Conservation Districts in Washington Collaborate in the Shore Friendly South Sound Initiative 11/04/2022
More than 25 percent of the Puget Sound shoreline is “hardened” with concrete bulkheads, rock seawalls, or wooden pilings. The purpose of a “hardened” shoreline structure is to protect the land and properties from the damage of erosion. However, in the case of the Puget Sound these structures are largely unneeded. Levels of erosion in…… Continue reading →
Longstanding Partnership Reestablishes Native Vegetation in Louisiana’s Coastal Wetlands 08/29/2022
Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are disappearing. All along the state’s Gulf Coast, the loss and degradation of these wetlands is a critical natural resource concern. These losses have been worsened over time by modifications to the region’s hydrology, (e.g., levees and channels) as well as a changing climate that is bringing more intense storms and rising…… Continue reading →
Oyster Reef Restoration with Parsons Seafood, Tuckerton NJ (Great Bay) 01/13/2022
Ocean County Soil Conservation District's Sustainable Practice's for Aquaculture Resources Conservation project (SPARC) continues efforts to provide technical assistance to aquaculture farmers in the Barnegat and Great Bay watersheds to further develop the conservation practices of the NJ NRCS Aquaculture Initiative. Under the direction of District Director, Christine Raabe, earlier this year, Kristin Adams, Ocean…… Continue reading →
Westmoreland CD Relaunches Decades Old Flood Control Project in Jacobs Creek 09/15/2021
Over 50 years ago, Westmoreland Conservation District (WCD) in Pennsylvania worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), on a flood control project in Jacobs Creek. Floods were causing extensive damage to Scottdale and its surrounding areas, so a unique watershed-wide flood-control project (PL…… Continue reading →
Wasatch CD Improves Water Quality in the Wallburg Watershed 08/18/2021
By Katrina Stacey In Wasatch County, Utah, Deer Creek Reservoir serves as the main drinking water source for 65 percent of all Utahans; however, water quality and other resource concerns have been identified by local landowners. Total maximum daily load (TMDL) and water quality studies showed that phosphorous loads in the reservoir were very high,…… Continue reading →
Delaware County SWCD Improves River Flow, Aquatic Habitat and Recreation on the White River 07/15/2021
By Katrina Stacey In Muncie, Indiana, where there are numerous dams that are either degraded or no longer needed, the Delaware County SWCD found partners to help fund the removal of two low-head dams and the modification of a third along the White River. The two dams removed with this project were no longer functional.…… Continue reading →
NACD Government Affairs Update: Biden Administration To Review WOTUS Definition 06/14/2021
By Mary Scott On Wednesday, June 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA). A press release from the agencies states, “Today’s action reflects the agencies’ intent to initiate a…… Continue reading →
New York SWCD Planting Riparian Buffers to Enhance Water Quality 06/11/2021
The Schuyler County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in New York is using different state funding mechanisms to implement projects, including planting nearly 60 acres of riparian buffers to preserve and enhance water quality across several watersheds. “Buffers are one of the most cost-effective conservation practices we can utilize,” Schuyler County SWCD Manager Jerry…… Continue reading →
Water Quality Improvements Through an NACD Technical Assistance Grant 06/09/2021
By Katrina Stacey In Hopkins County, Kentucky, where gully and sheet erosion are common natural resource concerns, the Hopkins County Conservation District has utilized NACD Technical Assistance Grants to address a backlog in completing survey and design projects related to those and other natural resource issues. Through its first grant, the district was able to…… Continue reading →
Iowa: Building A Watershed Community Through Conservation Partnerships 06/02/2021
By: Kate Giannini, Iowa Watershed Approach Communications Specialist, Iowa Flood Center THE WATERSHED APPROACH The Middle Cedar Watershed covers about 1.5 million acres in east central Iowa and spans 10 counties. Nearly 75 percent of the watershed consists of agricultural lands, with many small towns and three large metropolitan areas. [caption id="attachment_43683" align="alignright" width="250"] Cedar…… Continue reading →