Since the Scioto Soil and Water Conservation District was founded in 1946, technical support to landowners has been the district's most important role. Designing waterways, spring developments, and animal waste facilities are just a few of the many projects in which district personnel are involved. To ensure that projects designed by the district stand the test of time and remain in tact for years, designs meet the necessary specifications and are inspected by Soil and Water Conservation District personnel as well as Natural Resource Conservation Service personnel. 

Equipment Rental
Truax – Warm Season No-Till Drill
8 ft seeder (10 ft transport width)
At least a 50 horsepower tractor is needed in the field.
Rental Fee: $7.00 per acres or $150 a Day
Minimum charge is $50.00
Download a Drill Agreement (PDF Format)

Soil Tests
Soil samples can be brought to the Scioto SWCD office for testing. 
Samples are sent to Spectrum Analytic in Washington Court House for analysis. 
More Details

Tree Sale
From January to late February every year, the Scioto SWCD sponsors a tree and groundcover sale.  A variety of species are available at an affordable price for landowners who wish to establish vegetation on their property.  Click here for an order form and pricing information.  Deadline to order is February 27, 2009.

Conservation Planning Assistance

• Soils Information & Interpretation - Scioto County Soil Survey 
• Conservation Farm Plans and Revisions
• Grazing Management Plans
• Engineering Plans 
• Inventory and Evaluation 
• Pond Site Evaluation 
• Manure Nutrient Management 
• Best Management Practices

• Surface and Subsurface Drainage 
• Grassed Waterways 
• Spring Developments 
• Animal Waste Storage Facility
• Erosion Control Structures 

Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

CRP practices encourage farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filter strips, or riparian buffers.  Scioto County farmers have used CRP to seed down filter strips along streams to correct scour erosion during floods and to build grassed waterways to repair gullies in crop fields. 

Cost sharing is provided to establish vegetative practices.  Costs for land preparation and seeding are reimbursed at the 50% rate.  Additional practice and sign-up incentives result in total reimbursements as high as 90% or more.  After practice installation, farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract.

More information about CRP is available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp/.
 

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP’s cost-share level is 50 percent on most construction practices.  Livestock waste storage facilities are eligible for up to 75 percent cost-sharing.  Farmers qualifying as a “Limited Resource Producer” will receive 90 percent reimbursement on the first $5,000 of cost-share earned.  Agricultural water quality concerns will be treated with a variety of conservation practices that include:  comprehensive nutrient management plans; manure storage systems; and livestock grazing systems including fencing and livestock watering systems.

NRCS administers EQIP and provides technical assistance to eligible producers. Applications for EQIP are accepted year around with an annual deadline to be set every year in the early Spring.  Additional information about EQIP is available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/.

For information about other Federal Cost-Share Programs visit the Natural Resources Conservation Service website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/. Contact the Scioto Soil & Water Conservation District and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service at (740) 259-9231 for more information about technical assistance and available programs. 
 

Scioto River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

The Scioto River Watershed Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a farmer/landowner-implemented agricultural environmental stewardship program.  The goal is to create 70,000 acres of filter strips, riparian buffers, wildlife habitat, wetlands, and tree plantings to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff into the river and its tributaries.  As a result, it will improve biodiversity in the entire watershed.  Landowners enrolling cropland or marginal pastureland will receive 15 annual rental payments from USDA and cost-share for installation and maintenance of eligible practices.  State incentive payments are provided on wetland and wildlife conservation practices.  State incentive payments are provided on wetland and wildlife conservation practices.

• Participants in CREP will enroll for 15 years and receive 15 annual payments from USDA FSA.
• Additional bonus incentives are available for planting warm season grasses and restoring wetlands.
• Cost-share funding is also available for controlled drainage water management, livestock fencing, and livestock watering systems when enrolled with certain CREP practices.

• Grass filter strips along streams and watercourses.
• Wildlife habitat plantings along streams, watercourses, and on certain highly erodible lands.
• Wetland restoration.
• Tree planting and riparian buffer strips in suitable areas.
• Controlled agriculture drainage water management.