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2005 Report of Accomplishments
Whitman Conservation District
Natural Resource Improvements in 2005 -
Summary
 | 17 Acres of
riparian buffers were installed improving water quality by reducing streambank and soil
erosion to Penawawa Stream, a salmon bearing stream.
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| 865 Acres of
contour buffers were installed preventing an estimated 5,190 tons of soil erosion
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| Wildlife habitat
was improved by working with 3 landowners to plant 9,100 stems.
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| Technical and financial assistance was
provided to 14 landowners resulting in 530 acres of direct seed/no-till being implemented;
8 guzzlers installed; 4 acres of wildlife plantings being completed; 1 roof run-off
systems being installed, and 2 spring developments being installed to improve water
quality by reducing run-off to the Palouse River and Snake River drainages.
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Mission of the Whitman Conservation District
| The Mission of the Whitman Conservation District is to promote the wise, ethical,
and sustainable use of Natural Resources, by leadership in the education and assistance of
all Stakeholders. The Whitman Conservation District will promote the implementation of the
best available conservation measures and provide a forum for local input on Natural
Resource issues.
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Water Quality Implementation
| Technical assistance provided to 17 livestock operators for review of the
Department of Ecology’s water concerns with the livestock operations.
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| Technical
and financial assistance provided through the District Cost-Share Program to 14 landowners
resulting in wildlife cisterns, spring developments, roof runoff management systems,
wildlife habitat plantings, and direct seed, no-till and mulch-till seeding systems to
improve water quality by reducing run-off and/or access to the Palouse River and Snake
River drainages.
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| Provided
outreach information to 17 landowner/operators regarding qualification in the Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program.
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| Provided
technical assistance to 1 landowner who’s enrolled in the Conservation Reserve
Enhancement Program with 2 pending contracts.
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| Participated
in the Technical Service Provider Program under contract with NRCS resulting in 28 Status
Reviews being completed and 29 Practice Certification being done.
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| 1,665
Customers were assisted by phone or in-person.
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| Participation
in WRIA 34 and WRIA 35 Planning Sessions.
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| Participation
in the Palouse Sub-Basin Planning with Palouse Rock Lake CD, and participation in the
Snake Sub-Basin Planning with Pomeroy CD.
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Basic Funding
| Provides supplemental funding for district staff (1.5 FTE), office
administration, association dues – no employees, no office, no implementation.
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| Provides
funding for district staff time for mandatory district requirements: District Operations
Review, Management Standards Criteria, Annual Budget submission, Annual Planning
reporting, year-end financial reporting, district elections/appointments, state and local
audits, and monthly board meetings.
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| Provides
funding for staff training.
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| Provides
funding for staff time to seek additional grant funding and submission.
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Professional Engineering
| Provided on-site technical assistance to 17 livestock owners, assisting to meet
the Department of Ecology’s water quality vague guidelines.
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| Design,
management, and construction supervision for installation of a trough, pipeline, spring
development, and roof runoff system.
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| Coordinated
required Professional Engineering Board meetings and manager coordination meetings.
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| Administered
the Professional Engineering grant for the Southeast Area engineer.
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Watershed Conservation/Habitat Restoration
| Technical assistance provided to 3 landowners for the installation of wildlife
habitat resulting in 9,100 stems being planted or 18 acres being treated.
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| 1,050
plants were sold to 28 agricultural and non-agricultural customers in the District’s
Annual Plant Sale.
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Community Collaboration &
Coordination
| Supervisor
participation in the Local Work Group for the Palouse Team.
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| Participation in the Upper Columbia
Resource, Conservation and Development Council.
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| Participation in meetings to
collaborate county activities: Technical Service Provider program; Whitman County
Conservation District Council; Department of Ecology Burn Permitting Authority; and
Palouse Subbasin Planning.
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| Received oilseed demonstration project
grant to be supported by County Commissioners, Canola Commission, and private entities.
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Information, Education and Outreach
| In partnership with the Pine Creek CD, published four
quarterly issues of the District’s newsletter, The Steward, totaling 8 articles
related to water quality with a circulation mailing of 850. |
| Provided conservation education to 3 fifth grade classes
consisting of 70 participants resulting in 1 ½ -acres of wildlife habitat being
planted. |
| Provided water quality education to a sixth grade class
consisting of 11 participants. |
| Demonstration Project: Chemfallow vs. Conventional
Summerfallow (>14" precipitation zone) with moisture, organic matter and yield
comparisons. 6 soil samplings were completed with newsletter articles and 1 yield cut with
results being published. |
| The District’s weather station has been added to the
Demonstration Project, Chemfallow vs. Conventional Summerfallow, tracking weather
conditions to relate to moisture levels. Includes monthly visits and newsletter articles
of findings. |
| Hosted 2 tours to the University of Idaho’s
Bio-Agricultural Engineering for promotion of alternative crops in the direct seed /
no-till / minimum till crop rotations, focusing on oilseeds, biofuels and by- products. |
| Co-hosted a County fair booth with approximately 500
persons attending or passing through the booth experiencing ‘Home Grown on the
Palouse’ (variety of crops including alternative crops). |
| Assisted Palouse-Rock Lake Conservation District with the
2005 Whitman County Envirothon Contest which consisted of 70 high school students
competing in 6 different natural resources fields: wildlife, environmental issues, soil,
aquatics, forestry, and team presentations. |
| Managed and promoted the District’s Cost-Share
Program. |
| Managed and administered Ecology’s Burn Permitting
Authority Program. |
Washington Conservation Districts assisting land managers with their
conservation choices.
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