CNA-SS-2-24-2017

Soil & Water

Union County

Conservation District 2016 Annual Report

Conservation Poster Contest Winners Mattias Schultes and Commissioner Vicki Allen - 3rd Grade

Mallory Tallmon, Halle Evans, Commissioner Vicki Allen and Aliyah Drey - 6th Grade

Rylie Driskell, Aubrey Allen, Commissioner Vicki Allen, and Kenzie Britten - 7th Grade

Sydney Hartsock, Danika Schultes, Commissioner Vicki Allen, and Hannah Walsh - 8th Grade

Look inside for:

• Conservation Awards • North Thompson River Water Quality Project • 2016 Report of District Funds

Friday, February 24, 2017

Page 2c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District Message from the Chairman

By Mike Eblen

Chairman, Union SWCD

Well another year has passed and with spring just around the corner soil conservation once again takes center stage.

T h e U n i o n Eblen County Soil ConLeft to Right: Jodi Hitz, District Soil Conservation Aide: Dixie Baker, Conservation servation office experiAssistant; Amanda Shetler, NRCS Soil Conservationist; James Walsh, NRCS Soil enced another busy year in Conservation Technician; Kayla Creek, District Conservationist; Bill Bolinger, NRCS Soil 2016.

Conservation Technician; and Kelsey Drey, Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist.

It is important to know

Creston Field Office

that state cost share is an incentive to help producers.

Producers pay for a large portion of the practices that they complete on their property. Landowners and/ or farmers demonstrate that voluntary conservation can make a difference on our landscape. It is important to know that Iowa farmers are very aware of the importance of protecting our natural resources.

We would like to encourage producers to be sure and stop in at the NRCS/ SWCD office and see what help is available.

I would like to say thank

you to Mike Brentnall and Vicki Allen. Mike has served for 19 years and Vicki for 12 years and remains on our board as an Assistant Commissioner.

They both have done a fantastic job and were a valuable asset to our board.

I would like to welcome Dan Ide, Dan Waigand and Luke Baker to our group.

We are looking forward to working with these new commissioners and know they will be a great asset to our board.

Thanks to everyone.

Mike

NRCS AREA PERSONNEL

Grover DePriest, Acting Asst. State Conservationist (FO); Darrell Geib, Area Resource Conservationist; Jeff Godwin, Civil Engineer; Kristy York, Area Program Specialist; Brian Hickman, Private Lands Biologist and Margaret Henderson, Area Administrative Management Assistant

The Union SWCD board meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the USDA Service Center Conference Room at 7:30 A.M.

OTHER PERSONNEL ASSISTING THE DISTRICT

Other personnel located in the USDA Service Center in Creston are: Tim Mensing, Engineer; Bruce Dake, Civil Engineering Technician; Michael Brennan, Civil Engineering Technician and Randy Goerndt, DNR District Forester

Informational Websites Iowa Department of Agriculture – www.iowaagriculture.gov IDALS-Division of Soil Conservation – www.iowaagriculture.gov/soilconservation USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service – www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov Conservation Districts of Iowa – www.cdiowa.org Iowa Department of Natural Resources – www.iowadnr.gov

Thank You Farmers!

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Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017 — Page 3c

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District We, the Commissioners of the Union County Soil and Water ConCommissioners and servation District are proud to present our annual report of activiand accomplishments for your information. As Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners ties we are charged with the restoration and conservation of the county’s

Pictured left to right: James Allen, Treasurer; Dan Ide, Commissioner; Dan Waigand, Vice Chairman; Luke Baker Commissioner and Mike Eblen, Chairman

resources, but have looked to you, the landowner and land user, for ideas and action to make the duties of our job a reality. We would like to thank all those whose contributions of time and money have enabled us to carry out a successful program: soil conservation cooperators, conservation contractors and businesses.

We also wish to thank the Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Iowa State University Extension Service; USDA Rural Development Service; Union County Board of Supervisors; Union County Conservation Board, State Legislators and many others. A special thanks goes to our local newspapers and radio station for their support.

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship/Division of Soil Conservation and Water Quality (IDALS_DSCWQ) and the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District are an equal opportunity employer and provider.

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2016 Financial Report 2016 Financial Report

Page 4c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Practices Farmstead Windbreak TOTAL Spent

Jobs 1

Amt Installed 1 Ac

Cost Share $1,500.00 $1,500.00

1-M FUNDS & Soil Water Conservation Union County District (Commissioners Expenses andFUNDS Office Supplies and Expenses) 1-M No Interest Loan Program

2016 Financial Report Commissioners Mileage andOffice Expenses $ 574.70 (Commissioners Expenses and Supplies and Expenses) This is a program that eligible landowners borrow up to $20,000 at no interest for u No Interestcan Loan Program 2016 Financial Report Postage 277.00 Commissioners Mileage and Expenses $ 574.70 This to is aconstruct programpermanent that eligible canpractices. borrow upThe to $20,000 intera ten-year period soillandowners conservation District at didnonot hav 1-M FUNDS est for up to a ten-year period to construct permanent soil conservation practices.

The producers participate in the No Interest Loan Program in 2016.

Supplies 147.57 Postage 277.00 1-M (Commissioners Expenses and FUNDS Office Supplies and Expenses) District did not have producers participate in the No Interest Loan Program in 2016.

Dues 850.00 Supplies (Commissioners Expenses and Office Supplies and147.57 Expenses) Miscellaneous Mileage and Expenses Dues 850.00 Commissioners $157.50 574.70 Local Water Protection Program Total 1-M Expenditures $ 2,006.77 Local Water Protection Program Miscellaneous 157.50 Postage 277.00 This is a program which provides low-interest loans (no more than 3%) for the installatio This is a program which provides low-interest loans (no more than the conservation practices that enhance water quality.

The loan amount may be 3%) fromfor $5,00 Total 1-M Expenditures $ 2,006.77 Supplies 147.57 installation of conservation practices that enhance water quality.

The loan amount may and may be for up to fifteen years. It may be used alone to fund a conserva Dues 850.00 $500,000 be or from $5,000 to $500,000 andcost mayshare be forprograms. up to fifteen may be alone practice in conjunction with other Theyears.

Union It SWCD hasused spent ove 3-M BUDGET to fund a conservation practice or in conjunction with other cost share programs.

The Miscellaneous 157.50 million since the program began in FY 2006.

Iowa Financial Incentive (IFIP) - Cost Share 50% Union SWCD has spent over $3 million since the program began in FY 2006.

3-MProgram BUDGET Total 1-M Expenditures $ 2,006.77 Following is theamount dollar amount Low Interest Loans used inCounty: Union County: inancial Incentives Cost Incentive Share withProgram private landowners is Share the cornerstone of soil is and the dollar of Low of Interest Loans used in Union Iowa Financial (IFIP) - Cost 50% Following servation practice application Iowa and evidence of theis program’s effectiveness canFY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 3-M BUDGET inancial Incentives Cost Shareinwith private landowners the cornerstone of soil and 7/1/057/1/06 – 3 Mile 7/1/07Lake – 7/1/08 – 7/1/09 – Lakes – Public Owned ross the landscape in terraces, waterways, erosion control and other Iowa Financial Incentive Program - Cost 50% 6/30/06 6/30/07 6/30/08 6/30/09 6/30/10 ervation practice application in3-M Iowa and (IFIP) evidence ofShare the structures program’s effectiveness can BUDGET This program is for watershed$273,000.73 areas above$327,824.72 publicly owned lakes and rese Iowa Financial Incentives Cost Share with private landowners is the cornerstone of on practice applications $526.615.39 $25,790.73 $222,174.57 ross theIowa landscape in terraces, waterways, erosion control structures and otherreservoirs having a watershed acreage-to-lake surface area ration of less t Financial Incentive Program (IFIP) Cost Share 50% soil and water conservation practice application in Iowa and evidence of the program’s nion County has been given allocations totaling over $5 million for use in cost sharing on practice applications effectiveness can be seen across thewith landscape in terraces, waterways, erosion control ofby ancial Cost Share private landowners is the soil an and Iowa county, state of Iowa are elig FY 2011 FY 2012 municipal FY2013government FY2014or by the FY 2015 FY2016 nent soilIncentives and water conservation practices since the program wascornerstone started in 1973. structures and other conservation practice applications ion County has been given allocations totaling over $5 million for use in cost sharing 7/1/10 – 7/1/11 – 7/1/12 – 7/1/14 – 7/1/14 – 7/1/15 – practices that have been completed in Union County in 2015. vation practice application in Iowa and evidence of the program’s effectiveness can Union County has been given allocations totaling over $5 million for use in cost sharing 6/30/10 6/30/12 6/30/2013 6/30/14 6/30/15 6/30/16 ent soillandscape and water practices since the control program was startedinin other 1973. ss inconservation terraces, erosion structures onthe permanent soil and water conservation practices program was startedand $85,120.60 Jobswaterways, Completed in since 2016the $551,085.02 $597,746.06 $261,443.22 $125,102.16 $98,731.46 Jobs Amt Installed Practices 3 Mile Lake – Public Owned Lakes n 1973. practice applications Practices Jobs Amt Installed Cost Share Thisinprogram is for watershed lakes and reservoirs Only Terraces areas above publicly owned 5 8,950 Ft Jobs Completed in 2016 n County has been given allocations totaling over $5 million for use cost sharing Grade Stab Structure 3 3 EA $22,250.00 3 Mile Lake – Public Owned Lakes reservoirs having a watershed acreage-to-lake surface ration of 5less Water & 3Sediment Basins 1area Eathan 80 to 1 Amt Installed Cost Share Mile Lake – Public Owned Lakes nt soil and Practices water conservation Jobs practices since was started in 1973.

Thisbyprogram iscounty, for watershed areasgovernment above publicly owned lakes and reservoirs Only lakes or Terraces 12 30,465the Ft program54,470.61 an Iowa municipal or by the state of Iowa are eligible.

Follow This program isTOTAL for watershed areas surface above publicly owned lakesthan and80 reservoirs Only Grade Stab Structure 3 3 EA $22,250.00 reservoirs having a watershed acreage-to-lake area ration of less to 1 and owne Water & Sediment Basin 1 5 Ea 5,594.13practices that have beenhaving completed in Union County in 2015. lakes or reservoirs a watershed surface area ration of less than Terraces 12 30,465 Ft 54,470.61 by an Iowa county, municipal government or byacreage-to-lake the state of Iowa are eligible.

Following are Jobs Completed in 2016 Grassed Waterway 1 1 Ac 405.00 80 to 1 and owned by an Iowa county, municipal government or by the state of Iowa are practices that have been completed in Union County in 2015.

Water & Sediment Basin 1 Ea 5,594.13 Practices Jobs Amt5Installed Cost Share eligible.Practices Jobs Installed Shar Following are practices that have been completed in Union CountyCost in 2016.

TOTAL $82,719.74 12 Mile Lake -Amt Public Owned Lakes Grassed 13 13 Ac 405.00 Grade StabWaterway Structure EA $22,250.00 Terraces 5 Amt Installed 8,950 Ft Cost Share$Amt 35,20 Practices Jobs areas This program is for watershed above publicly owned lakes and rese $82,719.74 Water & Sediment Basins 1 5 Ea 9,36 Terraces TOTAL 12 30,465 Ft 54,470.61 Terraces 5 acreage-to-lake 8,950 Ft surface area$ ration 35,205.12 REAP - Practices reservoirs having a watershed of less t TOTAL $ 44,57 Water Sediment Basins 1 5 Ea 9,369.00 Water Sediment Basin 1 (REAP) funds 5 Ea are available5,594.13 source & Enhancement and Protection to landowners soil Iowa county, municipal government or by the state of Iowa are elig byfor an& REAP Practices TOTAL $ 44,574.12 REAP Grassed Waterway 1 - Practices 1 Ac designate high priority 405.00 watersheds conservation practices. Soil conservation districts practices that have been completed in 2015.

Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds are available to landowners source Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds are available to landowners for soil he REAP funds can be expended.

Union County has designated the Platte River TOTAL $82,719.74 for soil and water conservation practices. Soil conservation districts designate high pri12 Mile Lake - Public Owned Lakes conservation practices. conservation highhaspriority as their priority watershed.

Practices Jobs Lakes Amt Installed Co ority watersheds in which theSoil REAP funds can be districts expended.designate Union County desig- watersheds 12 Mile Lake Public Owned This program is for watershed12areas owned lakes and reservoirs. Onl Mile above Lake - publicly Public Owned Lakes nated the Platte as their priority watershed. he REAP fundsRiver can Watershed be expended.

Union County has designated the Platte River Terraces 4 23,080 Ft $ 13 REAP - Practices Thisreservoirs program for watershed areas acreage-to-lake above publicly lakes reservoirs.

Only Thisis program is for watershed areas aboveowned publicly owned lakes andless reservoirs. having a watershed surface areaand ration of than lakes 80Only to or 1 as their priority watershed.

Grsoil Waterway 4 ration 7ration Ac Jobs Completed in 2016 having a watershed acreage-to-lake of Iowa lessarea than 80 to of 1 and owne urce Enhancement and Protection (REAP) funds are available toreservoirs landowners for orcounty, reservoirs having agovernment watershedsurface acreage-to-lake lessFollow than Iowa municipal or byarea the statesurface of are eligible. by anlakes an Iowa county, municipal government by the stategovernment of Iowa areor eligible.

Following TOTAL $14 80watersheds to 1 and owned by completed an Iowa county, municipal by the state of Iowaare are onservation practices. Soil conservation districts designate highby priority practices that have been inor2015. practices that have been completed in 2015. eligible.

Following are practices that have been completed in 2016.

Jobs Completed inInstalled 2016has designated Practices Jobs Cost Share REAP funds can be expended.

UnionAmt County the Platte River Terraces 5 9,010 Ft $25,758.75 Practices Jobs Amt Installed Amt InstalledCost Share Cost Share s their priority watershed.

Practices Jobs Terraces 4 Ft $ 133,160.65 Amt3Installed Cost2,806.65 Share Terraces Water &Practices Sediment Basins Jobs 1 Ea 4 23,080 23,080 Ft $ 133,160.65 Gr Waterway 4 7 Ac TOTAL $28,565.40 Terraces 5 9,010 Ft $25,758.75 Gr Waterway 4 7 Ac 9,903.75 9,903.75 Jobs Completed in 2016 REAP-F (Forestry/Native Grasses) TOTAL $143,064.40 $143,064.40 Water & Sediment Basins 1 3 Ea 2,806.65 TOTAL 0 the District has received funding for the Resource Enhancement and Protection REAP-F (Forestry/Native Grasses) TOTAL $28,565.40 Jobs Installed Cost Share program.

These funds used funding to support practices to promote the installation of Since 1990Practices the District hasare received forAmt the Resource Enhancement and ProtecDistrict Funds tion (REAP-F) program.

These funds are used to support practices to promote the instalTerraces 5 9,010 Ft $25,758.75 s, native grasses and forbes, and farmstead windbreaks.

District Funds January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 lation of woodlands, native grasses and forbs, and farmstead windbreaks.

Water & Sediment Basins 1 3 Ea 2,806.65 January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 Jobs Completed in 2016 TOTAL $28,565.40 District’s Regular Checking Account Practices Farmstead Windbreak TOTAL Spent

Jobs 1

Amt Installed 1 Ac

Cost Share $1,500.00 $1,500.00

Balance brought forward January 1, 2016 District FundsFunds District RECEIPTS + January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2016 January 1, 2016 – December 31,EXPENDITURES

Balance ending December 31, 2016

District’s Regular Checking Account

$35,695.35 $26,695.74 2016 $21,012.62 $41,378.47

Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017 — Page 5c

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

Have we been ignoring Water Quality in Iowa?

By Vince Sitzman

Bureau Chief, Field Services Bureau

Over the past couple of years we have heard a lot about water quality in Iowa.

E v e n more so now than I can Sitzman ever remember in my 18 year career with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. And rightly so. Water quality is and

should be important to Iowans, all Iowans. But just because we never used to talk about water quality doesn’t mean we’ve been ignoring it.

In 1971, Iowa legislature passed the sediment control law that establishes soil loss limits for every soil type in the state, making it the first of its kind in the nation. In 1973, Iowa was the first state to appropriate state cost share funds to work with landowners to address soil erosion. In 2013, Iowa was the second state in the Mississippi River Basin

to develop a nutrient reduction strategy for the entire state. Not once in the three examples listed above was the word water quality mentioned, however all of these programs have had a major impact on the Iowa’s water quality.

So what’s the relationship between reducing soil erosion and protecting water quality? Every ton of soil we keep in the field helps keep it out of the stream. Sediment is also a major transporter of phosphorus.

If you stop the sedi-

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ment you stop much of the phosphorus too.

Keep in mind that reducing soil loss doesn’t solve all our water quality concerns we have in the state, but it’s a great start, particularly in fields that have highly erodible soils. We need to continue looking for more and better ways to address both phosphorus and nitrogen losses from our fields, but solving these issues requires multiple approaches. Some areas of the state are very susceptible to nitrogen losses while others phosphorus. Address-

ing water quality issues across the state will require a diverse use of management practices such as no-till and cover crops, structural practices such as terraces and waterways, and edge of field practices such as bioreactors and saturated buffers. New and emerging technologies that have yet to be refined will also be a key if we are to continue making improvements.

So have we been ignoring water quality in Iowa? No, water quality just wasn’t the buzz word at the time, soil

erosion was. The real question is can we do more? I believe the answer to that question will be coming soon.

The governor’s office, legislature, ag groups, and others have gone on record in support of additional funding for water quality.

What that level of support ends up being has yet to be determined. As a lifelong Iowan, I’m looking forward to being part of the future efforts to protect our soils and continue to improve water quality in Iowa.

Proud Supporter of the Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

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Page 6c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

Special Recognition The annual Union Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Awards Banquet was held February 21st.

KSIB and Creston News Advertiser were recognized along with Retiring Commissioners.

Friends of Conservation

KSIB radio and the Creston News Advertiser are being recognized as “Friends of Conservation” by the Union Soil and Water Conservation District.

Both media outlets have always been very willing to help get conservation and farm program information out to the public. As well as publishing news releases and local conservation news, both organizations

have gone beyond what is required for their job. The News Advertiser publishes the district’s annual report every year and is excellent working with us to get all the pictures and articles highlighting the prior year’s accomplishments. KSIB’s Radio Ranch program has invited employees and several local farmers to be on to discuss conservation concerns.

The Level B

program has invited staff to discuss wildlife and habitat development on private land. They also supplied time for conservation updates in previous years.

The News Advertiser and KSIB help make our job easier, and we truly appreciate their contributions toward promoting conservation in Union County.

CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN Pictured are, from left, Jordan Armstrong and Ben Walter with KSIB Radio, and Craig Mittag with Creston News Advertiser after being presented with plaques for being friends of conservation Tuesday afternoon at Cromwell Congregational Church in Cromwell. Union County Soil and Water Conservation District presented the plaques for service to conservation by both media outlets.

Union SWCD Retiring Commissioners Two long-serving District Commissioners are retiring from the District Board this year.

Vicki Allen served as an assistant Commissioner for four years before being elected to the board in 2009.

She served as a District Commissioner from 2009 to 2016.

During her twelve year involvement with the district, Vicki was very involved in the poster and scholarship

contests. She spent a lot of time arranging legislative tours of the conservation work done in the county.

Vicki and her husband Tony have a cow-calf and row-crop operation south of Creston.

Mike Brentnall served as an assistant Commissioner for one year in 1998. He was elected to the board in 1999 then continued to serve as a District Commissioner for another eighteen years. Dur-

ing Mike’s time on the board, much work was done in the 3-Mile Lake and Green Valley Lake watersheds. The county also experienced several heavy rainfall and flooding events during this time.

Mike and his wife Carol have an Angus cow-calf operation and raised and sold bulls for many years.

CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN Mike Brentnall, left, and Vicki Allen pose with plaques after receiving them as commissioners retiring from the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District Tuesday during the annual luncheon held at Cromwell Congregational Church in Cromwell.

Allen and Brentnall were both awarded the plaques and a gift for their service to conservation.

Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017— Page 7c

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District Poster Contest SWCD Scholarships

By Vicki Allen Commissioner

The Union County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Conservation Districts of Iowa are sponsoring scholarships for seniors again this year that are pursuing their education in the field of agriculture, natural resources or environmental issues.

Applications are available at e a c h school or at the Soil and Water Conservation office at Walsh 904 E Taylor in Creston. Applications need to be returned to the District office by February 27, 2017.

The Union County SWCD scholarship will be awarded to eligible seniors that live in Union County or attend Creston

Come Visit Us at the County Fair

or East Union Schools.

Selection is m a d e based on school activities, organizations and Thompson community involvement.

The 2016 scholarship recipients were Nick Walsh and Wyatt Thompson.

Nick is the son of Jim Walsh and Jennifer Walsh, he attended Creston High School. While in high school Nick was active in sports, FFA, 4-H, ASP, Youth Group.

Wyatt is the son of BJ Thompson and Shannon Thompson. Wyatt also attended Creston High School and was active in FFA, 4-H, wrestling and football.

By Vicki Allen Commissioner

Each year the Union County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) along with Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) and Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, sponsor a poster contest.

Posters submitted for the contest are first judged at the local level and the division winners are forwarded on for regional competition. Posters winning the regional compe-

tition are then forwarded on for state competition.

The theme for 2016 was “We All Need Trees”.

Local poster contest winners were 3rd grade, 1st place Mattias Schultes; 6th grade 1st place Aliyah Drey, 2nd place Halle Evans and 3rd place Mallory Tallmon; 7th grade winners were 1st place Kenzie Britten, 2nd place Aubrey Allen and 3rd place Rylie Driskell; 8th grade winners were 1st place Hannah Walsh, 2nd place Danika Schultes

Kenzie Britten - Region 8 Winner

and 3rd place Sydney Hartsock, all are students at St. Malachy School in Creston.

Kenzie Britten was selected as the Division 4, Grades 7-9, Region 8 Conservation Poster Contest Winner. Kenzie received a Certificate of Award and a cash prize courtesy of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company.

The theme for the 2017 poster contest is “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life.”

The deadline for turning posters into the Creston

SWCD office is Friday, March 17, 2017.

All public, private and home school students, residing in Iowa, in grades K-12 grades are eligible to take part in the poster contest.

For more information on the poster contest rules and deadlines please go to the Conservation Districts of Iowa web site or call Dixie at the Soil and Water Conservation District office in Creston at 782-4218 ext. 3.

Kenzie Britten’s Poster

For Rent Silt Plow Fix Your Waterways

$.50 per foot which includes silt plow machine rental and fabric.

Please contact the Union SWCD District Office at 641-782-4218 Ext. 3.

Page 8c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

North Thompson River Water Quality Project By: Nancy Antisdel, Project Coordinator

I took over as project coordinator for the North Thompson River Water Quality Project after Phil Patterson retired in April of last year. Antisdel The overall goal of this project is to improve water quality in the North Thompson River and

its watershed by reducing the amount of sediment entering the system. We are doing this by putting best management practices (BMPs) on the ground. 75% cost share funding is available, for projects that qualify through the Watershed Protection Fund (WSPF) for this area. This percentage is based on your county’s rates, not on the contractor’s prices.

First project was completing a 6.2 acre grade stabilization structure in Union Township that had been on the books for a while. A 6.9 acre grade stabilization structure

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David Downey Construction 2429 Tulip Ave., Afton, IA 50830 641-340-0219

in Grove Township was approved last summer. We are hoping for spring construction for that project. There are also a few terrace projects in the works.

Personalized postcards were sent to all of the landowners in the priority areas last fall. They were sent to let the landowners know that the North Thompson project is still going strong. I will be doing farm visits this winter to meet with the landowners and discuss their resource concerns.

Right now, the 18 priority sub-watersheds have a total of

65,090 acres. We are hoping to open up more priority areas this year. So far, over the life of the watershed, $1,245,387 of WSPF funding has been expended to trap 24,790 tons of sediment per year, resulting in a cost ratio of $50.23 per ton.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the North Thompson Project, contact your local NRCS office or me, Nancy Antisdel, DSC Project Coordinator for the North Thompson River Water Quality Project, 641-343-7033 (Greenfield Field Office) Extension 306.

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SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION BUSINESS DIRECTORY EARTHWORK

SURVEYING

K.M. King, Inc. Kevin King

Mid-State Surveying Jim Norman & Greg Shawler

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Wenzig Construction Company

Jordan & Sons Construction

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2926 130th St., Lenox IA 50851 641-340-5805 641-333-4259

FINANCE

Lamb Tiling 2751 Marion Avenue, Greenfield, IA 50849 641-743-8312 515-250-8440 (Cell)

Ruth Construction 206 N. Broad, Orient, IA 50858 641-344-9690 (Cell)

First National Bank 101 W. Adams 100 E. Railroad Creston, IA Afton, IA 641-782-2195 641-347-8423 www.fnbcreston.com

ISSB Creston 401 W. Adams 901 N. Sumner 504 W. Taylor

Additional Locations: Corning Diagonal Lenox

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SUPPLIES Farm & Home Supply 408 S. Sumner Creston, IA 50801 641-782-2317

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Gerald Kinyon Construction 1431 Uban Avenue, Creston, IA 50801 641-345-2853 641-344-0739 (Cell)

Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017 — Page 9c

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

New Commissioners Soil and water conservation districts are the local subdivision of state government responsible for soil and water conservation work in within their county. Districts promote protection, maintenance, improvement and wise use of the soil and water within their county.

Union County has three newly elected commissioners. Dan Ide filled an unexpired term and was sworn in on November 15th, 2016 to complete the remaining two years of a term. Dan Waigand and Luke Baker were sworn in on January 3rd for four year terms.

Dan Ide farms in Sand Creek and Grant townships. He and his wife, Barb, have two children: Jim (wife Lindsey) and Emily and also a granddaughter, Claire. They have a small row crop operation with a spring and fall calving cattle operation. When asked why he ran for SWCD Commissioner, Dan said, “My father and cousin were

past soil commissioners.

I feel it is good to have people involved that have interests in livestock production as well as row crop production. I feel we have a good group of commissioners with diverse backgrounds.”

Dan Waigand and his wife Carol reside in Union Township. They have three children: Ansley (14), Hayden (10) and Jensen (7). Dan is an assistant Vice-President at First National Bank in Creston where he works as an ag lender. He also farms. He has always had an interest in improving the land and the environment. As a Commissioner Dan hopes to gain a better understanding of the state and federal programs available, and how those programs can help producers improve their land and environment in Union County.

Luke Baker was raised on a farm south of Creston and currently lives in Highland Township.

He graduated from Iowa

State University in 2008 with a degree in agricultural business. He started working for Advanced Ag LLC when he graduated. When Wilbur-Ellis Company purchased Advanced Ag in 2014, Luke stayed on as a Senior Sales Rep. He and his wife Kim have a son, Owen. Luke believes that natural resources sustainability is a very important part of farming as well as life in general. Being involved in farming and the agriculture industry will allow him to bring several perspectives to the SWCD board. Luke’s goals for his time as a commissioner include being a voice for our local county to the state, learning the concerns of area farmers and addressing any local issues that emerge, and becoming familiar with state and federal programs so he can be a resource for local farmers.

The District board welcomes the three newly elected commissioners.

DON EBLEN TRENCHING LLC Field Tiling | Farm Drainage | Soil Conservation

Conservation Stewardship Program 2017 Reboot By: Kayla Creek,

District Conservationist

Conservation Stewardship Program (CStP) is a program that is for working lands and builds upon existing conservation efforts that is currently being implemented on the farm.

Since its formation as the Conservation Security Program in the 2002 Farm Bill, CStP has seen many changes in the past 15 years. It has gone from a program that was only open to a select number of watersheds to being open to all operators no matter the size of farm or location of the land. It has become the largest conservation program in the United States with over 70 million acres of agricultural and forest land enrolled.

2017 has brought along several changes to the program

that increase transparency, choices and flexibility. With the new software and evaluation methods, producers will be able to see up front why they are or are not meeting stewardship thresholds. The new evaluation method revolves around conservation planning first and utilizes tools that the field office currently uses when working with a producer.

These tools and evaluations will help determine if minimum requirements are being met. Farmstead and out areas that were traditionally not eligible in previous sign-ups will be evaluated and receive payment on those areas. Producers will be able to see potential payment scenarios earlier in the process.

The practices and activities that are offered are tied to a conservation practice, such as cover crops, buffer

strips and nutrient management, and as a result NRCS has developed more activities that will help you meet your management goals.

To participate, a producer must be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland and have farm records current at the Farm Service Agency. A producer must have control of the land offered for the length of the contract, which is initially 5 years and may be eligible for re-enrollment. All land that a producer has control of for the length of the contract must be offered in the program. Participants must share in the risk of the operation and be engaged in the day-to-day management of the operation.

Contact us at the office located at 904 E Taylor St in Creston for more information.

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Page 10c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

Year 2 in establishing your CRP seeding & year 4 Mid-contract management activities Bill Bolinger

NRCS Soil Conservation Technician

As most of you have observed, a lot of sensitive, agricultural fields have been enrolled into CRP contracts last year, most of which have been Bolinger seeded to a mix of warm season grasses and forbs. Once established, these areas will have reduced soil erosion, they will filter pollutants from runoff, and

will provide a vast array of benefits to wildlife such as food and shelter.

Your new seeding has made it through the 1st year and now you are wondering what I should do this year.

In all cases, weed control to reduce competition is vital. Our recommendation in the 2nd year is to mow once around May 1st-10th and then some spot mowing in problem areas where thistles are a concern. Mowing should be done at the 10”12” height to avoid damaging the desired species. The concept behind a late mowing in May is to suppress any cool season grasses, forbs, or

weeds, such as brome, clover, or foxtail to allow sunlight to penetrate the cover down to the new native grass species.

The native grass species are a warm season grass, which means they do not break dormancy until the ground temperature reaches 65 degrees. This is usually around the first or second week of May. Mowing will need to be done prior to May 15th as this is labeled as the “primary nesting season” and permission to mow after this date will need prior approval from your FSA committee.

Most of the new CRP contracts require some midcontract management ac-

12 Mile Lake Watershed Project

By Jodi Hitz

WIRB Project Coordinator

The 12-Mile Lake Watershed project is entering its last year. 12-Mile Lake serves as one of the water sources for the city of Creston and eight counties served

by SIRWA. Landowners in the nearly 15,000 acre watershed have installed 6 grade stabilization structures, 5 water and sediment control basins, 74,030 feet of terraces, 16 acres of waterways, 11 acres of streamside filter strips, and 110 acres of cover crops since 2013. These prac-

tices have reduced sediment delivery by 3722 tons and phosphorus delivery by 4842 pounds.

Why does this matter?

Sediment--soil particles transported by water--is the largest nonpoint source pollutant in the United States.

Excess nutrients, like phosphorus, and bacteria and other organisms are often attached to sediment particles.

These nutrients are essential for plant growth, but when too much of them are washed into rivers and lakes, it increases eutrophication (the amount of dissolved oxygen

in the water is decreased, affecting fish populations poorly) and increases water treatment costs. Conservation structures and practices slow down water flowing off the land and increase infiltration.

The district currently has 75% cost share available for landowners in the 12-Mile Lake watershed for ponds, terraces, and cover crops. If you are interested or have any questions, stop by the NRCS office at 904 E. Taylor or call at (641) 782-4218 ext. 3.

Cover crop in 12-Mile Lake watershed shown in October. This is cereal rye drilled into corn harvested for silage in the fall of 2016.

tivities in years 4-5-6. If the total area is 20 acres or less, the activities can be completed in one of the scheduled years.

Contracts greater than 20 acres will have 1/3 of the acres scheduled for years 4-5-6. Choices for the activities include spraying, disking, or burning. While burning is the most effective in removing duff and rejuvenating native grasses, it is the most difficult to apply as it takes preparation and several people to have a safe, successful controlled burn. Mowing firebreaks the fall before and coordinating a burn can be time consuming. Disking is an ac-

tivity that can easily be completed, however, it leaves the ground rough and undesirable for future activities such as mowing for maintenance or hay and is rough for walking while trying to hunt wild game. Spraying with glyphosate to suppress unwanted species is the easiest activity as you can spray with an ATV, tractor and sprayer, or hire a local cooperative to complete the mid-contract management activity.

Establishing a vigorous native grass stand is a slow process, and will usually take 3-4 years.

Notification and Authorization to Release Information Landowners - if you are considering selling or renting your farm or would like to authorize certain individuals to view your file, please be aware that NRCS/SWCD cannot release information contained in your Conservation Plan to anyone without your written permission.

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Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017 — Page 11c

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Page 12c— Creston News Advertiser — Friday, February 24, 2017

Union County Soil & Water Conservation District

By: Amanda Shetler,

NRCS Soil Conservationist

A key question facing agriculture is whether it will be possible to feed a growing global population in the future.

Often it is simply assumed that resources necessary for increased food production will be just as available as they are today. Top soil is already almost half way depleted from wind and water erosion within the past 150 years in most counties across the state of Iowa. Also scientists estimate that with the expected increase in food and energy consumption of the growing world population, today’s economically phosphorus fertilizer (P) resources will be depleted within 75 years.

Adoption and promotion of precision technologies and conservation practices working side by side are going to be key items to the success of farming into the future. A conservation practice that comes with many benefits is a long term no-till row crop system. The first few years you are establishing a no-till system you will see an increase in organic matter and the amount of biological activity. As the organic matter and biological activity increases,

the benefits of a no-till system will be realized.

Crop residue becomes an important benefit in a no till system. Soil Ph, potassium (K), and soil organic matter decreases when residue is removed. Residue also protects the soil surface when a raindrop hits, the energy being dispersed by the residue. Without the residue, the rain drop hits bare soil and causes soil particles to become suspended in the drop.

In addition, higher infiltration rates result in less runoff during storms and reduced affects on plants during dry spells. When runoff does occur in a long term no till system, it carries less soil because the soil organisms bind particles together so soil is not as easily picked up by moving water.

Ecologically, soil quality and soil life improve, which economically, allows for a good sustainable cropping system to continue into the future with fewer trips over the field, which saves fuel, time, and money.

There is a great importance in using multiple conservation practices to work together to build and maintain a healthy soil. Practices such as no-till, conservation tillage, contour-

ing, tiling, terracing, grass waterways, the use of cover crops, and many more practices will assist in conserving our soil for future generations.

Precision agriculture technology has allowed producers to be better managers and be able to take advantage of the maximized production and profit, while still being good conservation stewards. GPS, yield mapping, variable-rate applications of seed, fertilizers, crop fungicides and herbicides are some of the few technologies that allow producers to better allocate resources, while minimizing materials and energy and while maximizing production and profit. A big concern in fields are compaction, with up to 80% of soil compaction happening with in the first pass through the field, better equipment technology is also becoming more and more important to soil health.

Sustainable agriculture will require using multiple conservation practices and precision technologies not only to continue to keep up with the world’s demands, but also to be efficient, profitable, and maintain healthy soil that will keep up with production demands into the future.

Maintenance on Practices

By Jim Walsh

NRCS Soil Conservation Technician

Maintenance on terraces and waterways is something you need to keep an eye on every year, due to the frequency of heavy rains which has been an every year occurrence. Making sure you have decent holding capacity

in terraces and waterways, and having good seeding and width to them are important.

The problem we have been having with waterways is the chemicals being sprayed are narrowing the width and silting in and making the water cut a ditch along the side. We have noticed a lot of cleaning out of terraces and reshaping waterways this fall. Another

maintenance project we need to keep up with is to check for trees and brush that may be growing by the drop inlet or where the tile outlets in which the tree roots could plug the tile lines. Maintenance of the practices is the best control against erosion and heavy rainfall from doing more damage.

Wildlife Habitat on Working Lands in Union County By: Kelsey Fleming,

Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist, Pheasants Forever - Adair, Madison, Ringgold & Union Counties

Providing wildlife habitat is beneficial to not only wildlife, but can also help improve water quality and reduce soil erosion. This doesn’t mean you need to convert your entire operation to wildlife habitat, but rather you can establish habitat in odd ar-

eas that are often difficult to farm, low-yielding areas in your crop field, pastureland that is hard to access, or idle ground. There are financial programs (federal, state, and local) that are available to help create as well as manage wildlife habitat. Some of these programs provide annual rental rate payments while others provide costshare for implementing a practice. Some of these practices include, but are not lim-

ited to: establishing conservation cover, creating field borders, brush management, edge feathering, prescribed burning, tree/shrub establishment, and wetland restoration. If you are interested in learning what wildlife habitat opportunities exist on your property, feel free to reach out to Kelsey Fleming, Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist with Pheasants Forever at kfleming@pheasantsforever. org or (712) 660-0880

Ponds • Terraces • Conservation Work Demolition • Rock Hauling • Etc.

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