North Laughery Creek Watershed

12/04/2023

What is a grassed waterway?
A grassed waterway is a shaped or graded channel that is established with suitable vegetation to convey sur-face water at a non-erosive velocity using a broad and shallow cross section to a stable outlet.
Waterways are constructed to convey runoff from concentrated-flow areas, terraces, or diversions where erosion control is needed. Waterways can be used to control gullies and/ or improve the water quality of downstream water bodies by reducing the sediment carried by runoff water.
Grassed waterways are usually parabolic or trapezoidal in shape and are designed to allow farm equipment to cross without damaging the waterway or the equipment.
When possible, species of vegetation should be selected that can serve multiple purposes, such as benefiting wildlife, while still meeting the basic criteria needed for providing a stable conveyance for runoff. Tall bunch grasses and perennial forbs may also be planted along waterway margins to improve wildlife habitat. Including diverse legumes or other forbs that provide pollen and nectar will have the added benefit of providing habitat for native bees.
This practice has a minimum expected life of 10 years. Some maintenance will be needed to maintain the waterway capacity, vegetative cover, and outlet stability. This will include mowing (or controlled grazing), fertilizing, and sediment removal. Most of the damage that occurs to grassed waterways is caused by equipment or herbicides and can be avoided by careful management. Vegetation that is damaged by machinery, herbicides, or erosion must be repaired promptly.
Information Courtesy of https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

If you are interested in learning more or applying for cost-share contact Steve Franklin at 812-689-6410 extension 3 or email [email protected].

11/30/2023

What is a filter strip?

A filter strip is an area of vegetation established for removing sediment, organic material, and other pollutants from runoff and wastewater.
Filter strips are generally located at the lower edge(s) of a field and are designed to serve as a buffer between a field and environmentally sensitive areas such as streams, lakes, wetlands, and other areas susceptible to damage by sediment and waterborne pollutants.
In addition to serving as a buffer, with proper plant selection and management, filter strips can provide additional benefits such as:
• improved fish and wildlife habitat
• improved field access
• increased livestock forage
Operate and maintain filter strips by mowing, fertilizing, controlling weeds, and reseeding (as needed) to promote dense vegetative growth. After storm events, inspect filter strips and if needed, fill in gullies and remove accumulated sediment to keep filter strips functioning effectively.
Exclude livestock and vehicular traffic from filter strips during wet periods of the year to reduce compaction that will limit infiltration.
Information Courtesy of https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
If you are interested in learning more or applying for cost-share contact Steve Franklin at 812-689-6410 extension 3 or email [email protected].

11/27/2023

What is a riparian buffer?
A vegetated area (a buffer strip) near a stream, usually forested, which helps shade and partially protect the stream from the impact of adjacent land uses.

As you begin to think about establishing a riparian buffer on your property, start by considering how you use your land. Do you play sports in your yard? Do you have small children or pets? Where are the best spots to sit and watch the river? Creating a buffer does not mean giving up on the recreational and aesthetic uses of your yard. Backyard buffers should be designed to maintain views and invite people to play in your yard. You can frame your view of the river or stream with careful plant selection and pruning when necessary. If foot access to the stream is important, lay out a curved path and plant around it. Grade the path if necessary to keep it from becoming a tiny stream channel during rainstorms. Slopes over 15% require constructing steps or stairs. Try to keep children and pets on this path to discourage them from trampling the rest of the riverbank. Plants that are native to your area will create the most valuable buffers.
Native plants:
• are time proven—they have been around for thousands of years and are adapted to the climate.
• conserve water, which saves a precious resource, reduces costs, and helps to maintain the groundwater table.
• provide fish and wildlife habitat—food, shelter, shade and hiding cover.
• are disease and pest resistant.
• do not need chemicals for their growth or care.
• require little maintenance after establishment.
• provide buffers to streams.
• are beautiful and provide year-round interest.

A buffer of native plants can be a beautiful addition to any landscape. Planting Guidelines
• Group plants by similar moisture and sun/shade requirements.
• Plant in layers by different heights: overstory trees, understory trees, shrubs, perennials/grasses.
• Plan on the mature size for plant location.
• Water plants for 2-3 summers until plants are well-established, then stop watering.
• Minimize lawn or use water conserving grass species.
• Choose native plants that provide wildlife habitat.

Information courtesy of http://midcolumbiafisheries.org/

If you are interested in learning more or applying for cost-share contact Steve Franklin at 812-689-6410 extension 3 or email [email protected].

11/24/2023

What is no-till farming?
No- till farming is a type of farming that does not disturb the soil and does not get tilled. This allows the farmers to minimize the amount of disruption to their crops. When farmers do till their land, they are mixing up their soil and trying to control any weeds on their land.
No-till farming benefits the soil that farmer’s crops are growing on. No-till farming reduces your chances of soil erosion and runoff. This also helps the soil absorbability to maximize. When a no-till farmer minimizes their tillage of soil, they are also increasing their irrigation productivity. Plant disease can also repress with no-till farming. By using no-till farming your soil biome can stay healthy and the nutrients are cycled through more efficiently. No-till farming is efficient for the farmer because it allows them to plant more seeds. This also saves farmers money and the amount of fuel they use. No-till farming also decreases the cost of labor-related work. This saves farmers money on herbicides because it also prevents weeds. A final benefit would be the increase of crop yields farmers receive with no-till farming. The amount of machinery that is fossil fuel powered is also decreased. Healthy soil can reduce the amount of carbon that we have in our climate. By using the practice of no-till farming could isolate the annual greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon is naturally kept in soil. With no-till farming, the carbon is not able to come out of the soil. The number of chemical fertilizers used is decreased with no-till farming. The quality of water also increases because the sediment runoff is minimized.
If you are interested in learning more or applying for cost-share contact Steve Franklin at 812-689-6410 extension 3 or email [email protected].

11/21/2023

The North Laughery Watershed project has applied for another round of funding from the 319 grant with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The application is being moved up to the Environmental Protection Agency which is the next step in the process. The North Laughery Watershed is hopeful we will obtain another round of funding and should hear in 2024. This would provide additional cost share to all residents in the medium and high priority areas of the North Laughery Creek Watershed. The current phase of the project will end on December 14, 2023. The current grant was a total of $408,663 and provided $175,000 in cost share to landowners in the Decatur, Franklin, and Ripley Counties that live within the watershed boundaries. To get on the waiting list for the possible next round of funding please call the Ripley County Soil & Water Conservation District at (812)689-6410 ext 3 and speak with Steve Franklin.

11/21/2023

Important tips for managing your household liquid waste!!

09/29/2023

So what is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that drains water into one common body of water. EVERYONE LIVES IN A WATERSHED! Therefore, everything you do on the land affects someone else that also lives in that watershed. Next time you are outside look at the landscape, think about who lives "downstream" from you and who lives "upstream" from you. If you aren't close to a creek look at a map to see where the closet creek flows near you.

09/27/2023

What is Cover Crop?
Cover crop is growing a crop of grass, small grain, or
legumes primarily for seasonal protection and soil improvement.
What is Non-Point Source Pollution?
Harmful substances that are carried by rain and snow moving over and through the earth that end up in groundwater, rivers, lakes, or the ocean. These substances come from various sources and can be natural or man-made. They are called non-point source (nps) because instead of being dumped directly from a house or factory into a body of water, the pollutant is diluted and transported by the natural cycle of precipitation.
This practice is used to control erosion, add fertility and organic material to the soil, improve soil tilth, increase infiltration and aeration of the soil, and improve overall soil health. The practice is also used to increase populations of bees for pollination purposes. Cover and green manure crops have beneficial effects on water quantity and quality. Cover crops have a filtering effect on movement of sediment, pathogens, and dissolved and sediment-attached pollutants.
Operation and maintenance of cover crops include: controlling weeds by mowing or by using other pest management techniques, and managing for the efficient use of soil moisture by selecting water-efficient plant species and terminating the cover crop before excessive transpiration. Use of the cover crop as a green manure crop to cycle nutrients will impact when to terminate the cover to match release of nutrient with uptake by following cash crop.
Information Courtesy of https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
If you are interested in learning more or applying for cost-share contact Steve Franklin to get on our waiting list at 812-689-6410 extension 3 or email [email protected].

09/22/2023

It’s that time of year!! Don’t leave your soils naked through the winter!! Planting cover crops is one best management practice that we offer cost share on, it’s all allocated this year but call today to get your name on the waitlist for next year!! (812)689-6410 ext 3!

NRDC & Incredible Beast Omnimedia teamed up with Nick Offerman to make sad soil smile again through climate-friendly regenerative farming. Tell your reps to ...

09/15/2023

Did you know that you can still call and get on the waiting list for cost share?? The currently grant from IDEM ends in December 15, 2023 BUT we have applied for more funding! We are hopeful that we will be awarded the new grant and THEN we can push out more cost share dollars!! Call or message today to get on a waiting list!! (812)689-6410 ext 3

02/02/2023

Annual No-Till Breakfast and PARP Certification at Hopewell Church on March 2, 2023. Breakfast at 8:00am, agency updates around 9:00, program 9:00-11:30.