to flood and erosion control and good water quality. The effort of these stakeholders in the L Anguille River Water Quality Project demonstrates that commitment. The Cross County Conservation District implemented a five county watershed project that began on October 1, This Project has been a cooperative effort between the local stakeholders, the conservation districts in Craighead, Poinsett, Cross, St. Francis, and Lee Counties, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Arkansas Soil & Water Conservation Commission. Leadership and advisors for the program was provided by local landowners, representatives from County Extension Service, Arkansas State University, RC&D, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Ducks Unlimited, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), NRCS and the local conservation districts. The L Anguille River Water Quality Project began as an effort to affect a positive impact on the TMDL ruling of impairment as a result of sedimentation and turbidity in the river. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) listed the river as an

2 impaired waterway and included it on EPA s list of impaired waters and included it on EPA s 303(d) list. The river is immediately impacted by erosion from agricultural operations on highly erodible land and land manipulated for row crops within the watershed. Land use patterns within the watershed indicate that the impairment may be a result from runoff on agricultural row cropping. The goals included in the Project were education of land users in the need for best management practices to reduce the amount of sediment in runoff from agricultural land and help them incorporate these practices in their daily operations. They were also educated on the need to reduce the amount of sediment to comply with water quality standards set forth in the TMDL plan. Cost-share incentives were included in the Project to encourage the land users to follow through with sound land practices. This report outlines the accomplishments achieved through federal 319 funding provided by the Environmental Protection Agency administered through the Arkansas Soil & Water Conservation Commission.. River Impeded by Debris and Sediment Project Leadership & Implementation Administration The Cross County Conservation District (CCCD) managed the grant and was responsible for providing deliverables. The CCCD appointed an administrative committee that included representatives East Arkansas Resource Conservation & Development, Cross County Judge, Cross County Conservation District program coordinator, St. Francis County Conservation District administrator, and Arkansas State University. The

3 administrative committee was charged with jumpstarting the L Anguille River Water Quality Project and assisting with formation of the steering committee. The administrative tasks included developing and distributing brochures to stakeholders in the project area. Accounting, filing, application coordination and payment requests, corresponding with producers on the status of practices, filing quarterly reports, annual reports and final report were other completed tasks. Other tasks included public awareness efforts through news articles, radio spots, fact sheets, and direct-communication. Taking photos in the watershed, preparing agendas, s correlating correspondence to steering committee, recording minutes, organizing and distributing information and meeting materials, communicating with stakeholders in watershed, organizing county meetings and continuity of project were tasks that required ongoing commitment. February 2001 conservation districts learned L Anguille River was put on 303D list. Steering Committee The L Anguille River Watershed Project Steering Committee (LRWQP SC) was formed to oversee all projects within the Watershed and bring together all necessary components to write a Watershed Restoration Action Strategy Management Plan. The Steering Committee consisted of three members from each of the five counties in the watershed. LRWQP Steering Committee brought together the core group with technical professionals and technical advisors to impact the stakeholders in the watershed. The LRWQP Steering Committee worked closely with the conservation districts, federal and state agencies, conservation groups and stakeholders to identify needs and projects to improve the condition of the watershed. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) who provided technical assistance and advisory support led the technical advisory committee. Others advisors were Arkansas State University, Arkansas Game and Fish, Ducks Unlimited, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, County Extension and East Arkansas Resource Conservation & Development. The LRWQP steering committee met eleven times rotating meetings between counties in the watershed. Two meetings ended with a luncheon compliments of the Cross County Conservation District. The meetings were all well attended. Minutes of the meetings and attendee lists were forwarded to AS&WCC.

4 Ellen McNulty gave information on watersheds and watershed planning from Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. She served as facilitator for some of the meetings. L Anguille River Water Quality Project Steering Committee WATERSHED RESTORATION ACTION STRATEGY The local workgroups at the county meeting supplied a wide variety of information that was captured in the WRAS. At each meeting issues and concerns were discussed in depth as well as possible solutions. Bill Layher of Layher Biologics, Inc. assisted with the meetings and was commissioned by the Steering Committee and the Cross County Conservation District to write the WRAS. Mr. Layher compiled all the information received from steering committee members, landowners attending county meetings, technical advisors, and others to comprise a comprehensive list of problems and solutions. The WRAS was completed and approved by the steering committee. The WRAS was given to each committee member, Technical committee and advisors. A copy is on file in the Cross County Conservation District office.

5 Outreach and Education Task 3 Four field days were planned Five were held - with over 165 in attendance. Speakers Included - Landowners, ADEQ, Bill Layher, NRCS, Districts, and Cooperative Extension Service Five demonstration public outreach meetings were held in Poinsett, Cross, St; Francis, and Lee counties to educate farmers and landowners about the problems in the watershed and inform them of the assistance offered by the project. The administrative committee worked with Dr. Mike Daniels, of the Cooperative Extension Service to develop a template for the field days. There was an extensive effort to involve stakeholder and landowner discussions in each of the meetings. Refreshments were provided at each meeting along with one luncheon. A list of attendees and ideas and concerns were recorded. News articles with photos were published in the Wynne Progress, Wynne Newsleader, the Forrest City Times Herald, and the Lee County Courier. KWYN radio station in Wynne ran second spots about the program daily. Pat Perry and Shirley Ball were the guests on a one-hour talk program at KWYN. A complete overview of the project was discussed. News articles were sent to papers in each county throughout the life of the project. Notice of all public meetings was posted in respective counties. Four hundred fact sheets were prepared for distribution at meetings and in Conservation district offices. Copies of the LRWQP brochure were handouts at the St. Francis County Fair, Farm Fest in Wynne, and the Tri-County Fair in Marvel. Copies of the brochure were mailed to individual landowners. The brochures were part of a packet of information given out at respective county meetings.

6 Evaluation of Land Users Land use patterns and land owners need of assistance within the watershed area was identified. Land use categories and critical areas were identified for L Anguille River Watershed Area. Landowners were given information to use as a tool to identify their individual need for assistance and offered an opportunity to enroll land in the project. A mailing list of landowners in the watershed was compiled for each county. The Cross County Conservation District called for assistance from Rusty McAllister of AS&WCC who mapped and detailed land use in the watershed area and donated a nice wall map to project. Copies of the maps were used in meetings and distributed to stake holders. Interesting Facts About the River & Watershed watershed acres total river miles perennial river miles Perimeter miles

7 Install BMP s Landowners signed up for financial assistance for the implementation of conservation buffers, filter strips, and grade stabilization structures. All practices were designed and implemented using the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) standards and specifications. The practices applied became a part of the landowner s farm plan. Participation in the project accelerated as landowners became more informed. The project provided forty percent (40%) cost-share on buffers, filter strips, grade stabilization structures and flash board risers. Rates were based on the NRCS cost estimate for the practice or on actual costs. Landowners generated in-kind contributions that were used for a portion of the non-federal match of the project. Values were placed on in-kind contributions using existing values placed on equipment, labor, and materials. The AS&WCC administered the cost-share agreements under their Title X cost-share rules. A total of Pipe drop structures were installed and two filter strips. Soil loss estimations were based on RUSLE. The project saved approximately 2,229 tons of soil and 4294 acres were protected out of the planned 6,000. This was equivalent to 67% of the planned acres. NRCS in watershed field offices supplied the technical assistance for BMP s 67% of the planned acres to be protected behind filter strips and drop pipes were completed Jessland Plantation St. Francis County Installed 10 grade stabilization structures to reduce soil erosion from agricultural fields. The promise of seventy-five percent cost share under the EQIP in the 2002 Farm Bill and the incentives offered by the Continuous CRP were both strong stumbling blocks to the success of the project. Details of both these programs were announced shortly after the project got started and greatly hampered the attraction of the assistance offered by the project. Some practices were not implemented due to weather, flooding, farm schedules, and financial hardship. Other applicants decided to change over to WRP, EQIP, and CRP. Other detriments to complete success included flashboard risers funded at a greater level through a Ducks Unlimited project and the lack of technical assistance on four applications that were not completed. Applicants 35 applicants 30 applicants approved & submitted 11 applicants completed & practices implemented APPLICANTS AND PRACTICES

8 REPORTS AND RECORD KEEPING Reports were submitted on a quarterly basis to the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Annual reports were also submitted. One final report was submitted. The project was complete. The L Anguille River Water Quality Project was successful in that it was a dual process of watershed education and application of sound land practices to reduce sediment. The landowners were presented background information about the L Anguille River Watershed including history, geographic and land use patterns, and tributaries. They were able to get a complete picture of the diversity of the watershed and understand the need to work together as one watershed to solve problems and maintain a positive outlook. They gained insight into the future of the watershed and started to see how their view of land practices could impact the entire watershed. The honest and factual approach to the education process led the stakeholders toward a positive perspective for the future. They gained knowledge about their stake in the watershed. The field meetings held in each county brought out many landowners and stakeholders who relayed positive information to others not present. The attendees at the county meetings were encouraged to express their thoughts and opinions that played a major role in the identifying of resource needs in the watershed. Negative preconceived ideas were discussed and resolved so that the stakeholders could move to positive action. The groups were given facts about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that left them with the knowledge that EPA is there to help them take proactive steps to voluntarily restore the condition of the watershed and protect the land. They were helped to understand that EPA wants to help land users to have a positive impact on our environment. Formation of the L Anguille River Watershed Coalition One of the major successes was the formation of a L Anguille River Watershed Coalition, brought about by the L Anguille River Water Quality Project. The coalition will provide an avenue to apply resources to the issues and needs in the watershed and promote strong locally led decisions impacting both the land users and the environment.