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Spring 2000 |
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Spring 2000 |
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 Delaware County Drainage
The Drainage Maintenance Program is a cooperative effort between the Delaware County Engineer, the Delaware Soil & Water Conservation District, and the Delaware County Commissioners. The Drainage Maintenance Program, authorized under Chapter 6137 of the Ohio Revised Code, is responsible for the upkeep of all drainage improvements within Delaware County. In Delaware County, drainage improvements include open ditches, subsurface tile mains, surface drains, and subdivision stormwater systems. Placing subdivision stormwater systems on maintenance has been a requirement since July 1998. The maintenance program is an essential part of drainage management because all drainage systems decay over time. The maintenance program ensures that these systems are not allowed to decay to the point where they are no longer efficient. 1999 Drainage Maintenance Report 70 total projects are currently on maintenance as of December 31, 1999.
Pheasants Forever Donates No-till Planter to District The Delaware County Chapter of Pheasants Forever has purchased a Truax
FLX II-88 No-till drill, and donated it to the District. This drill
is an 8 row, 8” spacing planter. This drill is an excellent tool
for planting warm and cool season grasses and small areas of grain crops.
The drill can be pulled by a tractor with at least 40 HP. The District
has arranged for this piece of equipment to be available through Jed’s
Rentals, located on U.S. Rt. 42 North of Delaware. The drill can
be rented for $200/day or $125/half-day. Discounts are available
for Pheasants Forever members and Conservation Reserve Program participants.
Contact Jed’s Rentals, (740) 363-5019 for rental information, and
Bill Oman, (740) 363-7219, for more information on Pheasants Forever.
Thank you Pheasants Forever!
Big Walnut Sends Team to State Big Walnut High School recently placed 4th in the Area Envirothon and will compete in State Envirothon in June. The Envirothon is a field competition that tests students knowledge in soils, aquatics, wildlife, forestry, and current environmental issues. Congratulations Big Walnut!
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| Enhancements announced to CRP Continuous Sign-up Program
The United States Dept. of Agriculture recently announced significant enhancements to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Projects eligible under the CRP continuous sign-up are grassed waterways, riparian forest buffer, field windbreaks, shelter belts, and living snow fences. The continuous sign-up enhancements, part of a government plan to strengthen
the farm safety net, consist of additional economic incentives and updated
rates including:
These enhancements apply only to certain CRP continuous signup practices
that generally include small acreage that provide high environmental benefits
because of their impact on much larger areas. The practices protect
streams and rivers by keeping sediments, nutrients, and other chemicals
from entering the water, providing cleaner drinking water, enhancing recreation,
and improving wildlife habitats.
Conservation Buffers Boost Environmental Benefits The National Conservation Buffer Initiative, now 3 years old, is picking up momentum to reach USDA’s goal of helping landowners across the country install 2 million miles of conservation buffers by 2002. To date, 2,670,836 acres or 741,899 miles of buffers have been installed farmers, ranchers, and other landowners as a result of this outreach effort. That’s nearly 40% of the way toward the goal. Conservation buffers include filter strips, grassed waterways, riparian (streamside) buffers, contour grass strips, crosswind trap strips, and living snow fences. Buffers work best when incorporated into resource management systems. More and more research is suggesting that buffers effectively keep many
potential pollutants from entering streams and rivers. Recent studies
report sediment and nitrate removal rates as high as 90% or more.
Water Conservation in Your Backyard Water, taken for granted when it is plentiful, is truly appreciated in the garden once it becomes scarce. If you find yourself in a drought this summer, there are some things you can do to help conserve water and make the best use of what you have available. Mulch your plants. Mulch helps to reduce the amount of water that evaporates
from the soil.
Did You Know?
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| Fish Kills - Natural But Preventable
Spring and Summer are the most common times for mass fish kills in Ohio ponds. These fish kills are often caused by natural phenomena, but are nevertheless preventable. Most fish kills in Ohio are the result of either oxygen depletion, poisoning, disease, or natural mortality. Oxygen depletion is a condition that occurs when the dissolved oxygen (D.O.) of a pond drops to level so low that fish actually suffocate. Poisoning occurs when chemicals or oil-based products get into the pond water. Disease can be a result of bacteria and/or parasite infestations. Natural mortality is usually the result of age or natural stressors. While little can be done to stop a fish kill once it has begun, the chances of a fish kill occurring can be reduced through proper pond management. Oxygen depletion is the most preventable source of fish kill. One of the most typical causes of oxygen depletion in ponds is the decomposition of dead plants. As organic matter decomposes, it uses up oxygen. As most people know, spring is a time when aquatic weeds tend to explode or “bloom.” This bloom coincides with a time when the natural level of D.O. in the water is decreasing (cold water has a higher capacity for holding D.O. than does warm water). As the bloom begins to die in late spring or summer, or as the result of herbicide application, it sinks to the bottom and begins to decompose. As the plants decompose they use up most of the oxygen in the pond thus leaving little for the fish. Another type of oxygen depletion can be caused by a phenomena called “turnover.” This occurs when water stratifies into two layers. Lighter, oxygen-rich water lies near the surface, and heavier, oxygen-poor water sinks to the bottom of the pond. Hot, windless, summer days increase the size of the oxygen-poor layer. As the water is stirred by a strong wind or thunderstorm, these layers mix resulting in low oxygen levels throughout the pond. An oxygen-depletion caused fish kill can be prevented through good management of aquatic “weeds” and algae populations. Weeds and algae should be treated before they can form large masses which will use up oxygen when they decompose. Another management approach is the use of an aerator. This can be expensive and is not a guarantee, but it will help to prevent problems resulting from turnover by keeping the D.O near the surface higher. Poisoning, although rare, is also a cause of fish kill that can be prevented through good pond management. Poisons, as mentioned, can be chemicals or petroleum products. Any of these can be carried into a pond by the runoff of a heavy rain. The best way to prevent poisoning is to plan the location of your pond so that none of these chemicals have a path into the pond. Some chemicals will attach themselves to sediment particles, and dissolve when they enter water. An extra measure of protection can be gained by seeding the entire area around a pond to grass. Grassed areas will help to prevent sediment from entering a pond. Any amount of grass will help, but the more grassed area there is, the better. In most cases, disease and natural mortality cannot be prevented through management. One thing that can be done to minimize both disease and natural mortality is to reduce the natural stressors for fish. Low D.O., low or high pH, high temperatures, and sudden changes in water quality can all stress fish to the point where their resistance to disease is lowered. Spring and summer, depending on the spawning season for particular species, are the times when fish are the most stressed by natural causes. During these times, they inevitably become more susceptible to disease. Other than managing for the factors listed above, there is not a lot that can be done to prevent natural mortality. Contact the District staff for more information on preventing fish kills
and other pond management tips.
Upcoming Educator Workshops
Contact Roger Pinnicks, (740) 368-1921, ext. 104 for info.
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| Organic Matter in Soil
The golden rule of gardening says, “If you treat your soil well, it will treat your plants well.” Healthy, fertile soil is a mixture of water, air, minerals, and organic matter, and living organisms. Successful gardening depends on good soil. One of the best ways to improve soil fertility is to add organic matter. In soil, organic matter consists of plant and animal material that is in the process of decomposing. It helps soil hold important plant nutrients. By adding organic matter to sandy soil, you improve the ability of the soil to retain water. In a clay soil, humus will loosen the soil to make it more crumbly. You can increase the organic matter in your garden by adding compost or applying mulch. Application of organic matter to the soil adds carbon, which promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, which increases the likelihood of hearty plants. Another benefit is this added organic matter can be used as plant “food” by growing crops. Keep in mind that every time you disturb the soil by turning, oxygen also is added to the soil. This increases microbial activity, which feeds on organic matter. Therefore, soil disturbance can decrease the soil’s organic matter reserves, and should be kept to a minimum. Your goal should be to sequester, or conserve, as much of this organic matter as possible. Scientists have been researching the benefits of organic material for decades. They have found that plant deficiency diseases usually are less severe in soils that are well supplied with organic matter. This not only increases the vigor of the plants, but various soil microorganisms become more active in the presence of an abundance of organic matter. For example, certain kinds of fungi that live in decaying organic matter have been found to kill harmful nematodes. Healthy, productive soil has a good proportion of organic matter in
it. You can successfully increase the quality of your soil by regularly
adding organic matter. Caring for the soil is an ongoing process
and is essential for successful backyard conservation.
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To be placed on our mailing list and receive The Conservationist, please call or e-mail the office. To be notified by e-mail when our Newsletter is updated on-line, please e-mail Bret Bacon. This is the first issue of The Conservationist to be placed on-line.
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