March/April 2013 eNewsletter Posted

Our March/April 2013 eNewsletter has been posted to our website.  Please click here to read it.

JFAC Increases 2-To-1 Match By $50,000; Approves Additional $20,000 For Technical Assistance

This morning, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee set the Fiscal Year 2014 budget for the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission.  Representative Steve Miller (R-Fairfield) made the main motion to support a $50,000 increase to the two-to-one state match, and for an additional $20,000 to allow the SWC to recover indirect costs for professional services related to cooperative conservation projects.

“This is great news for our state, our natural resources, and for the fifty soil and water conservation districts in Idaho,” IASCD President Kit Tillotson said.  “These increases are a result of our member districts sharing their conservation projects with their legislators, and the outreach by the IASCD Board of Directors.”

The motion to support the increases in the budget passed by a vote of 19-0, and now moves to the floor of the House/Senate chambers with a “do pass” recommendation.

Senate Ag Chairman Steve Bair Requests Full Funding For 2-to-1 Match

The Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) wrapped up their budget presentations today with a handful of reports from the Senate and House committee chairmen.  Today’s hearing started promptly at 8:00am with Senate Agricultural Affairs Chairman Steve Bair (R-Blackfoot) discussing the budgets his committee had reviewed.

Bair said they had reviewed the Soil and Water Conservation Commission’s budget, and referenced the two-to-one match was $209,700 from being fully funded.  IASCD and the SWC presented to the Senate Ag Affairs Committee on February 14th, 2013 and discussed the importance of a fully funded match.

Chairman Bair let JFAC know that districts use match funds to leverage grants from the Office of Species Conservation, Bonneville Power Administration, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and even private grants.  He also said that local soil and water conservation districts can play a great role in reducing the TMDL in Idaho’s streams and rivers.  Therefor, the Senate Ag Committee recommended an additional $209,700.

The date for JFAC to hear the SWC’s budget isn’t known at this time, but we will share it with you as soon as it is set.

Thank you Chairman Bair for your strong support!

Confirmation Hearing for Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner Norman Wright

Early this morning, the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Soil and Water Conservation Commissioner H. Norman Wright.  Chairman Steve Bair started the hearing promptly at 8:00am, and asked Commissioner Wright to share his qualifications.

Commissioner Wright is an Idaho native, a Boise State alum, and currently serves on the American Falls City Council.

“I have learned a lot on the Commission over the last year,” Wright said.  “It’s different being involved, rather than observing.  I was a loan officer with FSA, and as you know the SWC runs an active loan program.  We have looked at ways to streamline the RCRDP loan program, and try to find more people for it to continue.”

Chairman Bair asked Commissioner Wright what has surprised him most during his service on the Commission.  Commissioner Wright said he “didn’t know they had a loan program [RCRDP loan program].  It was a well-kept secret, and I don’t want the RCRDP to be a secret anymore.”

Chairman Bair thanked him for his service, and then called on the Commission and IASCD to give their annual presentation.

IASCD Legislative Displays on KTVB News – January 29, 2013

On January 29, 2013, IASCD and member districts held their annual legislative display date in the state capitol building. We alerted the media to the event, and had KTVB show up around 3pm to take footage and speak with IASCD staff.

The clip was featured on the 6pm news that evening.

SWC’s Budget Presentation Before the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee

Earlier today, the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission gave their annual budget presentation to the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.  Administrator Teri Murrison gave the committee a brief history of soil conservation districts in Idaho and the birth of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. 

Teri said that we maximize the natural resources for our state, and our “Idaho Way” is not a heavy-handed, regulatory approach. She then listed some of the major trends driving conservation are urban growth, reductions in funding, and water quality. 

There are a number of core functions of the SWC such as technical support to districts, conservation programs, and administration.  Teri let JFAC members know the total CREP contracts were at 157, and had a total of 17,210 acres enrolled in the program. 

Next, Teri spoke about the current TMDL workload, and the number of plans completed over the last five years.  She explained some of the backlogged plans and how long it takes a staff member to complete a TMDL. 

“We’re passionate about the land, natural resources and locally-led, voluntary conservation,” concluded Teri.  She then took a few questions from committee members.

Like last year, Representative Ringo said she is concerned that the full 2-to-1 match was note funded, and asked Teri what could be done with a full match.  Teri said IASCD provided her a list of possible district projects, and that will be submitted to Representative Ringo. 

Representative King asked for further explanation of the TMDL program and the requested full-time position.  Teri provided the Representative with the needed background, and then took a question from Senator Nuxoll about how match funding works. 

There were no further questions, and the presentation wrapped up about 8:55am. 

Thank you for all who attended or listened online!

January/February 2013 eNewsletter

We just put the finishing touches on our latest eNewsletter, and have posted it here for you to read.

West Side SWCD Applies For Conservation Innovation Grant

Today’s Capital Press had a great article on the West Side Soil and Water Conservation District’s effort to obtain a federal grant intended to entice more local growers to plant their fields in fall cover crops.  West Side is seeking $214,000 over three years in Conservation Innovation Grant money for projects that promote water conservation.

From the article:

Rick Passey planted his farm’s first cover crop this fall to provide extra feed on cattle pasture, given the high price of hay. The grant would allow farmers to graze livestock on their cover crops. Passey, who serves as the soil and water conservation district’s chairman, said limited water availability for irrigating cover crops could pose a concern for would-be participants.

Nonetheless, he predicted, “I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting the money spent if we get the money.”

He said other growers will likely apply to prevent wind erosion from fields. Interstate 15 north of Idaho Falls has closed several times in recent years due to blowing dust, he said.

“We’ve been trying to find a solution to that,” Passey said. “The one thing we have to impress on (growers) is once dirt blows away, it’s never coming back.”

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Little Salmon River Watershed Tour- August 30, 2012

On August 30th, the Adams Soil and Water Conservation District co-hosted a tour with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to see riparian habitat improvement projects in the Little Salmon River watershed.

Our first stop was at Four Mile Creek.  This was a project that added more vegetation as a riparian buffer and a fence around the stream bank.  A vegetation strip provides a buffer to flood waters and filters runoff into streams.  The vegetation adds additional shade to the creek, keeping the water temperatures cool.  Also, the growth provides shade for the cattle in the field.    The photo shows a water gap with a hardened crossing for livestock, and the top of the photo shows a livestock exclusion area.  The crossing area is appropriately wide, sloped and hardened with rock so that livestock do not tramp the banks into mud.

Our next stop was further down Four Mile Creek, as another land owner was rebuilding part of the riparian habitat.  We saw a number of willow plantings, using a technique called “willow weaving”.  This is used to stabilize eroding stream banks without the use of heavy equipment.  A water pump connected by a garden hose to a “stinger” is used to bore holes with pressurized water at an angle from the top of the stream bank down to just above the water line.  A long, straight willow stem is then inserted into the hole extending down through the bank and into the stream.  This leaves a gap from where the willow stem comes out of the bank, and down into the stream bottom.  Cut willow stems are then woven between the stems to form a very tight protective mat along this gap.  Once these cuttings begin to root and grow, they provide an excellent protection for the stream bank.

Our last stop was the Little Salmon River near Four Mile Creek.  Riparian buffers, livestock fencing, and other techniques have been used to slow the erosion of the stream bank.  The photo shows an area where planting had occurred on the banks, but due to the dry hot summer, the plantings were struggling despite their attempts to water them weekly.  The point bar on stream left is doing well with many willows, but is pushing the river into the higher, opposite bank which is eroding because it does not have much woody vegetation yet.  This is the way streams attempt to get their meanders back.  Encouraging natural meanders will help slow the flows in high water, allow sediment deposition, eventually raising stream beds and narrowing the channel.  Over time, this will allow water to remain on the fields longer and release water more slowly back to the stream.  More planting on the right bank will help stabilize these banks.  If the plantings are protected from livestock for a period of time and livestock are properly managed afterward, the banks should recover quickly.

Thank you for such a great tour!

Sixth Grade Field Day at Winchester

On May 11th The Lewis Soil Conservation District (LSCD) hosted the 40th Annual 6th Grade Field Day at Winchester State Park.

The weather was perfect for the 6th grade students from Highland, Prairie, Kamiah and Summit to enjoy the educational opportunity provided from the following volunteers:

Soils and Geology — instructed by Eileen Rowan, Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and Alyssa Rowan, Student Volunteer

Air Quality/Campfire Etiquette — instructed by Johna Boulafentis, Nez Perce Tribe Air Quality

Fire Control — instructed by Maureen Crabtree, Al Allman, Cory Town & Shawn Johnson, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL)

Forestry — instructed by Clark Christiansen, IDL, Chris Gerhart, IDL, and Sister Carol Ann Wassmuth, St. Gertrude’s Monastery

Take Me Fishing — instructed by Erin Tennesen & Ryan Aune, Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Nature Trail — instructed by Donald Rudy, Jr. Rangers

Life of the Salmon — instructed by Kevin Traylor, NRCS, Jessica Wells, NRCS, and Stefanie Bowman, Idaho Soil and Water Conservation District and Tiffany Sonnen, Student Volunteer

Canoeing — assisted by Vern McMaster, NRCS, Elaine Sonnen, LSCD, Tom Sonnen, Volunteer and Kevin Seitz, NRCS

Winchester Quick Response Unit was on site with LeAnn Trautman

The students rotate every 20 minutes throughout the day to the eight different learning stations.

LSCD provided lunch for the volunteers which were prepared by Karol Holthaus, LSCD.

LSCD would like to thank the students, teachers, volunteers for making this another successful year. A Special Thanks to Nita, Kitty, Bob & Frank with Winchester State Park.

This article was submitted by Elaine Sonnen with the Lewis Soil Conservation District.