July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
SWCD seeking partnership (4/12/04)
Wants help from drainage board to promote filter strips
A local group with a mission of conserving soil and water is proposing a partnership with the Jay County Drainage Board.
Members of the Jay County Soil and Water Conservation District, including chairman Carl Walker, talked today about working with the drainage board (Jay County Commissioners) and surveyor Brad Daniels to promote the idea of using filter strips along the county’s creeks and ditch banks.
Under the federally-sponsored program, farmers can be compensated on a per-acre basis for planting grass along waterways in widths of 20 to 120 feet and taking that land out of production. Also available are programs for the creation of grassy waterways in erosion-prone areas.
Walker said that he envisions a cooperative spirit between the JCSWCD and the surveyor’s department that would include communication about what open ditches are being targeted for cleaning in the upcoming six months.
Walker said that JCSWCD representative Bettie Jacobs could then be sent to talk with property owners along those ditches about the filter strip program.
“Anything we can stop from getting into the ditch is going to improve our water quality,” Walker said.
Drainage board president Mike Leonhard, who has filter strips along waterways on his Bearcreek Township farm, said he believes all eligible land owners should take advantage of the program.
“I wish they’d do that all along the Wabash River (and) the Salamonie River,” Leonhard said.
“We do too,” Scott Mynsberge, a district conservationist with the JCSWCD, said.
Also this morning, the board solved a problem of double-charging for drainage assessments along county roadways by agreeing to stop billing the county highway department beginning in 2005.
The board discovered several weeks ago that the land including and along county roads was being assessed twice for drainage purposes, with the highway department and landowners both being billed.
Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer and Leonhard today eliminated the highway’s road assessments, and agreed to include in their budget drainage assessments for all land titled in the name of the commissioners.
Also this morning:
•Daniels said he did not know the exact location of a manure spill reported last week in Limberlost Creek in northern Jay County.
A press release from Indiana Department of Environmental Management said that a farmer who had recently applied manure near the creek worked with IDEM to contain and pump out polluted creek water.
The investigation into the incident continues.[[In-content Ad]]
Members of the Jay County Soil and Water Conservation District, including chairman Carl Walker, talked today about working with the drainage board (Jay County Commissioners) and surveyor Brad Daniels to promote the idea of using filter strips along the county’s creeks and ditch banks.
Under the federally-sponsored program, farmers can be compensated on a per-acre basis for planting grass along waterways in widths of 20 to 120 feet and taking that land out of production. Also available are programs for the creation of grassy waterways in erosion-prone areas.
Walker said that he envisions a cooperative spirit between the JCSWCD and the surveyor’s department that would include communication about what open ditches are being targeted for cleaning in the upcoming six months.
Walker said that JCSWCD representative Bettie Jacobs could then be sent to talk with property owners along those ditches about the filter strip program.
“Anything we can stop from getting into the ditch is going to improve our water quality,” Walker said.
Drainage board president Mike Leonhard, who has filter strips along waterways on his Bearcreek Township farm, said he believes all eligible land owners should take advantage of the program.
“I wish they’d do that all along the Wabash River (and) the Salamonie River,” Leonhard said.
“We do too,” Scott Mynsberge, a district conservationist with the JCSWCD, said.
Also this morning, the board solved a problem of double-charging for drainage assessments along county roadways by agreeing to stop billing the county highway department beginning in 2005.
The board discovered several weeks ago that the land including and along county roads was being assessed twice for drainage purposes, with the highway department and landowners both being billed.
Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer and Leonhard today eliminated the highway’s road assessments, and agreed to include in their budget drainage assessments for all land titled in the name of the commissioners.
Also this morning:
•Daniels said he did not know the exact location of a manure spill reported last week in Limberlost Creek in northern Jay County.
A press release from Indiana Department of Environmental Management said that a farmer who had recently applied manure near the creek worked with IDEM to contain and pump out polluted creek water.
The investigation into the incident continues.[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD