Stevens SWCD 2015 Annual Review

STEVENS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

2015 ANNUAL REVIEW A SUPPLEMENT TO THE MARCH 5, 2016 MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE

The mission of Stevens Soil and Water Conservation District is to work with county landowners in putting conservation practices on the land and to help all citizens be good stewards of our natural resources.

STEVENS SWCD SERVICES

• RAIN GARDEN DESIGN AND INSTALLATION • TREE PLANTING • TREE FABRIC INSTALLATION • NATIVE GRASS PLANTING

OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 7:30 to 4 p.m.

Regular Stevens SWCD board meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., at the SWCD office.

These meetings are open to the public.

• MOWING FOR WEED CONTROL • SPOT SPRAYING WEEDS • CRP CONSERVATION PLANNING

Located in the USDA Agricultural Service Center 12 Highway 28 East - Suite 2, Morris, MN 56267 320 - 589 - 4886 ext. 3

visit us at www.stevensswcd.org

MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Page 2 - Saturday, March 5, 2016

CRP in 2015

Current SWCD Supervisors, (Left to Right) Vice Chairman Dave Lonergan, Treasurer Greg Fynboh, Chairman Don Huntley, member Jim Krosch, and Secretary Kirby Hufford.

District 1 2 3 4 5

Supervisor Dave Lonergan Greg Fynboh Jim Krosch Don Huntley Kirby Hufford

Phone 320-589-4559 320-287-3334 320-324-2520 320-795-2491 320-589-4638

Stevens SWCD Staff, (Left to Right) Assistant Technician John Lembcke, Office Manager Chris Staebler, Administrator Matt Solemsaas, Education and Promotion Coordinator Judy Johnston, and District Technician Andy Rice.

Rice Says Farewell

After over nine years as a Farm Bill/District Technician at Stevens SWCD, Andy Rice has accepted a position with the Douglas SWCD in Alexandria. As a technician at Stevens

Morris, Minnesota 56267

SWCD, he was involved with the promotion, implementation, and maintenance of conservation programs that included CCRP, CRP, RIM, WRPRIM, State Cost-Share and EQIP. This consisted of enrolling land, creating conservation plans, implementing practices, and planning mid-contract management activities. Andy administered the tree program which included sales, planting, planning, and implementation. He was also the coordinator for the Walk In Access program.

“I have had a great time

working for the District in Stevens County over the years. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to work here.

I have made some great relationships and memories with landowners, producers, partner organizations and co-workers that I am very appreciative of while working towards putting conservation on the land,” says Rice. “Thanks again, I am looking forward to seeing you again.” Rice lives in Alexandria with his wife Nancy and 2 boys, Paxton and Declan.

2015 was another good year for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in Stevens County. There were 511 acres of General CRP and Continuous CRP that expired in 2015. Stevens SWCD was able to help enroll 577 acres into Continuous CRP, including expiring contracts as well as many new signups. This year we actually enrolled more acres than what had expired, which reflects our strong commitment to conservation in Stevens County.

CRP is a voluntary program landowners can sign-up for to protect environmentally sensitive land. Conservation cover in the form of grass, forbs, shrubs or trees is planted to help reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat. This program can be beneficial to both the landowner and the environment, especially when it comes to those problem areas.

A landowner that signs up for CRP will receive an annual rental payment from FSA for 10 to 15 years along with costshare and other incentives depending on the practice.

To be eligible for CRP, a landowner must have crop history on the area to be enrolled in four out of six years between 2008 and 2013. The rental payment is determined by using the three predominate soil types within the eligible area. In Stevens County, the annual rental payment for CRP is between $108 and $166 per acre. Up to 50 percent cost-share is given out to help the landowner pay for the establishment of approved cover. This can include site preparation, trees, tree planting, seed, seeding and wetland restorations.

Incentives will vary depending on the practice, but can include a signing incentive payment (SIP) of $100 to $150 per acre, a practice incentive payment (PIP) which helps pay for the installation cost on certain practices, and a 20 percent incentive on top of the rental pay-

ment for certain practices.

The most common practices in Stevens County in 2015 were filter strips, shelterbelt establishments and State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement.

Filter Strips Filter strips (CP21) were the most enrolled CRP practice in 2015 and they are one of the most effective forms of conservation through CRP. Also called a buffer strip, a filter strip will consist of native grasses planted along streams, drainage ditches, wetlands and/or lakes. This helps reduce soil erosion and remove pollutants in order to improve water quality while enhancing wildlife habitat. The width of a filter strip along one of these waterbodies is usually between 30 to 120 feet wide, but can be extended out farther due to factors such as frequently flooded areas.

Filter strip contracts tend to be smaller in acres than some of the other CRP practices while still providing benefits. They take out those wet areas along streams and wetlands which tend to be troublesome for landowners anyway. They can help square up fields, which makes it easier to farm the rest especially with the large equipment these days. If a landowner placed a 40 foot wide filter strip on both sides of a drainage ditch that ran half a mile, they would only be taking about 4.8 acres of land out of production and would still get paid for it! A filter strip contract will receive an annual rental payment with a 20 percent incentive on top, cost-share, SIP and PIP. Buffers required under the current Minnesota Buffer Law would be good candidates for the Filter Strip (CP21) CRP practice and would allow landowners to receive up to 15 years of payments on enrolled acres.

Shelterbelt Establishments The shelterbelt practice

(CP16A) is to provide protection for structures, animals and people. Additional benefits include reduction of soil erosion by wind, management of snow deposition, visual and noise screens, and creation of wildlife habitat.

Shelterbelts enrolled are eligible to plant three to eight rows of trees through CRP. Usually a variety of different trees are planted, including shrubs, deciduous trees and coniferous trees. A 16.5 foot buffer is allowed on the outside rows, which is nice to have along cropped areas to avoid impacts from chemicals. Shelterbelt practices will receive an annual rental payment along with cost-share, SIP, and PIP. State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) SAFE is a CRP practice that came out back in 2008 to restore grassland habitats to enhance pheasant and other wildlife populations. This practice requires blocks of land 10 acres to 40 acres in size.

Land less than 10 acres can be enrolled if it is added to an existing block of grass and the two combined equal over 10 acres. The land will be planted to native grasses and forbs with a minimum of 15 species.

A couple of options that have made this practice successful in Stevens County are the enrollment of irrigation corners and food plots. Irrigation corners are one of the exceptions to the 10 acre minimum blocks. Food plots have also been drawing in landowners because many practices don’t allow them. Land enrolled under this practice will receive an annual rental payment, cost-share, SIP, and PIP. These are just a few of practices that are eligible for CRP. If any of these spark your interest or if you have another idea in mind, feel free to call 589-4886, or stop in and talk to our NRCS/SWCD staff to see what you may be eligible for.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Page 3

Beautify your Property with a Rain Garden Rain gardens have been very much in demand in recent years.

You ask yourself what is a rain garden? A rain garden is a garden that has a shallow depression in the middle of it. It is planted with a variety of colorful perennial plants or wet prairie wildflowers and grasses that not only beautify your property, but also serve a very beneficial function. They are designed to capture and filter runoff from impervious areas such as roofs, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks.

They keep the unfiltered runoff from being sent down the sewer and eventually to the river.

Typically, but not always we will tile in the downspouts from the roof of your house to the middle of the garden. This also

helps divert water from running down the foundation of your house and eventually draining into your basement, reducing potential home flooding.

Plants that can withstand more moisture are planted in the bottom of the garden, and the other plants are planted on the side of the slope. Keep in mind that a spot that stays wet over a period of time is not a good spot for a rain garden. The garden is designed to hold standing water for less than a 24-48 hour period. These gardens can be large or small depending on the amount of runoff that will be captured. Some of the many benefits of rain gardens are: filtering runoff pollution, recharging local groundwater, improving water quality, remov-

ing standing water in your yard which reduces mosquito breeding, and creating habitat for birds, bees, and butterflies.

Rain gardens generally feature native flowers and grasses with a lot of color to make them attractive and will bloom at all times of the summer.

In 2015 Stevens SWCD installed 17 rain gardens within the Pomme de Terre watershed. These gardens were partially funded through the Pomme de Terre River Association and the Clean Water Legacy Fund and also with federal 319 grant funding, which focuses on water quality. If you are out of the Pomme de Terre watershed we might also be able to get you State Cost Share to help with the cost of your project. The cost-share money avail-

able to residents covers designing and installing rain gardens on their property. This cost share can help pay for all costs associated with design, construction and planting of a rain garden, up to 75% of the total project cost. If you as the property owner do some of the work, your time will be used towards the total cost of the project, which can help keep your out-of-pocket costs down considerably.

If you are interested in a rain garden on your property and helping the environment with the collection of storm water runoff and habitat for pollinators stop into the office or call. Funds are available on a first come first served basis. If you are interested please contact John or Matt at Stevens SWCD at (320) 589-4886.

Ennen our District 2 Commissioner

Jeanne Ennen is the Stevens County District 2 commissioner. She was born and raised in Stevens County and currently lives on a farm east of Donnelly that has been in her family since 1869. She has been married to husband Dale for 31 years and they have two sons, Daniel who owns a business and lives in Herman and Brian who

is married to Laura and lives in Morris. Their sons are the sixth generation of Jeanne’s family to live here in Stevens County.

As a commissioner, Jeanne attends the Stevens SWCD meetings as one of the committees she is assigned to. She says she has learned a lot about the different conservation practices placed around the county to reduce erosion and improve water quality. Jeanne also serves on the board of the Pomme de Terre River Association and attends the Bois de Sioux watershed meetings, in addition to serving on several other committees for the county.

Erickson Wetland Specialist

Adam Erickson contracted with the Stevens Summer Minnesota Conservation Corps intern, Dylan Klein, helping Assistant Technician John Lembcke with construction of a SWCD beginning in Ocrain garden. tober of 2015 to complete Certified Wetland Determinations under a contribution agreement with NRCS. Adam had spent four years working with

the NRCS as a Wetland Specialist. He received a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from Bemidji State University in 2006. In the past he had worked seasonally for the Stevens SWCD between high school and college. Adam grew up locally on a farm near Donnelly, raising grassfed beef cattle. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, working on the farm and being outdoors hunting, fishing or out on the pontoon. Adam currently lives in Cyrus with his wife Katie and two sons Callan and Kadam.

Staebler our Office Manager

Completed rain garden with a rock river running into it.

Chris Staebler has been our Office Manager since the fall of 2005. Her main role is to provide support to (Left) Rendsville 4H Chapter the SWCD board and staff, helping with construction of as well as to the Pomme de

Terre Joint Powers Board and its technical committee. She oversees the financial recordkeeping and daily operations at the office and helps with field work when needed.

Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota Morris with a degree in English. She has worked in Morris since then and lives with her husband and two sons south of town.

When not at work, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, and watching her sons play sports.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Page 4 - Saturday, March 5, 2016

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Planting Native Grass for Habitat In 2015 the Stevens SWCD planted about 600 acres of native grasses. In the spring of the year native grass seeding can be completed from May 15 through the end of June.

It may also be seeded dormant in the fall of the year, once soil temperatures drop below 50 degrees for four consecutive days. That is usually around November 1, and we will plant dormant seed until the ground is too frozen for the no-till grass drill to penetrate the soil. We recommend that you try to plant in the spring of the year to give all of your warm and cool season grasses a chance to establish, but that being said, that doesn’t always work well with some sites. Many of these sites are marginal with poor planting conditions and might have to be seeded in the fall when it dries out.

In these cases, dormant seeding can also yield a good stand of native grasses once established.

The ideal way to plant native grasses is through a no-till-drill. This ensures

that you have good seed to soil contact which is necessary for good seed germination. Another method used is to broadcast your seed. Broadcasting works well on problem sites that you can’t get to with a drill.

If you are broadcasting seeding, you are going to have to apply the seed at one and a half times the rate per acre, which adds extra cost in seed. We do highly recommend if you are going to broadcast your seed that you roll your site again after seeding to make sure of good seed-to-soil contact.

Seeding 90 acres of Native grasses on CRP in Swan Lake Township.

Site prep is very often over-looked when it comes should be either mowed or the first year when they essary water and nutrito the establishment of the stalks chopped before actually have a good ents and they also shade native grasses. Native planting. Better yet would stand. Native grasses and smother the young grasses must be planted in be to plow, disc at least g r o w d o w n , n o t u p , plants. Weeds need to be a firm, weed-free seedbed, twice and pack before during the establishment controlled, chemically primarily because success planting. New sites should year. The top growth or with tillage, prior to depends upon good soil- be worked, rolled, and normally amounts to seeding. Mowing weeds to-seed contact. Loose soil sprayed once or twice to a narrow, straight leaf the first year is important dries out quickly at the reduce weed competition until late summer. These to prevent the seedlings surface compared to firm and provide a nice seed seedlings can be hard to from being choked or soil, and native grass seed bed. It is also nice if we can see, even for the experi- smothered. The first year, enced grower. Be patient. you should mow three is planted only an eighth plant into bean stubble.

You have to also give Weeds are the greatest times if possible. The first to a quarter inch deep.

No-till is best if planting your site a chance to cause of poor grass stands mowing should be quick, into soybean stubble. If grow. Most growers of because they challenge about three or four weeks planting into corn stubble, native grasses are con- the small seedlings in two after seeding. Mow the at a minimum, the site vinced they have a failure ways: they take away nec- first time at a height of

four to six inches. The next two times you mow should be at a height no less than eight inches.

You should mow every three weeks or when weeds are visible, depending on the amount of precipitation, with the last mowing done by the last week of July.

If you prepare the site correctly, plant the seed correctly, and clip the site a few times the first year, you will more than likely have a good stand in one year. If you plant correctly but do not follow the maintenance directions, it may take up to three years to establish a good stand. Stevens SWCD has a wide variety of fresh, high quality, certified native grass and flower seed from sources as local as possible. We have the equipment and expertise to help you do your seeding. Give Matt a call at 589-4886 ext 3 if you have any questions or are interested in planting some natives. Stevens SWCD has the right equipment for any job, from planting to mowing.

2015 Local Water Plan Program Report Welcome Haseman as Soil Conservation Technician The Stevens County Local Water Management Plan funds several projects that are administered or coordinated by the Stevens SWCD Office, or the Stevens County Environmental Services Office.

In 2015, a total of $19,541 was allocated towards water plan activities. Here is a brief summary of work that was completed using this funding. Additional funds may be spent through the end of the grant period, which is June 30, 2016.

The Coordinator position at the Scandia Woods Environmental Learning Lab is funded by the water plan. The Coordinator receives a total of $3000 from the water plan, in addition to $2000 in other funding from Stevens County Environmental Services, to conduct classes and educational offerings for students in Stevens County. Ranger Randee, SWELL Coordinator, taught multiple spring and fall lessons for elementary students. She has also developed different lesson plans for teachers to use during self-directed tours at SWELL. Cost share of 50 percent per well, up to $300, was provided to several landowners to help defray

the cost of sealing existing wells, for a total of $640.

Two educational programs, Whale in the Classroom and Wonder of Wolves, were presented to Stevens County students early in the year, and coordinated by Stevens SWCD staff. A total of $2500 was spent on presenting and coordinating these programs. $500 was allocated towards the Area 2 Junior and Senior Envirothons.

Each year the Area 2 Soil and Water Conservation Districts work together to organize a regional environmental competition for high schools students.

Funding was obtained from area SWCDs, local water plans, and other outside donors. Judy Johnston, Stevens SWCD Education Coordinator, has been the coordinator of this event for several years.

Stevens SWCD worked on a service learning project at Morris Area High School. $700 was allocated for the Pope & Stevens County Water Fest. Staff from the Stevens and Pope SWCDs organized this event. Over 300 sixth grade students from both counties attended the 10th annual event. The program is

a Farm Bill Technician, whose job is to recruit and assist landowners enrolling land into the various continuous CRP farm programs that focus on water quality. The majority of funding for this position is obtained through the BWSR and Pheasants Forever. These organizations require a partial local match as well.

Local funds come from Stevens SWCD, $2000 from the water plan, and local watershed districts. $1750 is paid to Stevens SWCD to fund a small portion of the cost of the State Envirothon Coordinator position. Judy Johnston, Education/Outreach Coordinator at Stevens SWCD will continue as the State Envirothon Coordinator. She spends approximately 25% of her time working on these duties as they relate to the Envirothon around the state.

There were administrative expenses of $1120 paid in 2015, including staff time, travel, meeting expenses, advertising and office supplies.

very well-received by the schools because of the opportunity to get outside the classroom and learn hands-on about water, including topics such as the water cycle, water conservation, nitrate testing, lakeshore habitat, and ground water. To help make the event a success, several other public and private organizations provided donations to the project. $900 was allocated to the Pope & Stevens County Conservation Day. Staff from Stevens & Pope SWCDs organized this event as well. This program was offered to fifth grade students in those counties.

300 students attended this year’s event. The event was held at SWELL near Morris. Students moved between various outdoor learning stations with topics including: Raptors, Reptiles & Amphibians, Mammals, Soils, Waterfowl, Wetlands, Mirrors of Minnesota, Prairie Wildlife, Controlled Burning, Water Quality, Nature’s Stock market, Geocaching, and Orienteering.

Stevens SWCD employs

The new NRCS Soil Conservation Technician, Britta Haseman, joined us in August of this year.

She previously worked as the Pope County Farmbill Technician where she helped with programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM). Britta grew up in Champlin, MN and completed degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

She currently resides in Morris with her husband and two children. On the weekends, Britta likes to attend baseball games, go to her cabin, and spend time with her family and friends. In our office, Britta helps enroll and manage contracts for the

Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Wetland Reserve Easement Program (WRE). If you are interested in a program or need assistance with a concern on your land feel free to set up an appointment with her.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Page 5

Planting Trees for Conservation District Administrator

In 2015, Stevens SWCD planted over 7000 trees on 23 sites in Stevens County. We also laid almost 38,000 feet of mulch fabric over 16 sites. There are two common costshare programs Stevens SWCD deals with when planting trees: CRP and EQIP. Within those programs, the most common practices are shelterbelts, living snow fences, field windbreaks, riparian buffers and wildlife plantings. Both of these programs offer some form of cost share, but all pay a little differently. They are both at least 10 year contracts, which means that you as the land owner are responsible for making sure that the trees are there for the length of the contract. If you have some trees that die it will be your responsibility to replace those trees. We are more than happy to help you determine which program is your best option.

Just like every conservation practice, site prep is the first thing that needs to be addressed when planning to plant trees.

If you are planting into a preexisting grove, it needs to be clear of all trees, roots and other debris. We prefer that you do this the summer before the spring planting so you can work the ground serval times to remove all of the roots.

This is important to ensure good planting conditions and the ongoing health of the trees. If you are planting into land that was previously farmed, we ask that the land be worked as if you were going to crop it the following year. Site prep is often overlooked and is the most important part of establishing a nice planting.

The tree varieties we sell do very well for the most part in our area. In some cases, they don’t though. So it is very important for you to plan ahead and determine if the trees you want are compatible with your soil

Solemsaas

Matt Solemsaas has been the District Administrator at Stevens SWCD since December 2005.

He is responsible for overseeing daily district activities, budgeting, grant writing, supervising and directing District personnel, and working with the Board of Supervisors. Matt coordinates the native grass program including sales, planting, planning, and implementation. He also administers state programs such as RIM and the MN Wetland Conservation Act, and is responsible for implementing the Local Water Management Plan.

Matt also serves as the County Ag Inspector. He is the past President of the Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees and a member of the working group that developed the Walk-In Access hunting program in Minnesota.

Matt graduated from

types. We are more than happy to help you with this and give advice on what trees are best suited in your landscape.

We also recommend that you plant multiple varieties of trees within the same row. The reason we recommend this is that if some unknown disease comes out like we have seen with Dutch Elm Disease or Emerald Ash Borer, it doesn’t wipe out your entire row of trees. Generally, we recommend you have two or three different varieties of deciduous trees in the same row.

Stevens SWCD also strongly suggests that you lay a fabric weed barrier around your trees along with installing trees tubes on larger varieties. The fabric weed barrier helps

a lot with minimizing weed growth. It doesn’t totally eliminate it, but does help significantly.

You might have to go out and still weed around the trees a few times a year.

Tree tubes are almost a must in our area. The tree tubes prevent wildlife from eating on the fresh growth of the tree, which can set it back drastically or even kill the tree. They do make a huge difference in the performance of the trees. Stevens SWCD also sells a product called Plantskydd that is used to repel wildlife from your trees. This might have to be applied a few times throughout the year. Even with tree tubes and weed barrier fabric, water is very important the first year of your tree planting,

especially during extreme hot dry periods. Keeping trees well-watered and weed free is very important in establishment. A little extra work in the beginning makes a huge difference in the success of your planting.

Stevens SWCD is currently taking tree orders for spring 2016. This includes planning and planting plans for conservation, as well as small orders for trees that need to be replaced or that you want to plant yourself.

The order deadline is March 15, so call now to see what trees we have available, and to find out if you are eligible to receive cost share. For more information, contact John at 320-589-4886 ext 3.

North Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries & Wildlife Zoology. Prior to working at the District, Matt worked at the U of M WCROC as an Assistant Scientist in the soils department, as a Habitat Biologist for California Waterfowl Association in Sacramento, and as a Private Lands Biologist for Ducks Unlimited in North Dakota. He is Assistant Chief on the Morris Fire Department and resides in Morris with wife Angie and five kids Abbie, Andrew, Annika, Abby, and Nicholas.

Solemsaas Serves as County Agricultural Inspector Minnesota Extension Service in the Stevens County Courthouse. Pesticide applicators licenses are issued by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Any questions regarding certification can be directed to Matt Solemsaas at (320) 5894886 ext 112.

When you are ready to schedule the exam: 1. Contact Matt Solemsaas for appointment.

2. Fill out application and pay licensing fee either online at the Dept of Ag website or in person the day of testing.

3. What to bring on test day: • Payment or proof of payment if application made ahead of time • Number 2 pencils • Valid photo ID & calculator If you have any questions about noxious weeds in Stevens County, stop

by Stevens SWCD or call (320)589-4886 ext 112.

The duties of the County Agricultural Inspector (CAI) are to inspect all land in the county for the presence of prohibited noxious weeds. This is done with assistance from local weed inspectors (township and city officials or their appointees). If you would like to report noxious weeds, please contact your local township or city official to begin the investigation process.

Another duty of the CAI is to help enforce the seed law. A sufficient amount of seed is collected and tested each year to ensure the protection of the citizens and businesses in the county through truthfully labeled seed and for fair competition.

The CAI also administers the pesticide applicators test for commercial applicators. Study materials can be obtained from the University of

Minnesota Conservation Corps Summer intern Dylan Klein.

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Page 6 - Saturday, March 5, 2016

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Information on Minnesota Buffer Law Minnesota Buffer Law Information collected from the Board of Soils and Water Resources (BWSR) & Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR).

When do Buffers need to be in place?

• November 1, 2017: Buffers in place on all public waters • November 1, 2018: Buffers in place on all public drainage systems

Defining a Buffer Vegetated riparian buffers are strips of land with permanent vegetation designed to intercept storm water runoff and minimize soil erosion. Buffers help reduce the amount of sediment and pollutants (ex: phosphorus & nitrogen) carried by runoff to nearby lakes, wetlands, streams.

Why do we need them?

Multiple studies have been conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and other agencies that show that buffers are critical to protecting and restoring water quality, healthy aquatic life, natural stream functions and aquatic habitat due to their immediate proximity to the water. The perennial vegetation acts as a filter for sediment.

Additionally the combination of soil microbes and perennial vegetation helps to facilitate the transformation and uptake of potential pollutants which in turn protects our surface waters.

Who is responsible for enforcement?

Counties or watershed districts will be the first point of contact when noncompliance is identified. If a landowner fails to install buffers on identified waters, penalties may include a $500 fine.

What is required?

Under current law, required buffer widths would be: • An average of 50 feet, minimum of 30 feet, on public waters • A minimum of 16.5 feet on public drainage systems (ex: county drainage ditches not listed as a protected water) • Buffer recommendations for other waters will be determined by Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) How will implementation of the program work?

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, which oversees the new law, is

working to get program details developed. Landowners may install buffers on their own at any time, or can wait until the buffer protection maps are complete around July of 2016. The local SWCD will provide technical assistance and answer questions about financial assistance options. Landowners also have the option of working with their SWCD to determine if other alternative practices aimed at protecting water quality can be used.

What is available for financial assistance?

The implementation of the 2015 Buffer Law relies on fi-

nancial assistance and technical support from the many federal, state and local entities available to offer support to landowners.

Federal Farm Bill programs such as Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Continuous CRP and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are available to support the installation of buffers. Other state resources include: Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) easement program, Conservation Cost-Share and the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.

Where do I go for more information?

Please contact the Stevens County SWCD at 320-589-4886 ext 3 for more information about buffers and local requirements.

For more information on the new buffer law in general please visit one of the following links: •www.bwsr.state.mn.us/ buffers/ •http://www.dnr.state. mn.us/buffers/index.html •http://www.mda.state. mn.us/protecting/conservation/practices/buffergrass. aspx

Conservation Day at SWELL Over 300 fifth grade students and teachers enjoyed a fun day in the outdoors on Thursday, October 1. Students from all schools in Pope and Stevens counties were invited to learn about conservation and the environment at SWELL (Scandia Wood Environmental Learning Lab), just east of Morris.

This was our ninth year for the event at SWELL. The hands-on interactive learning sessions included “Raptors,” presented by the Audubon Center of the North Woods. The students had a chance to meet live raptors and learn about their characteristics and habitats.

The raptors included a red hawk, screech owl, great horned owl, and an American kestrel. Other sessions included Mammals, Mirrors of Minnesota, Soils, Wetlands, Water-

fowl, Controlled Burning, Prairie Wildlife, Nature’s Stock Market, Geocaching, and Orienteering.

The day also included another Audubon Center presentation on “Reptiles and Amphibians,” which was a huge hit with the students. They had a lot of fun working with the frogs, snakes and lizards.

The program was coordinated by Judy Johnston of Stevens SWCD. Our presenters and volunteers that day were staff from Pope SWCD, Stevens SWCD, USDA-ARS Soils Lab, North Fork Crow River Watershed, NRCS, US Fish and Wildlife, Audubon Center of the North Woods, and SWELL Coordinator Randee Hokanson.

Event sponsors include: Pope and Stevens SWCDs, Stevens and Pope County Local Water

Plans, Pope County Land & Resource Management, North Fork Crow River Watershed District, Hancock Sportsman’s Club, Pope County Pheasant Restoration, Gobblers of Glacial Ridge, Glenwood Fire Department, Sauk River Watershed District, Brooten Commercial Club, Bremer Bank, Glenwood Rotary Club, Bank of the West, Stevens County Historical Society, Donnelly Rod and Gun, Lawn & Driveway Service, Stevens County Pheasants Forever and Minnewaska JCs. Special thanks to the SWCD staff of Stevens and Pope counties and to our session presenters and volunteers, as well as SWELL landowners Linda & Karl Retzlaff, for making this an outstanding event for our fifth grade students.

Administrative Assistant Wiechmann

County. Before joining the NRCS, Kasey worked

• Residential • New Construction • Service Work • Commercial • Remodeling • Repairs • Sewer Maintenance Including Stevens County Area

with the Stevens SWCD as a conservation intern in the fall/winter of 2014 and worked on developing promotional materials for the district, including information about conservation efforts within the Mustinka Watershed and aquatic invasive species within the county.

Britta Haseman, Stevens NRCS Soil Conservation Technician, shares her knowledges of wetlands and how they work at Conservation Day at SWELL.

Project Coordinator Jared House Jared House is the Project Coordinator for the Pomme de Terre River Association. His duties include the coordination of the water efforts of the six counties within the Pomme de Terre Watershed (Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Swift, and Otter Tail). The group works with local landowners, private groups, and government agencies to help improve the water quality of the Pomme de

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Kasey Wiechmann joined the NRCS as an administrative assistant in February 2015. She divided her time between the Pope and Stevens County NRCS offices helping to process wetland determinations and keeping conservation program files up to date. Kasey will continue the position full time in 2016 in Pope

Fifth grade students from Stevens and Pope counties enjoy a day in the outdoors at 2015 Conservation Day at SWELL.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Page 7

Stevens SWCD 2015 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) Enrollment Continues to grow in Stevens County Outstanding Conservationists CSP is a program that rewards great conservation management that has been taking place on a producer’s operation and also allows for furthering that great management through enhancements that are implemented during the contract. The list of activities to choose from is extensive and applies to cropland, hayland, The Conservation Stewardship Program rewards producers for pastureland, rangeland conservation management on their farm. and non-industrial private forestland. Contracts ers to gain a financial being more efficient and are for five years and benefit for being a great sustainable.

Some of the activities to have a maximum value of steward of their land and $40,000 annually per in- improving their manage- further improve managedividual operator. This is ment strategies on their ment that are being done a tremendous opportunity operation, not to mention in Stevens County include for farmers and ranch- the returns gained from GPS guidance for chem-

ical applications, drift reducing nozzles, variable rate fertilizer technology, tissue testing on corn, continuous no-till, cover crops, buffer strips, control release Nitrogen applications, split Nitrogen applications, pasture monitoring, food plots for wildlife, pollinator habitat and the list goes on.

In 2015, Stevens County was able to enroll new CSP contracts and re-enroll contracts that started in 2011 for another 5 years!

We currently have over 25,400 acres enrolled in CSP. Stop by our office and see what CSP can do for you and your operation.

Wetland Restoration through Conservation Programs This fall was very busy with the completion of four wetland restoration projects. All together there were 229 acres of wetlands restored. The wetlands varied in size from large semi-permanent wetlands to small seasonal wetlands. We used embankments, water control structures, and scrapes to achieve the landowners’ restoration goals. Along with the adjacent uplands, these restorations will go far to improve wildlife habitat and water quality.

One of the biggest proj-

ects of the year restored 64 acres of wetlands. It required a very large water control structure that regulated the flow of water downstream. The wetland basin was being drained by ditches and tile. The main drainage ditch was over six feet deep and is used to drain hundreds of acres upstream. We placed the structure in the ditch at the junction of the road to maximize the wetland area which created a large wetland spanning over 60 acres. The size of the wetland is controlled by

Water Control Structure Installation

Wetland Restoration Embankment with Scrape

the structure. It sets a very specific height to the wetland pool. Once the water reaches the top of the structure wall it falls inside going through the culvert downstream to the original ditch.

The wetlands were restored through the RIM/ WRE Program which partners state and federal funds. Right now landowners can enroll their land into WRE or CRP. In the future they may also be able enroll their land in RIM or CREP. Each of these programs restore

the function and value of the wetlands that have been lost through conventional farming and drainage practices. The restored wetlands slow the movement of water across the land, reducing the effects of flash rain events. This will reduce sedimentation, nutrients and damage due to excess water. Landowners that have low productivity areas due to excess water or poor drainage are encouraged to seek conservation minded solutions.

Mark and Robyn Lampert, Stevens SWCD Outstanding Conservationists in 2015, were honored at the MASWCD Convention in December by the Farmer Magazine. The convention was held in Bloomington.

Congratulations to Mark and Robyn Lampert of Chokio for being selected as Stevens County’s Outstanding Conservationists. Mark and Robyn are shown here on their farm in rural Chokio. They also have two sons Kyle and Luke that are active in the farming operation.

They have been grazing cattle on WRP, and will also graze them on their cover crops after harvest this fall. The farm is the homestead of Mark’s mom. Lamperts farm over 1100 acres, of which 600 are certified organic. They raise organic blue corn, sunflowers, alfalfa, and barley. On the conventional side they raise yellow corn, soybeans, and large sunflowers. In addition they have 35 acres

in CRP filter strips and several farmstead windbreaks.

Lamperts feel diversity on a small farm is key. They raise hogs for gilt replacements and they have a natural cow calf operation. Mark and Robyn are dedicated to soil health and they try to minimize chemical use on their edible crops.

Under the federal Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Lamperts’ projects include cover crops on their corn, sunflowers and barley.

This includes interseeding radishes, rye and clover with the crops.

Congratulations to Mark and Robyn for putting conservation first and being outstanding stewards of the land.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Walker Serves Stevens County Increase Public Hunting Areas as District Conservationist through Walk-In-Access Program Cory Walker started working for the Morris NRCS Field Office on May 20, 2013 as District Conservationist. He manages the work completed by USDA-NRCS in Stevens County. He works on addressing landowner’s and operator’s resource concerns. He can assist them in getting financial assistance through a USDA program, which includes EQIP, CSP, WRP or CRP. Walker was raised on a farm near Villard, in Pope

County. He graduated from Minnewaska Area High School and graduated from the University of Minnesota, Crookston

with a degree in Natural Resource Management.

He started with NRCS in 2009 as a Soil Conservationist in Bottineau, ND, and then transferred in 2011 to Clarkfield, MN as a District Conservationist.

Cory, his wife Marybeth and son, along with their two Labrador Retrievers, reside by Villard. Cory enjoys farming with his brother, hunting, fishing and helping his parents with their three acre strawberry farm.

Use of Cover Crops Continues to Grow in Stevens County As world population and food production demands rise, keeping our soil healthy and productive is of paramount importance. So much so that USDA believes improving the health of our nation’s soil is one of the most important conservation endeavors of our time.

A growing number of Stevens County farmers are striving to look at their soil’s health and implement practices that improve soil health. Some farmers are reducing tillage passes, switching from conventional tillage to no-till or strip till, reducing over application of fertilizer, or implementing cover crops into their rotation.

We do have many great resources available to help you design a cover crop mix that meets your goals. We have seen an increased use of cover crops in the county following edible bean harvest. Oats, barley, wheat or rye have been used and spread with fertilizer for the next year’s crops. These small grain cover crops have a later window to seed them and have been working well

following edible bean harvest. These cover crops are showing to be extremely important this winter as we have an open winter and will be important in the spring to keep topsoil from blowing and filling in the ditches. The early fall of 2015 did allow some farmers to drill in a cover crop following soybean harvest with limited success. Cover crops were very successful and established well following small grain harvest or on prevented plant land. Some early sugarbeet harvested ground also was seeded to cover crops. Cover crops in corn can be challenging.

Some have tried flying on a cover crop in late August or broadcasting a cover crop when corn is still short enough to drive a high-boy spreader across. Some farmers we are working with are planning to try seeding a cover crop into corn at the V4-V6 stage while side-dressing fertilizer. Designing a cover crop that can deal with being shaded for a while is challenging when seeding that early. For all cover crops, receiving a rain event shortly after

seeding helps with establishment success. Our recommendation is that if you have growing season left on your farm, plant a cover crop and keep a living root in your soil as long as you can.

Many farmers are trying cover crops on their own and some are utilizing the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) program to help them try a cover crop on their land. Approximately 560 acres was seeded to a mix of cover crops that were to be left un-tilled over winter in EQIP in Stevens County.

The EQIP program provides producers with a good opportunity to try cover crops on their land.

Producers must have an approved EQIP contract to receive payment. Payments in EQIP range from $30-73 per acre, depending on your scenario.

Be sure to work with your crop insurance agent for more details to make sure the cover crop will not interfere with your crop insurance program. Stop by the NRCS office in Morris for more information on cover crops.

Stevens SWCD administers the Walk in Access (WIA) Program in Stevens County. In 2015, Stevens County had 12 sites totaling 1,089 acres under contract. Statewide there are 193 sites enrolled, totaling 21,705 acres across 35 counties in western Minnesota. Locations of the parcels enrolled can be found on the DNR website or an atlas containing the locations can be picked up at a local SWCD office.

WIA is a voluntary program that pays landowners to open up their private land for public hunting.

This program focuses on land already enrolled into a conservation program such as Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Reinvest-In-Minnesota (RIM), or Wetland Reserve Program (WRP).

Areas not in a conservation program that still provide high quality wildlife habitat, like river bottoms or

wetland areas, are also eligible for the program.

To be eligible for the program, areas must contain a minimum of 40 acres to be enrolled. Areas

smaller than 40 acres can be enrolled only if they are adjacent to Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) or other WIA areas that combined contain at least 40 acres.

Landowners can enter into a one-year contract or a multi-year contract and they have the ability to cancel the contract at any time without any penalties. Landowners are

paid $10 per acre for acres enrolled. They can receive an additional $1 per acre for over 140 contiguous acre, land within a half mile of WMAs or WPAs, or if they enter into a multiyear contract.

WIA land is for public hunting only. No target practice, trapping, dog training, camping, horseback riding or fires are allowed. No vehicles are allowed on conservation land. Parking is along roads or in designated parking areas. Once private land is enrolled in the program, bright yellow-green hexagon signs are placed at the property boundaries.

For more information on WIA contact John at the Stevens SWCD office.

Other WIA information can be found on the DNR website at www.mndnr. gov/walkin.

Aquatic Invasive Species – What’s it Have to Do with Stevens County?

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are a continuous threat to our Minnesota waters, including those here locally in Stevens County. As recreational users of the public waters we love, we should take it upon ourselves to be educated on the prevention and potential management of these species. Stevens County is currently free of Aquatic Invasive Species based on the MN DNR Infested Waters List although multiple lakes in the surrounding counties have documented infestations of Eurasian watermilfoil and Zebra mussels. The current state

Cattle grazing a cover crop planted in August.

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law requires boaters to “Clean/ Drain/ Dispose" each time they leave a body of water, regardless of boater intentions to return to the same lake or travel to another body of water. Most local public water accesses have “Help Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers” signs posted as reminders.

Those landings without these signs will be posted early this spring. If you are a boat owner, hunter or make use of public waters for any purpose, please make sure that you take some time to review the necessary information to help prevent further spread of AIS. If you are a

registered boat owner in Stevens County, we will be mailing out an informational brochure “Help Protect Minnesota Waters” in March that will give you a background on where aquatic invasives come from and what you can do to prevent them from spreading. For additional information on Aquatic Invasive Species please visit the MN DNR website @ www.mndnr.gov/ais or stop into our office to look at the informational brochures/factsheets we have available. We can help answer questions for you.

MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Page 9

Annual Conservation Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program Poster Contest Winners Each year, the Stevens Soil & Water Conservation District sponsors a poster contest for fifth and sixth grade students in each of the Stevens County elementary schools. Staff from Stevens SWCD visit each class and present information on a current conservation topic. This year’s topic was “Local Heroes-Your Hardwork-

ing Pollinators”. Students from Morris, Hancock, and St. Mary’s elementary schools listened to presentations by SWCD staff and then submitted individual posters or group murals for our contest. Winners were chosen at each school. Stevens SWCD gave Pollinator t-shirts to each county winner. Next year’s theme will be “We

All Need Trees.”

Congratulations to the Hancock Elementary Poster winners for 2015.

Fifth grade winners: Jed Feuchtenberger, Julia Dodd. Sixth grade: Preston Rohloff, Brandon Kellenberger, Amanda Wevley, Tiffany Schmidgall, and Lindsey Mattson.

St. Mary’s Elementary had seven poster winners in the Stevens SWCD poster and mural contest.

(Left to Right) Fifth grade teacher Mrs. Wieck, Jack Mahoney, Avery Frank and Bobbi Jo Wohlers.

Missing from the photo Haleigh Velde.

The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) offers an opportunity for farmers and agricultural landowners to voluntarily implement conservation practices to improve the water quality of Minnesota’s lakes, rivers and streams.

Individuals that adopt and maintain these practices will be certified under the new program and will receive “regulatory certainty” and would not be subject to new water quality regulations for a period of ten years. Producers would also receive priority for technical and financial assistance to help implement practices promoting water quality. Certification under this program allows individuals to be recognized for their continued commitment to protecting water quality.

MAWQCP Certification began in June of 2014 and

has since initiated numerous structural conservation practices across Minnesota including: Water Quality Inlet Protection, Water and Sediment Control Basins, Agricultural Waste Facilities, Terrace Projects, Streambank Protection Projects, Conservation Cover/Pollinator Plantings, Grassed Waterways, Filter Strips, Field Borders, Cover Crops and Contour Buffers.

MAWQCP was created as a partnership between multiple state and federal

agencies including: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR), Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Stevens SWCD is excited about this program and its potential to help farm owners and operators demonstrate their commitment to clean water and to accelerate the adoption of conservation practices where needed. Initial assessments for the first group of applicants is scheduled for mid-February.

For more information contact Stevens SWCD (320) 589-4886.

Northland Niches Program This fun program which was for both second and fourth graders in Stevens County explored specific adaptations and the ways animals interact with both the living and non-living components of their Eastern Deciduous Forest habitat. Students got to meet first hand and learn about four different live animals including a salamander, snake, porcupine and hawk.

Sixth grade poster winners from St. Mary’s Elementary in 2015 were (Left to Right) Gage Tomoson, Tyler Braegelmann. Missing from the photo was Ivy Kosbab. The theme for 2015 was Local Heroes-Your Hardworking Pollinators.”

(Right) Chokio Alberta students learn about the behaviors and habitat of raptors at the Northland Niches program. McKenzie Anderson got dressed up like an eagle for the program. It was especially interesting to observe the eagles’ wings, eyes, talons, etc.

Stevens Soil and Water Conservation District named local winners in their poster and mural contest. Morris Area Elementary students include: six graders (back row Left to Right) Madi Solvie, Greta Hentges, Sophia Carlsen, Brynna Olson, Emma Heil, Katie Messner, missing from the photo Lexi Gomer. Front row (Left to Right) Sixth graders Chloe Mogard, Emma Bowman, and fifth graders Schylar Tanner and Laura Surerus.

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(Above) Fourth grade student Ava Wayne observes Spike the porcupine, who was shared by the Audubon Center of the North Woods in March 2015, sponsored by Stevens Soil and Water.

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Page 10 - Saturday, March 5, 2016

MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

SWCD Offers Spot Morris Area Schools Excel Spraying and Grass Clipping at Area 2 Envirothon The Area 2 Envirothon, an outdoor educational competition for students, was held April 22 at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center near Spicer. The area event is modeled after state and national competitions. Students in grades nine through 12 are eligible to participate in the senior event. The junior division is designed to introduce sixth through eighth graders to the program. The competition challenges students’ environmental knowledge and problem solving skills at learning stations based on key areas of the environment. Information is presented by natural resource professionals at five stations: wetlands, wildlife, forestry, soils and the 2015 current issue topic “Urban/Community Forestry in Minnesota.”

The students work collaboratively to answer test questions at each station.

In addition, prior to the event, the senior teams prepare a 10 minute oral presentation about the current issue topic that they present at the competition.

Morris Area High School had one high school team competing in 2015. They placed fourth overall and third in the Oral Presentation on “Urban/Community Forestry in Minnesota.”

Stevens SWCD takes an active part in organizing and carrying out the Area 2 Envirothon each year.

We know the importance of teaching youth about our ecology and natural resources and the Envirothon is a great opportunity to do this. We are happy to provide the chance for area students to take part

and are very pleased that our students consistently do well in the competition.

Thanks are in order to the Area 2 Envirothon committee members, session presenters, judges, participating schools and sponsors for making the 2015 Area 2 event possible: Soil and Water Conservation Districts, County Environmental Services offices and local Watershed Districts within Area 2; the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service; US Fish and Wildlife Service; Ag Country Farm Credit Services; and Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center.

Contact Stevens SWCD Education & Promotion Coordinator Judy Johnston at 320-589-4886 ext 114 for more information on organizing a team or sponsoring the local event.

Clipping and spot spraying in combination are very effective ways to manage your conservation site.

We are currently set up to do small sprayings, up to 10 acres, on conservation practices such as CRPs, WRPs, and new seedings.

Spraying is very beneficial in managing your practice because it keeps noxious weeds from taking over your site. Spot spraying allows the land owner to control weeds without totally eliminating the forbs (flowers) in your site.

Along with spraying, Stevens SWCD does offer mowing on all conservation practices. This includes total site mowing or spot mowing of weeds and small trees. In 2015 Stevens SWCD mowed about 350 acres. These mowings were done to control the spread of invasive weeds and voluntary trees, and to promote growth of newly planted sites.

In order to establish a good stand of grass it is essential to mow new plantings for the first one to three years. Many times new seedings will

need to be mowed two or three times the first year depending on the time of year planted and the amount of weed competition. Mowing can be cut back the next couple years, but keep in mind that you still want to clip weeds if they are predominant.

The weeds provide a thick canopy over the grasses that restricts them from needed sunlight and moisture, which is critical in the early stages of building a root base.

Clipping is also done after the grasses are established. Many conservation contracts require some sort of mid-contract maintenance, and on all established seedings, it is important to control invasive weeds and/or voluntary trees. These established sites should be clipped at 8-12 inches high. Probably the biggest problem with invasive weeds in our area is Canada Thistle. Clipping of any invasive weed should be done before the weed goes to seed. If done at the right time, this can be an effective way of controlling these weeds. Also,

many of the conservation contracts do not allow the growth of trees on the site.

These trees can be clipped when they are small to prevent having to go in later with large machinery to remove them. If the trees are too large, it is very expensive to remove them.

With the combination of mowing and spraying we are hoping to control some of these invasive weeds more effectively, especially Canada Thistle, with minimal or no harm to the native flowers. A good method of controlling thistle is to spot clip the thistle patches, before they go to seed, and then come back in the fall, around the end of September or early October, and spot spray those spots when the plant is trying to absorb nutrients for winter. They say that this is a very effective way to control thistle.

Please contact Matt or John at Stevens SWCD, (320)-589-4886 ext 3, if you have any questions or are interested about weed control on your conservation acres.

The Pomme de Terre River Update

Morris Area team placed fourth overall at Area 2 Envirothon, (Left to Right) Eric Staebler, Lindsay Flogstad, Jenna DeRung, Philip Messner and Brittney Cardwell.

Education and Promotion Coordinator Judy Johnston has been with the Stevens SWCD since 1995. As the Education & Promotion Coordinator, she works closely with the education program and promoting the district’s conservation activities. Judy coordinates a variety of environmental education programs for youth as well as adults.

She is the coordinator for both the Area 2 and

State Envirothons for high school students across the state. Judy also helps when needed with district

services and activities in the field and around the office.

Judy is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. She lives on a small farm near Morris with her husband Lee. Judy enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, boating and scrapbooking in her spare time.

The Pomme de Terre River is a valuable natural resource here in west central Minnesota. It helps drain rainwater away from our agricultural, recreational and residential landscape while also providing habitat for many species of plants and animals. Throughout the watershed, the Pomme de Terre River carries water, organisms and nutrients to areas downstream.

For decades, people living in and around the Pomme de Terre River Watershed have been concerned about their river, and rightly so. They have witnessed their river turn muddy brown in periods of high flow and green with algae in spots during periods of low flow. They recognized that these observances would also have an effect on the lakes of the watershed.

In 1981, a group of concerned citizens took action

to begin addressing the issues facing the Pomme de Terre River, its tributaries, and the entire watershed. The group consisted of six Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors and six county commissioners from the counties that have land within the watershed (Stevens, Swift, Grant, Ottertail, Douglas and Big Stone). That group fully implemented a Joint Powers Agreement on August 11, 1981 and called themselves the Pomme de Terre River Association.

While the association had little money to deal with initially, they had, at the very least, set the wheels in motion and eventually things started to happen in the watershed.

Today, the group is a conservation machine!

Within the past six years, the association has received over seven grants that total well over $1.8

million in funding, which were used to implement conservation practices that help reduce non-point source pollution. In 2015 alone, the Pomme de Terre River Association was able to install 15 rain gardens, three shoreline buffers, 36 water & sediment control basins, and provide low interest septic loans to several watershed residents.

Additionally, the association provided funding for local SWCDs to enroll 760.38 acres into federal conservation programs.

The future looks bright for the watershed, as another grant was awarded to the Pomme de Terre River Association in 2016 totaling $115,248.00. To stay up to date with all the changes, events, and projects happening within the association please visit our website at www.pdtriver. org or visit our Facebook page Pomme de Terre River Association.

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MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Morris, Minnesota 56267

Pope and Stevens County Water Fest in its 10th year in Glenwood On September 11, over 300 sixth grade students and teachers from Pope and Stevens counties attended the tenth Annual Pope & Stevens County Water Fest. Students from Minnewaska, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, Morris Area Elementary, St. Mary’s, Hancock, and Glacial Hills attended this year’s event, which was held at the Pope County Fairgrounds in Glenwood.

The students were involved in a day of hands-on learning about the water

cycle, water conservation, macro invertebrates, aquatic intruders, bubbleology, incredible journey and the lake game. The presenters were from various agencies including the Science Museum of Minnesota, Pope & Stevens Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Middle Fork Watershed, MPCA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, North Fork Crow River Watershed District, and the Glenwood DNR office.

Saturday, March 5, 2016 - Page 11

Wetland Conservation Act – WCA for Tiling, Mitigating, or Wetland Banking What is the state law?

The Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) is a state law that regulates the activities that result in the draining, filling, or excavating of wetlands in Minnesota, including those on agricultural land. It is administered by local government units; in rural areas this is usually the County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). SWCDs also provide technical assistance to landowners.

Federal and Minnesota laws were enacted a couple decades ago to address the draining and filling of wetland areas. Both sets of laws rely on the knowledge and actions of landowners to assure compliance with their requirements. It is

important for agricultural producers to be aware of these regulations in order to limit their risk. Landowners need to know that just because you’re in compliance with one program doesn’t always mean that you’re in compliance with others.

What should you do before you start a project?

1. Complete your “AD1026” form for you local USDA office.

2. Bring a copy to the WCA Administrator and explain what you plan to do.

If you are interested in tiling, mitigating or putting some previously drained acres into the wetland bank, the WCA Administrator can advise you if your project is allowed

under WCA or if you need to submit an application to the local government. Involving the WCA Administrator from the beginning is the easiest and best way to avoid problems.

Request a field visit by the WCA administrator.

This can help identify regulated wetlands on your property, and regulations that could affect your project. Many wetlands do not contain standing water or are only saturated for part of the year, and can be difficult for landowners to identify.

If you need a contractor, make sure they submit a “Contractor Liability Form”. Contractors who conduct projects that will impact a wetland are required to notify the local government.

The Contractor Responsibility and Landowner Statement From is available at www.bwsr.state. mn.us/wetlands/forms and must be mailed to the local government prior to starting work.

Communication is the key! Compliance with USDA (Swamp buster) does not mean compliance with other wetland laws. A quick call or stop at your SWCD office prior to beginning your project will help you comply with the laws and save a project from potential additional costs and delays.

The WCA contact for Stevens County is Matt Solemsaas, District Administrator at Stevens SWCD. If you have any questions stop by or call (320)589-4886 ext 112.

Helping Farmers Control Gully Erosion Gullies and washouts caused by concentrated overland water flow can Jared House, Pomme de Terre River Coordinator, shares infor- create major headaches mation on life under water to Morris Area sixth grade students for farmers and landowners in Stevens County. at Water Fest in Glenwood.

Much of Stevens County experienced severe gullies from large rainfalls in a short duration of time in 2015. These gullies and washouts are often un-crossable, degrade the condition of the soil, remove tons of valuable top soil, and remain unproductive areas in a field.

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in Morris has successfully installed many erosion control practices in recent years. These practices typically include a grassed waterway, a lined waterway or a Water and Sediment Control Basin Minnesota Science Museum presents a session on water conservation at Water Fest 2015.

(WASCB). The layout and practice needed to address a resource concern determines the practices used.

Several operators in the county have installed one of these practices and have succeeded in both increasing the productivity of a field and stopping erosion. A grassed waterway involves reshaping the gully channel and seeding it to grass to stabilize that channel. A lined waterway is similar to a grassed waterway, but includes a reinforced matting that lines the waterway. Grass is seeded before installing the matting and grows through the matting. These are typically installed where there is a concern of high volume flows and where grass alone will not hold

the soil in place. A WASCB system works by slowing down surface water by creating small dikes and installing Hicken bottom style tile-inlets upstream of the dike, to draw down retained water in less than 24-48 hours. A WASCB are usually two to six feet tall and can be installed to be farmable with 8:1 side slopes or with a grass slope.

Stevens County has had excellent success in recent years working with landowners to treat their gully erosion concerns.

In 2015, over 25 WASCBs and a lined waterway were installed, and numerous others are planned to be installed in 2016 by operators and landowners in Stevens County, with the assistance of the USDA

EQIP and other local programs.

If you have areas of noticeable erosion on your land please stop at our office and we would gladly discuss which erosion control practice might work best for you and your operation. We have very good maps now and topographic programs that make it easy to pick out erosion trouble spots. We have qualified staff that work with you to design and provide oversight on the project to make sure the practice is installed as designed. Financial assistance is also available from NRCS and/or local government units.

Stop by the office today and let our staff put together a plan to help control erosion on your farm!

Stevens County Producers Continue to Utilize How do Whales EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program relate to Minnesota?

It may sound strange to talk about these marine mammals here in the middle of North America, but it makes perfect sense when you understand that Minnesota shares the same big watershed as these enormous, gentle giants!

Coordinated by the Stevens SWCD and paid for by the Stevens County Water Plan, Stevens County elementary students had the opportunity to learn about features that classify whales and humans into the same animal group, the variety of whales in our oceans, what they eat, how they live and other fascinating details about

whales.

To add even more fun, the “Whale in our School” assembly culminated with a tour inside a life-size model of the biggest whale of all – the Blue Whale!

Classroom workshops dive deeper into ocean life and whale adaptations with experiments and activities to learn more about the amazing features of these gentle giants of our oceans.

This is a favorite classroom presentation among third grade students in Stevens County. They just love the chance to go inside a very life-like 70 foot whale.

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). EQIP provides technical assistance, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental, conservation and energy improvements to their operations. This assistance is to help landowners implement structural, vegetative, management practices, and Conservation Activity Plans (CAP).

Some common practices in Stevens County are cover crops, grassed waterways, water and sediment control basins, terraces, converting irrigation systems to

EQIP technical and fi nancial assistance is available for rotation grazing systems.

low pressure systems, nutrient management, pest management, notill, strip-till, closure of waste impoundments, brush management, conservation crop rotation to organic production, seasonal high tunnels, drainage water management, windbreaks/shel-

terbelts, native prairie seeding, prescribed burning, and rotational grazing systems consisting of fence, pipeline, well, water tanks, and pasture seeding. If you have a resource concern on your land, EQIP probably has a practice that may be eligible for financial assistance

that could fix your resource concern. Producer must be signed up in EQIP and be in compliance with all USDA Farm Bill provisions in order to receive financial assistance.

In2015,over2,170acres had practices installed to treat resource concerns in Stevens County. Practices included cover crops, shelterbelt windbreaks and soil erosion control.

If you have future plans, contact us soon so we can do good onsite evaluation of the site to address ideas for treating your resource concerns and generate a good plan so you are not rushing into a project.

Funding preference is also given to complete plans.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Contract Technician Assistant Technician

Ecology Bus Center presenter Chrystal Dunker of New Elm, shares life as a whale with 3rd grade students at Morris Area.

Did you know a baby blue whale consumes 90 gals of whale’s milk per day? Did you know it has 50% fat to keep their bodies warm? Morris Area 3rd grade students learn how whales relate to Minnesota water at the “Whale in our School Program,” sponsored by Stevens Soil and Water.

Matt Rose started work at the Stevens County NRCS Field Office in Morris in May 2012. He is the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Contract Technician, a position coordinated by Ducks Unlimited. The goal of the position is to acquire land for wetland restoration. This increases native habitat which in turn will increase wildlife populations. Rose provides technical service to current WRP easements and to landowners that are interested in enrolling their land into the WRP. Along with Stevens County, Matt also works on WRP easements in Big Stone and Swift counties.

Matt grew up in North Dakota and graduated high school in Minnesota. He attended St. Cloud State

University where he received his degree in Field Biology-Wildlife Management. Through the years he has been an active volunteer with the Minnesota DNR, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and the Wildlife Society. When not at work Matt enjoys fishing hunting, camping and spending time with his friends and family.

John Lembcke started employment with Stevens SWCD in April 2013. As the district’s Assistant Technician, he works with planting native grasses, trees, rain gardens, and with weed control. He resides in Morris where he was born and raised.

After high school John attended Minnesota State University Moorhead and received a degree in Business Administrations. Following college he returned back to Morris and worked for Lembcke’s Garage for nine years. John is presently serving as Second Assistant Chief with the Morris Fire Department,

which he has been a member of since 2006. When not working, John enjoys playing slow pitch softball, golfing, hunting, ice fishing, and playing darts.

Most of all he enjoys being with friends and family.

MORRIS SUN TRIBUNE - SWCD

Page 12 - Saturday, March 5, 2016

Morris, Minnesota 56267

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