The Cowley County Conservation District is a sub-division of the State of Kansas, operated by a locally elected board of super-visors. Our agency is housed in the same USDA Service Center as the Natural Resources Conser-
vation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at 2118 E 9th Street in Winfield.
Cowley County Conservation District Board of Supervisors
Joe Clark, Chairman
Don Donley, Vice Chairman
Charles Hunter, Treasurer
Jim McClung, Supervisor
Marvin Duncan, Supervisor
Jennifer Carr,
Water Quality Coordinator
Wanda jackson
Conservation District
Manager
Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Barry Barber,
District Conservationist
Jess Biddle,
Conservation Technician
Kristen Cuevas,
Soil Conservationist
Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday – 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (620) 221-1850 ext. 3
FAX: (620) 221-4162
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
The Conservation District Board meetings are held in the USDA Service Center building the third Wednesday of every month and are open to the public.
CONSERVATION COMMENTS
Cowley County Conservation District
December 2008
District Annual Meeting & Dinner
Cowley County farmers and ranchers will be recognized by the Kansas Banker’s Association for implementation of sound conservation practices for cropland, grazing lands, and wildlife habitats on February 5, 2009. Shane Suther, Cowley County Key Banker, Union State Bank, will present Conservation Awards to Don and Donna Schoeni, and Eleanor Bair. These awards are for completion of conservation systems on cropland.
The Wildlife Award will be given for continued efforts in promoting wildlife habitat.
The Conservation District will present the Rangeland Management Award to Rex and Shirley Hoyt for their excellence in management of range and
pasture resources.
Winners from the 2008 Poster
and Limerick contest will also be recognized at that time. Jenna Groene, Jordan Byrd, Saydi Loewer, Sandie Scott, Brianna Hulse and Brayden Enderud will
receive t-shirts for their entries in the contest.
During the business meeting, the district will give a full report of district activities, and hold an election to fill two supervisor positions, and election of officers.
The meal will be sponsored by the banks of Cowley county. Reservations are required, and may be made through January 30, 2009.
Annual Meeting
Thursday, February 5,
2009
Registration — 6 p.m.
Dinner — 6:30 p.m.
Baden Square
Equipment Rental
Need to plant some grass this spring? Need to move some soil for terraces? Or do you need to sprig some Bermuda? We can help you out.
The Cowley County Conservation District owns 3 10 ft. Great Plains grass drills, an 8 ft. Truax drill, a Bermuda sprigger and a Rowse carry-all scraper. We also have a fire swatter, a drip torch, a root plow and a tree planter.
Grass drills can be used for planting brome, native, rye, fescue, or many other types of grass in the county. These drills are available for $7 per acre, with a $50 minimum charge. (There is a $25 fee for out-of-county use).
For doing work on terraces, fields, and waterways, we have the Rowse carry-all scraper. It is a three-yard scraper designed for use with a 2-wheel drive tractor. It is best suited for
light-duty, low-volume earth moving.
The Rowse scraper is great for rebuilding terraces, cleaning up waterways, or moving dirt from one location to another. The Rowse scraper can be a great tool for doing work that the producer can do without hiring a contractor. Contact the Conservation District Office to rent any of the drills, the sprigger, or the scraper.
Upper Timber Creek Watershed
The Upper Timber Creek (UTC) Producer Advisory Committee has begun the process of developing a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS). The WRAPS will assist the UTC in setting short- and long-term goals for the watershed. Jenni Carr, Water Quality Coordinator, with the assistance of Ron Graber and Jeremy Nelson, K-State Researach and Extension, are helping Upper Timber Creek develop their plan.
A WRAPS plan gives UTC the opportunity to apply for grant funds through KDHE and the EPA to use for conservation practices. Upper Timber Creek Producer Advisory Committee strives to assist landowners and operators in the Upper Timber Creek Watershed implement conservation practices with cost-share funds provided by the City of Winfield. The goal of the advisory committee is to reduce the siltation and pollutants that find a path into the Winfield City Lake.
UTC Conservation Projects
Stakeholders in the Upper Timber Creek watershed have been implementing conservation practices with cost-share assistance from the City of Winfield. These projects include water and sediment control basins, rock chutes and tile outlet terraces. The purpose of these structures is to reduce sediment and pollution entering into Timber Creek. Stakeholders interested in implementing conservation projects can contact Jenni Carr, Water Quality Coordinator at 620-221-1850 ext 35 for more information.
New sign at the Winfield City Lake
Click to Enlarge
“To make a long winter short, have your farm loan payment due in April!”
Conservation Compliance: What You Need To Know
By: Kristen Cuevas, Soil Conservationist
Do the words “Conservation Compliance” make you nervous? The provisions put forth in the Food Security Act of 1985 and incorporated into the current Farm Bill regarding Highly Erodible Land (HEL), breaking out HEL that is permanent native vegetation for cropland use (Sodbusting), and converting wetlands to cropland (Swampbusting) affect your farm program benefits from commodity to conservation payments. It is vital that you understand why these provisions were put in place and how to keep yourself in compliance.
The HEL and Swampbuster provisions were put in place with four objectives in mind that are not only good for the environment as a whole right now, but also preserve the land for future generations. The 2002 Farm Bill outlines them as follows:
- Reduce soil loss due to wind and water erosion
- Protect the Nation’s long-term capability to produce food and fiber
- Reduce sedimentation and improve water quality
- Assist in preserving the functions and values of the Nation’s wetlands
So how do you know if your land is highly erodible or a wetland? Let’s look at land that is HEL first. Highly erodible land is defined as land having soil characteristics that make it susceptible to erode at rates greater than a designated soil loss tolerance, i.e. fragile soils. A field is designated as HEL if either one-third or more of the field is highly erodible, or if that highly erodible land in the field is equal to 50 acres or more.
As for whether or not you have a wetland, that can be a bit more complicated. Wetlands are defined as a piece of ground that has hydric soils, hydrophytic vegetation, and wetland hydrology. But what does that mean? The frequency in which an area is saturated by surface or ground water is what really determines whether or not these soil, plant, and marshy conditions are going to be present. This topic can be tricky due to the fact that if a wetland area was already being farmed when the Food Security Act of 1985 was implemented, it can continue to be farmed. Any areas converted after that are the ones of concern. Just to be safe, if you want to do any type of modification to land that may be a wetland, contact your USDA service center to get a determination before you do anything.
This information is a simplified overview of the HEL/Sodbuster/Swampbuster provision put forth in the Food Security Act of 1985 and how they relate to being eligible for farm program benefits. The good news is that all you have to do in order to meet these provisions and be in compliance is work with your local NRCS office and follow an approved conservation plan. Simply remember to contact us before breaking out grassland acres into crop production or altering any wet areas in existing crop fields. There is no reason to be frightened of the day your name may come up in the annual list of compliance reviews. We are here to work with you in an effort to meet your conservation needs and satisfy the provisions set forth in the Farm Bill.
Grouse-Silver Creek Watershed News
By Jennifer Carr, Water Quality Coordinator
Grouse-Silver Creek Watershed #92 (GSW) held a stakeholders meeting on October 8 in Burden, with officials from the State Conservation Commission, KDHE, K-State Research and Extension, and the Kansas Water Office. A stakeholder is a landowner, citizen or operator within the watershed district. The purpose of this meeting was to gather feedback from the stakeholders about the progress that the Stakeholder Leadership Team (SLT) has made concerning the activities within the watershed to protect water quality. Current members of the leadership team include Roger Black, Kent Radcliff, Jerry Ashenfelter, Jim hardy, David Miller, Andy Bogner, Leroy Osborne, Roland Willard and Ronnie Whiteman.
According to Scott Satterthwaite, KDHE representative, the GSW Leadership Team “demonstrates the initiative that we are hoping to see from this kind of organization. We see good things in the future from this leadership group. They appear to be a diverse group that represents the interest of the watershed.”
GSW has developed a Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) to maintain and protect the pristine condition of Grouse and Silver Creeks. They are cost-sharing on projects to help landowners and operators implement practices that will reduce soil loss and pollution potential for local waters. These projects range from an access road that will change a winter feeding site, which in turn will reduce the possibility of fecal coliform pollution in the Cowley State Fishing Lake, to a water and sediment control basin that will stop erosion and siltation into Plum Creek, which is a direct tributary of Grouse Creek.
Team members Kent Radcliff and Roger Black, along with Water Quality Coordinator, Jenni Carr, provided a tour of completed projects and concern in the watershed for the officials prior to the meeting. Those attending the tour were: Don Jones, State Conservation Commission; Scott Satterthwaite, KDHE; and Ron Graber, K-State Research and Extension.
The Stakeholder Leadership Team appreciates the participation of stakeholders as well as the partnership with the Cowley County Conservation District and NRCS and the support of the Cowley County Commission in helping them achieve their vision of maintaining and improving Grouse and Silver Creek’s water quality.
L-R: Ron Graber, Don Jones, Scott Satterthwaite, Kent Radcliff, Roger Black and Rodger Maechtlen prepare to tour the Grouse-Silver Creek Watershed.
Click to Enlarge
***Upcoming Dates of Interest***
January 22: Saving Your Family’s Future, Jolene Brown. 9 am-2pm Baden Square. Registration is required. Call Farm Bureau at 620-221-2091or cowleyfb@kfb.org by Friday, January 15, 2009
January 27-28: No-Till on the Plains Conference, Salina, KS. Call 888-330-5142 or visit the website at www.notill.org
January 29-30: Renewable Energy-Renewable Resources, Airport Hilton, Wichita KS Registration available at www.kansasnrc.com
February 12-14: Women Managing the Farm Conference, Hutchinson, KS. Make reservations by February 1, Call 785-532-5773 or visit www.womenmanagingthefarm.info
February 5: Cowley County Conservation District Annual Meeting and Dinner at Baden Square, Winfield KS. Contact Wanda at 620-221-1850, ext 3 to make reservations by January 30
January 1 thru April 15: Best time for planting cool season grasses (brome and fescue)
January 1 thru May 15: Best time to plant native warm season grasses
March 2 thru March 30: County cost-share program sign-up for conservation practices
Water Erosion
Jess Biddle, Conservation Technician
Water erosion is a concern for producers in Cowley County, especially after the last two years of heavy rainfall. The NRCS utilizes conservation structures to aid in the decrease of erosion due to water. The standard terraces and waterways are utilized along with some new types of structures. These conservation structures are utilized primarily along rivers, creeks and streams. The new structures that we are currently using include erosion control dams, grade stabilizations and rock chutes. The purpose of these structures is to slow the water that is running off of the fields in a rainfall event to allow the sediment to settle out and to prevent gully erosion.These structures all do the job they were designed for, but when paired with a buffer or a grass filter strip, the results are much better. When a grass filter strip is installed adjacent to the structure, or above it, more sediment is caught when the water flows through the area to the stream or ditch below. For more information about alleviating water erosion issues, stop by our office, or contact Barry, Jess or Kristen.********************************************************************************************************************
Used Oil Recycling
What do you do with the oil after an oil change? Set it in a bucket outside the shop? Dump it in the weed pile out back? NO! NO! NO! Everything that is dumped on the ground eventually ends up downstream or in the water. Used oil can accumulate on the farm and become a source of pollution. We have done some investigating and found a few options for you.
The Cowley County Repair Shop in Winfield will accept used oil. You can schedule an appointment for them to pick up 30 or more gallons or to bring in your smaller amounts. Call 620-221-3150 for more information. Also check with the local parts stores where oil is purchased to see if they collect used oil as well.
If you know of an individual or a business that recycles used oil, share the information with your neighbors and friends to help stop Non-Point Source Pollution.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
EXPIRING CRP CONTRACTS
Cowley County has 3333 acres of CRP ground that will expire in 2008 and 2009. What are the options for these acres? The Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) may have a program that would fit into the producers operation.
Producers who are considering breaking out the CRP ground should consider no-till and enrolling a strip of existing grass around the field in a buffer program. This buffer will enhance water quality and wildlife habitat. Fields with terraces or other possible erosion concerns can leave contour grass strips or filter strips throughout the field to assist in erosion control.
Buffer, filter, and contour grass strips are all practices of CCRP in Cowley County. If you believe that one of these practices would be beneficial for your expiring CRP acres, contact Jenni Carr, Water Quality Coordinator at 620-221-1850 ext 3 or stop by the NRCS office in Winfield.
CONSERVATION COMMENTS COWLEY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Have You Been EQIP’ed to Install Needed Conservation?
Barry Barber, District Conservationist
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has been the backbone of the USDA conservation programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The program first became available under the 1996 Farm Bill and since that time, there have been 246 contracts funded for a total of $1.92 million in Cowley County alone.
Most conservation practices addressing many natural resource concerns over multiple years may be covered under EQIP. However, one of the unique aspects of the program is the incentive payments often earned by producers when adopting new management practices, such as no-till on cropland, or grazing systems on pastureland. In most cases, the incentive payments are “front loaded”, meaning the producer is paid year #1 for adopting the practice, and must in return carry out the practice for a designated number of years (example: 4 years for no-till).
In Cowley county, the EQIP program has been utilized extensively to help producers convert to a no-till farming and install terrace systems on cropland plus control brush, sericea lespedeza, and implement grazing systems on pastureland.
If your property needs conservation measures or pasture improvement to improve productivity and sustainability, now is a good time to contact us to start the planning process. The next EQIP cut-off date for submitting contracts for funding is January 9, 2009.
EQIP Funds Sign-up is available now through January 9, 2009. Call the NRCS office for more information.
NOTE TO PRODUCERS NEEDING TO INSTALL CONSERVATION MEASURES
Most of you that will be affected are aware that there is a very large petroleum pipeline (Keystone Spur) that will be coming through Cowley County from Canada and ending at Cushing, Oklahoma. Several individuals have brought to our attention the fact that once the pipeline is installed, there will be zero ground disturbance allowed over the line which would alter the depth of fill. This would negate the ability to install terraces, waterways, ponds, etc.
If you have conservation measures to be completed, including repairs in these locations, you will want to take a look at getting these done pre-pipeline.
Cost-Share Sign-Up: March 2 to March 30, 2009
The Cowley County Conservation District will be conducting a sign-up for state-financed cost-share funds beginning March 2, 2009. Cowley County landowners with natural resource concerns on their property, EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VISITED WITH OFFICE PERSONNEL IN THE PAST, are encouraged to visit the office during sign-up to discuss solutions and possible state financial assistance. These funds will become available on July 1, 2009
If you plan to build terraces or waterways, plant grass for pasture or hay, plant a filter strip or riparian forest buffer, cross-fence, and develop water sources to implement a grazing system, plug an abandonded well or replace a failing septic system, or any other conservation measure next year, come in and make an application from March 2 to March 30.
The landowner or legal agent MUST sign applications for cost-share assistance. Additional information needed at the time of sign-up includes the landowner’s social security number, name, address and phone number. Contact us at 620-221-1850, Ext 3 for more information.
Erosion area before Cost-Share and technical assistance
Click to Enlarge
Water Quality Exhibit at Field Day.
Helping People Help the Land
This newsletter is funded in part by the State Conservation Commission, US. E.P.A Section 319 Grant and Kansas Water Plan Funds provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
