PA Association of Conservation Districts
   Front Page 
In This Issue
PACD Board Members Visit Bucks County Conservation District
Only Three Days Left to Register for the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting!
Save the Date: 2013 E&S Technical Training
NACD Board Briefs
Projects Recently Completed in McKean County under Dirt & Gravel Maintenance Program
"Where Does Your Water Shed?" Education Materials Available
Nutrient Management Practice Updated
Upcoming Events
Previous Issues of Front Page
Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List
 
January 10, 2013

PACD Board Members Visit Bucks County Conservation District

Bucks board visit
Pictured are (left to right) Harold Kulp - PACD South East Region Director, Cathy Skwara- Associate Director, Mary Ellen Noonan - Educator, Jessica Salter - Bureau of Forestry, Dave Schaffer - NRCS, Camille Peters - Receptionist, Gretchen Schatschneider - District Manager, Jeff Garton - Chairman, Jeff Vey - Treasurer (public director), Tom Tryceiki - Vice Chairman (farmer director), Linda Mackey - PA DEP, and Drew Gilchrist- PACD President.

Only Three Days Left to Register for the PACD/SCC Winter Meeting!

snowflakes Registration for the Winter Meeting remains open until January 17. Don't miss this opportunity to network, catch up on important issues, and take part in a special board recruitment workshop with Michael Kumer, Principal of Boards Made to Order (Boards MTO.) Click here to register. 

Save the Date: 2013 E&S Technical Training 

E&S Training Fence PACD is facilitating a new round of Erosion and Sediment Control Training sessions this spring. Conservation district staff is encouraged to take advantage of these free training opportunities, which include travel reimbursement and overnight accommodations. Basic/Refresher will take place March 25-29 at Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, PA and Advanced/Topic-Based will take place April 2-4 at the Farm and Home Center in Lancaster, PA. Registration will open in February.

NACD Board Briefs

NACD logo Click here for the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) briefs for December 2012. These highlights of NACD activities include policy updates and upcoming meeting dates.

Projects Recently Completed in McKean County under Dirt & Gravel Maintenance Program

Since 2007, the McKean County Conservation District has overseen the completion of 15 total projects through the Dirt & Gravel Maintenance Program. More than $253,000 has been made available through the program and an additional $177,000 has been provided by the township.

 

In 2012, completed projects included: Button Hollow & Bemis Road in Liberty Township; and Knapp Road in Annin Township. 

 

McKean DGR Before
McKean DGR after
  

 

Photos depict the before (top) and after (bottom) of the Bottom Hollow road project. This project included the installation of three new cross-pipes, one re-replacement of a stream culvert, 237-square feet of outlet stabilization, 595-square feet of eroded ditch stabilization and 13,000-square feet of road elevation to gain more effective road surface damage.

 

For more information about the Dirt and Gravel Maintenance Program, click here.

 

For more information about the McKean Conservation District, click here. Photos courtesy of the McKean Conservation District.

"Where Does Your Water Shed?" Education Materials Available

NACD watershed materials 2013 "Where does your water shed?" is the theme for the 2013 NACD education materials, developed to support NACD's 2013 Stewardship week and other education outreach events. Education and stewardship materials are now available for order from the NACD Marketplace. To view and purchase education materials, click hereTo view and purchase stewardship and community outreach materials, click here
 

For information on the "Where does your water shed?" poster contest, click here.

Nutrient Management Practice Updated

NRCS Logo Pennsylvania Tech Guide practice standards are revised on a roughly five-year schedule.  This year, the Nutrient Management Practice, Standard code 590, which provides technical criteria for the proper application of plant nutrients and soil amendments was reviewed and updated by Pennsylvania nutrient management and water quality partners.  

 

Three clarifications in the 590 standard were made to better to reflect NRCS policy to protect water quality: 1) soil erosion must be controlled to tolerable amounts over the length of the crop rotation and stormwater runoff shall be treated to control and trap sediment and nutrients; 2) nitrogen leaching risk shall be assessed and managed to protect water quality including drinking source ground water; and 3) phosphorous loss risk shall be assessed and managed according to the current version of the Pennsylvania Phosphorous Index.   

 

Practice guidance has been developed to explain how to use existing Act 38 nutrient management technical guidance to meet 590 requirements. Current Pennsylvania Chapter 102 regulations meet the erosion criteria to protect water quality. 

 

Training events are being planned for updating planners and producers to learn about new Penn State guidance for managing nitrogen and future changes to the P-Index being developed by Chesapeake Bay regional partners.