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For the Week of July 28 - August 1, 2008
In This Week’s Edition . . .
A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle
USDA Secretary Announces No Penalty-Free Early Release of CRP.
In a press conference yesterday, USDA Secretary Ed Schafer announced the USDA will not release Conservation Reserve Protection (CRP) acreage penalty-free at this time. USDA continues to review crop reports, disaster damage and environmental issues and will revisit the position as necessary. Click here to view a printed statement of USDA’s announcement. The
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) wrote to Secretary Schafer earlier this month in opposition to penalty free early release of CRP acres. NACD’s letter can be found online here.
Members Shape NACD Support for Urban and Community Conservation. The NACD  Urban and Community Resource Policy Group (RPG), a subcommittee of District officials and partners, met in Washington, D.C. last week in conjunction with NACD’s board of directors meeting. A main goal of the meeting was to analyze District responses to the NACD Urban and Community Inventory. If you remember, the inventory was conducted last fall to gather information to help NACD provide better assistance to member Districts working in urban and community conservation. The RPG will use inventory feedback to rework the urban and community conservation section of NACD’s Web site in order to provide improved resources for urban and community Districts. The Inventory report will also be made available to respondents and state associations.
Also while in D.C., RPG members met with NRCS on the Field Office Technical Guide and with other partners to expand working relationships and focus on common goals. For more information on NACD Urban and Community RPG activities, contact Debra Bogar at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org. We'll keep you posted on this work.
Leadership Institute Workshops. There are two more leadership development training workshops on the horizon for SWCD supervisors and staff. A Leadership in Change workshop will be held at the Muncie Horizon Convention Center on Aug. 22-23. Click here for details. A Communication seminar in Ft. Wayne will be held Sept. 5-6. Click here for the details. You can register for these and all workshops in the Leadership Institute series by clicking here.
District Exchange. The Johnson County SWCD is now selling recycled rain barrels. These plastic barrels include the Garden Water Saver Diverter Kit. Selling price is $100.00 and residents of the Youngs Creek Watershed are eligible for a rebate of $75.00. All money goes to support the educational projects offered by the Johnson County SWCD. More information and the link to the order form can be found by clicking here.
Reminder: Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute. The deadline is approaching to apply for this year’s NRLDI program. This is an excellent program to participate in. Click here for the brochure. The application is available here.
And finally, 2008 IASWCD Dues. Each week new Districts are added to the list as we say thanks to SWCDs who support our Association with payment of their 2008 dues: Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Blackford, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, DeKalb, Dubois, Elkhart, Fayette, Floyd, Fountain, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Grant, Green, Hamilton, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jasper, Jay, Jennings, Kosciusko, Knox, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Porter, Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Scott, Spencer, St. Joseph, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, White and Whitley. Please take the time to read over the important information in the dues brochure on how your dues support SWCD activities in the state.
Have a good week,
Jennifer
Watershed Moment
Coalition Embarks on Initiative to Improve the Eel River
A coalition of Manchester College, Wabash and Miami county conservation agencies, and at least 17 other groups will embark on a $1 million initiative to improve the water quality of a 30-mile stretch of the Eel River.
“Our goal is to make the Eel River a better place for aquatic life and people,” declared Manchester College scientist Jerry Sweeten, who wrote the grant request and has done considerable research on nonpoint source pollution and flow of the Eel River, particularly as it affects smallmouth bass. “It’s a tremendous natural resource that’s been neglected for many years.”
For the complete news release and details about the Middle Eel River Watershed Initiative, visit the Manchester College home page www.manchester.edu.
Two Stage Ditch Field Day, Wednesday, August 13th: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on a visit to the Tippecanoe River 2-Stage Ditch demonstration site. The day will feature various speakers representing Kosciusko County, NRCS, TNC, University of Notre Dame, Commonwealth Biomonitoring, and also Ronsbottom Excavating who constructed the ditch. We look forward to your attendance at this event which will give you a first- hand look at a 2-Stage Ditch and what it may mean to our water quality issues. Please RSVP to Kent Wamsley by August 5.
Don’t Forget to Sign up for the Summer Watershed Networking Sessions
Complete information (including registration forms and agendas) are available online at: http://www.iaswcd.org/watershed/networking_summer2008.html
- Thursday, August 14: Michigan City’s Trail Creek and Green Infrastructure Projects
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (local time)
Registration requested on or before Thursday, August 7
- Wednesday, August 20: Indianapolis Cultural Trail and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Facility
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (local time)
Registration requested on or before Wednesday, August 13
NRCS flooding update
While the floods have receded, NRCS continues to work with communities and landowners to provide guidance and resources to aid in the clean up. NRCS is providing technical assistance to farmers affected by the floods. Two great resources are available to assist producers trying to rehabilitate damaged fields. One is “Soil Quality Reclamation for Spring Flood Damaged Fields,” and the other is “Cover Crops to Reclaim Soil Quality in Flood Damaged Fields.” Both are available on the Web at http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EWP/EWPhomepage.html.
NRCS’ Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) is providing assistance to communities where lives and property are threatened. EWP can fund debris removal from streams, protect destabilized stream banks, establish cover on critically eroding lands, and repair conservation practices. All EWP projects must have a sponsor that is a legal subdivision of state government, such as an SWCD, that is able to provide 25% of the project cost.
To date Indiana has requested $2.5 million for urgent, or ‘exigency’ EWP projects, and $15 million for longer term ‘non-exigency’ projects. Indiana has also requested $6 million for the Floodplain Easement Program (FEP), and is waiting to hear if funding is approved for this program. In addition $1 million is available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and $15,000 is available through the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) to repair conservation practices damaged by the floods that were originally installed through these programs.
NRCS Funding for Natural Disaster Recovery Assistance
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced last Friday that $390 million is available nationwide through the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program for landowners and communities to cope with the aftermath of recent floods, fires, drought, tornadoes and other natural disasters.
“USDA employees work shoulder to shoulder with their neighbors at the outset of these emergencies, and remain involved as a member of these communities,” said Schafer. “I’m proud that we follow up with emergency support to recover an area’s damaged watersheds and remove hazards to life and property.”
USDA’s NRCS administers the EWP program, which provides technical and financial assistance to address public safety and restoration efforts on private, public and tribal lands. Through sponsorships, NRCS can pay landowners and communities up to 75 percent of the cost of removing debris from stream channels, road culverts and bridges; protecting eroded stream banks; correcting damaged drainways; and reseeding damaged areas. NRCS also can purchase floodplain easements on land that qualifies for EWP program assistance.
The entire news release can be found by clicking here. Additional information about EWP is available at http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EWP/EWPhomepage.html. Additional information about EQIP and WHIP is available at http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/
Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
OFFICERS:
 President: Jim Droege, Posey Co.
Vice President: Paula Baldwin, Marion Co.
Secretary: Ray McCormick: Knox Co.
Treasurer: Jeff Meinders, Ripley Co.
REGION DIRECTORS:
Board Roster / Region Map
North-Northwest: Larry Strole, Newton Co.
South-Northwest: Kenny Cain, Montgomery Co.
North-Northeast: Tom Crowe, Allen Co.
South-Northeast: Bobby Hettmansperger, Wabash Co.
North-Southwest: Bob Weaver, Johnson Co.
South-Southwest: Ray Chattin, Knox Co.
North-Southeast: Brad Dawson, Dearborn Co.
South-Southeast: Brad Ponsler, Jennings Co.
IASWCD STAFF:
Executive Director: Jennifer Boyle, 317.692.7519
Watershed Information Specialist: Elizabeth Trybula, 317.692.7514
Communications Manager: DeeDee Sigler, 317.692.7374
Project Assistant: Jaclyn Casale, 317.692.7325
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