NRCS Accepting Applications for Three Water Quality Initiatives in Indiana
NRCS is investing dollars in the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI), National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) and Regional Conservation Partnership Project (RCPP) that will help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations. Funding for each of these initiatives comes from the Farm Bill's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). More information is available on the NRCS website.
Two subwatersheds in the Big Pine Creek watershed (Big Pine Creek Ditch and Little Pine Creek) will be targeted, including portions of White and Benton counties in north central Indiana. The Little Wea Creek watershed lies solely within Tippecanoe County in north central Indiana. Two subwatersheds in the Cicero Creek watershed (Prairie Creek and Tobin Ditch) will be targeted, within portions in Tipton, Hamilton, Clinton, and Boone counties.
National Water Quality Initiative
Funding will be targeted to four small watersheds in Indiana. The Silver Creek watershed lies within portions of Fulton, Kosciusko, Miami, and Wabash counties in north central Indiana. The Beargrass Creek watershed is located within Wabash County. The Ell Creek watershed lies solely within Dubois County in southwestern Indiana. The Eagle Creek watershed lies within portions of Boone, Hendricks and Marion counties in central Indiana.
Regional Conservation Partnership Program
Led by the University of Notre Dame, funding will be available in Shatton Ditch located in Kosciusko County and the Kirpatrick Ditch located in Newton, Jasper and Benton counties.
All applications for funding consideration must be received by June 19, 2015.
NRCS News
Crop Insurance Deadline
Indiana's NRCS State Conservationist Jane Hardisty reminds agricultural producers seeking federal crop insurance that they must have their Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification form, commonly called form AD-1026, on file with their local USDA service center by June 1, 2015.
The River-Friendly Farmer Awards applications are due on June 3. Applications must be submitted online through the Google form, but you can download the full list of questions in Word format to copy/paste from into the online form. Please note that the signature page also must be mailed or emailed as well. Full requirements and instructions are listed on the IASWCD website.
Partner News
Deam Forest Stewardship Award
The Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association is calling for nominations for the Charles Deam Forest Stewardship Award. The Deam award recognizes Indiana woodland owners who have demonstrated exceptional management of their woodlands.
Nominees must have a written management plan and own their property for one full year. They do not have to be IFWOA members. See the complete rules and information about the Deam Award, and nominate by July 1.
NACD May U&C Webinar
'Improving Water Quality in Urban Areas' is the topic for the next NACD Urban and Community Conservation webinar, scheduled for May 21 at 12:00noon-1:00pm eastern time. We'll showcase two excellent examples of water quality protection efforts. Willie Woode, Northern Virginia SWCD, will share how they determined the extent of damage in a delineated Chesapeake Bay Resource Protection Area and their strategies in preparing a restoration plan. Rick Eilertson, City of Fitchburg in Wisconsin, will present on two innovative programs (Stormwater Utility Credit Program and Fitchburg Creek Supporter Pledge Program) that incentivize urban property owners to reduce their stormwater impacts as close to the source as possible.
There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register, email Debra Bogar at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org with your name, title, district or business name, state and email address. Information to access the webinar will be sent by email.
NACD Call for Webinar Proposals
The NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group (RPG) is pleased to be able to offer monthly webinars in 2016. This is made possible by the continuing support of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. These popular webinars have covered a variety of urban and community conservation topics with districts sharing their projects and programs and other entities sharing information and resources. They are held 12 pm-1pm Eastern time on the third Thursday of each month.
The RPG is now seeking your input for the series beginning in October 2016. Help us design webinars that help you! Please take a moment to:
1.Offer to give a presentation; send in a brief paragraph describing the program/project that you would like to showcase, and/or
2.Tell us the urban and community conservation topics/issues and/or speakers you would like to have covered.
Send your ideas and proposals to Deb Bogar at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org by July 8, 2015.
Do you frequently make purchases on Amazon.com? You can help support conservation in Indiana by selected IASWCD as a recipient of AmazonSmile contributions when you shop on Amazon.com. Amazon will donate a portion of their profits to IASWCD at no additional cost to you. It's a simple way to support conservation in your day to day life!
Notices
Erica Burkemper-Fischer is trying to locate a document that has a list with dates that reflect when important documents are due: AFR, taxes, grant reports, 100R's, etc. She is requesting that anyone who has that document please send it in a word or pdf document to her at: stephanie.burkemper-fischer@in.nacdnet.net.
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Tippecanoe County SWCD is in need of a rainfall simulator to use during their 4-H Fair from July 17-24. If you have one to rent/lend email chris.remley@in.nacdnet.net.
Job Openings
Please email job descriptions, instructions for applying, and a deadline in a single PDF file to emily-neitzel@iaswcd.org to be included.
