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Contours of Conservation Winter 2018 Newsletter

Tioga County SWCD Stream Program

by Mike Jura

The District continues to develop our stream program to assist landowners and municipalities on issues throughout the county. As the frequency and severity of events increase, this assistance often takes the form of rapid response to damages caused by flash flooding events. Often times, these isolated severe storm events greatly impact small sections of the county. For example, rain events that caused flash flooding im-pacted the Towns of Barton, Nichols, Tioga and Owego this summer, leaving the other towns relatively un-affected. The damages from these small severe storm events often times do not meet state and federal thresholds for emergency disaster funding. In the case of larger, more widespread flooding events, these thresholds are met, allowing for an influx of state or federal funding on a temporary basis for recovery. Typi-cally, there are no consistent sources of local, state or federal funding to address stream issues on private lands. As many owners are not aware, in most cases streams on private property become the responsibility of the landowner when damages occur. This is why it is very important when purchasing new properties, or building new structures to evaluate the proximity of streams, rivers and small tributaries. Even very small hillside drainages are considered streams by state and federal regulators. Flash flooding is especially a risk for these steep smaller drainages. Although all streams are regulated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, and some streams are regulated by the NYS DEC, this does not mean that work cannot be done to protect property and buildings. The District is dedicated to assisting landowners with navigating the permitting pro-cess to help balance the needs of environmental protection with private property use, safety and rights. The District is a good first contact for landowners thinking of doing stream work on their property. District staff can meet landowners on site, observe the current condition of the stream, identify causes to the problem and begin discussing solutions. The District is dedicated to helping landowners find the most cost efficient, envi-ronmentally sound methods to address stream problems and to help prevent issues in the future.

In 2017 the district assisted with 9 permit applications for municipalities and 8 for private landowners. The District conducted 44 site visits, providing technical advice, assistance or support. 14 stream projects were completed with the districts assistance in 2017 for a total length of 3,580 linear feet of stream bank restored or protected. Please contact Mike Jura at 607-687-3553 if you have any stream concerns or questions regard-ing the SWCD stream program.

Flash flooding in the summer caused gravel to completely plug the channel upstream of this town road culvert for

450 ft., overtopping the road. SWCD assisted the town with permitting and proper sizing of the stream channel. Left

photo: while gravel is beginning to be removed. Right photo: complete project with low flow channel dimensions and

proper stream slope installed.

https://www.tiogacountyny.com/programs-agencies/soil-and-water/

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USC Riparian Buffer Program

By Laura Grant

While pondering his position at the lower end of the Kentucky River Watershed, Wendell Berry ardently tweaked the

golden rule stating, “do unto those downstream, as you would have those upstream do unto you.” As the headwaters to

the Chesapeake Bay, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition (USC) has put this revised motto into action. Since 1992, the

USC has worked to protect and improve water quality and natural resources in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin. In

recent years, the USC has worked to expand the riparian buffer program with 2017 being its most productive year yet.

Trees for Tributaries is a state program, locally coordinated by the USC, that works to reforest streams throughout the

state. Although this is not the only tool the USC riparian buffer team utilizes to implement buffers, it is one of the most

inclusive programs, qualifying private, public, agricultural and even residential properties. The program acts as a collab-

orative network between the USC and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout the Upper Susquehanna

watershed. The most notable features of the program are its capability to provide native plants, materials, and technical

assistance at no cost to the landowner.

In the year 2017, Trees for Tributaries was able to provide over 2,000 plants for eight new plantings, buffering over 15

acres of riparian zone. Two of these acres were planted nearby in the Town of Newark Valley along the east branch of

the Owego Creek. Locally, this buffer will intercept excess nutrients and sediment while simultaneously providing habitat

for a variety of organisms. Hundreds of miles downstream in the Chesapeake Bay, these reductions in nutrient and

sediment load will improve water quality.

In addition to implementing new buffers, the USC also monitors and maintains plantings. Hickories Park, located in the

Town of Owego, was one of six previously implemented buffers that were assessed for survival. The planting along

Little Nanticoke Creek had an impressive 79% survival rate, and 54 new plants were installed to replace those that had

died. Established in the Spring of 2016, USC staff were surprised to find that some trees were already over 10 feet tall

and ready to have the protective tubes removed.

The USC riparian buffer team is always looking for projects! Trees for Tributaries is just one of several services and pro-

grams to fit landowner goals for riparian restoration in the Upper Susquehanna watershed. For more information and

opportunities contact the office.

Catalpa tree one year in a tree shelter at

Hickories Park, Owego NY

Finished planted Trees for Tribs site

along Owego Creek

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CONTOURS OF CONSERVATION

is the newsletter of the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation Dis-trict, and is available without charge to conservation cooperators and all other interested landowners and users and the general public. To be placed on the mailing list simply send a request with your complete mailing address and E-mail address to: Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District, 183 Corporate Dr, Owego, New York.

Telephone - (607) 687-3553. Email: tcswcd@co.tioga.ny.us

Website: tiogacountyny.com/programs-agencies/soil-and-water/

Board of Directors meet the third Wednesday of the month @ 9:00am

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service phone - (607) 565-3454. Located at 109A Chemung St., Waverly, NY 14892

Conservation of privately owned natural resources for the sustaining of food, fiber, timber and wildlife begins with you. It is the purpose of the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District and cooperating agencies to provide technical assistance to those who are ready willing and able to utilize the practices of conservation on the land. All pro-grams of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Tioga County and Soil and Water Conservation District are offered on a non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status or handicap.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman/Legislative Representative Dale Weston Farm Bureau Representative Robert Aman

Grange Representative Mark Kwiatkowski Director-at-Large/ District Treasurer Ronald Dougherty County Legislative Representative/Vice Chairman Tracy Monell

DISTRICT STAFF District Manager Wendy Walsh Conservation District Technician/Editor Alex Marks Administrative Assistant Lisbeth Monell

Administrative Assistant Miranda Palmer Conservation District Technician Mike Jura AEM Specialist Brian Reaser Nutrient Management Specialist Rick Neuman

USC Ag. Coordinator Emily Dekar

Conservation District Technician Danielle Singer

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE STAFF

Located at 109A Chemung St., Waverly, NY 14892

District Conservationist Elena Steele

Soil Conservationist Erin Paczkowski

Soil Conservationist Phil Zurheide

New Hire

By Danielle Singer

Danielle Singer started at the District in July as a Water Quality

and Nutrient Management Specialist to assist with the AEM Pro-

gram. She graduated from Hartwick College with a B.A. in Geol-

ogy and Environmental Sciences and Binghamton University

with a M.S. in Geological Sciences. She is from Greene, NY

and currently resides there with her husband, but is looking for-

ward to moving to the Owego area. Her hobbies include read-

ing, fishing, kayaking and fossil hunting.

WQIP Grant Award

By Alex Marks

One of the grants we applied for this year was a WQIP (Water Quality Improvement Project) to purchase a new skid

mounted Hydroseeder. We were awarded the grant and are currently in the process of procuring a new hydroseeder.

We have had our current FINN T120 Hydroseeder for 19 years and it is time for a new more efficient model.

Our main goal with hydroseeding is to stabilize road ditches, stream banks, and other highly erodible sites. We mainly

focus our work with municipalities because of a DEC grant we have that offsets a lot of the cost to hydroseed these

sites. We also do private jobs for landowners or businesses that cost $2,500/Acre. Call the office and ask for Alex if

you are interested or have any other questions about hydroseeding.

Hydroseeded

Yard.

Left: Before.

Right: After

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Completed AEM Projects by Brian Reaser

AEM Funding Opportunities

by Danielle Singer

The primary goal of Agriculture Environmental Management (AEM) program is to protect and enhance the environment while maintaining the viability of agriculture in New York State. Through AEM and other funds, the District was able to assist 28 farmers in 2017. Below are few photos of completed projects in Tioga County. Funding for these projects was a combination of State funds and the landowners. If you have re-source concerns that need addressed, please contact Brian Reaser, Rick Neuman, or Danielle Singer at 687-3553.

In progress Milkhouse Waste

Total Collection System in

Town of Newark Valley

Farm crossing re-

placement in Town

of Berkshire.

Before

After

Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) is a voluntary program lead by Soil and Water Conservation

Districts to help farmers make smart cost-effective decisions that meet business objectives while protecting

natural resources. It is a 5 tiered process which begins with a short questionnaire to summarize farm activi-

ties and identify the farm’s interests moving forward. Once Tier 1 is complete, the farm is in the AEM data-

base and can be notified by the district for funding options as they come up. The district works with interest-

ed farmers to create plans that make them eligible to apply for funding. Most of the funding sources are a

75% cost-share with the farmer responsible for 25% of project costs.

Currently we have funding sources for agricultural waste storage cover and flare systems, water manage-

ment (runoff water, erosion control, stream work, forested stream buffers, livestock/equipment stream

crossings), practices that enhance soil health (ex: cover crops), livestock grazing plans, and management

practices that reduce water pollution (ex: milk house waste collection system, silage leachate collection sys-

tem, nutrient/sediment control projects, barnyard runoff management).

If you are interested in joining the AEM Program and would like to move forward in the process, please con-tact our office at (607) 687-3553 or email Danielle Singer at singerd@co.tioga.ny.us. More information on the AEM Program can be found at www.nys-soilandwater.org/aem

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Sundaes at the Farm 2018– Tri-K Dairy Farm

by Miranda Palmer

The Tioga County Agriculture Resource Group (TC ARG) has been holding Sundaes at The Farm for the last 11

years. The goal of this event is to educate both rural and urban landowners in Tioga County and neighboring counties,

by giving them an opportunity to spend a few hours on a working dairy farm. This event is a free celebration of local

agriculture that brings the public to a different farm every year. This year’s event was held at Tri Kay Farm in Owego

and there were approximately 700 attendees. Family-friendly activities include the Tioga County dairy princess, free

ice cream sundaes with locally made toppings, a farmers market with various local foods and products for purchase,

learning stations around the farm to educate the entire family, and for the younger attendees a scavenger hunt. As

always, we would like to extend a huge Thank You to our sponsors, as this event would not be possible without them;

Byrne Dairy, Cabot Cheese, Chobani Yogurt, Dairy Farmers of America, Home Central, Leprino Foods, Tioga County

Farm Bureau, Tioga State Bank, Ward and Van Scoy, and The Wheelock Agency. Please join us for Sundaes at the

Farm 2018, which will be held at Mead Farm, located at 24 Mead Road in Owego. The event will be held this coming

July, stay tuned for more details, we can’t wait to see you there!

Mark Kwiatkowski (Farm Owner) en-

joys his free ice cream sundae.

A child learning how

to milk a cow.

Last year, NYSDEC released final regulations for Part 360, Solid Waste Management, this included limits on storage of

waste tires which might impact your farm. While the regulation recognized “beneficial use” for tires such as those used

on farms for bunk silo covers, they also need to account for increase public health concerns associated with Zika and

other serious diseases that can be transmitted by mosquitos. The new regulations objective is to address shallow stag-

nant water that collects in tires and provides ideal mosquito breeding conditions. To this end, the beneficial use determi-

nation requires that tires be either halved or have holes in them to prevent the retention of water. These rules will have

important impacts on agricultural and other uses of waste tires.

Currently, in order for a farm to be in compliance with the new regulation, there can only be 0.25 passenger tire equiva-

lent per square foot of cover or bunker area and all tires on the bunk would either have to be cut in half or have holes

drilled in them. The deadline for implementation is May 2, 2018.

Since these regulations were released NYS Farm Bureau has been working with NYSDEC to help them understand

some of the practical hurdles faced by farms as a way to develop guidance as well as a reasonable implementation

schedule for the regulations.

So for now begin thinking about what this might mean for your farm and consider what your plan will be for management

for the tires on your farm. For additional information about options available there is a Tire management document that

has put out by Penn State University Extension https://extension.psu.edu/reducing-mosquito-breeding-sites-when-using-

tires-as-anchors-for-silo-covers

Waste Tire Usage

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Left: Esch drill re-

seeding a hay pas-

ture in Owego

Right: Truax 8’ drill.

Great for smaller

plots of land includ-

ing food plots

Cover Crop Cost Share

by Emily Dekar

Nutrient Management Program at Tioga SWCD

By Rick Neuman

AEM Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) can be developed and updated as needed by the SWCD

office. Plans are custom made for the farm and are a great way to maintain records (soil samples, fertilizer usage, and

rotations) and reporting crop acres to FSA. The CNMP’s are part of the eligibility requirements needed to receive

grants such as NYS Ag Nonpoint and EQIP. CNMP’s also should document any resource concerns on the farm with a

list of Best Management Practices (BMP) to address them. All plans should be kept updated once a year (crop rota-

tions, soil samples and manure applications as needed) and progress on resource concerns documented to keep in

compliance with the AEM program. If you would like a CNMP done or have questions about a CNMP please contact

Rick Neuman at 607-687-3553.

Tioga Soil and Water has soil sample kits at $8 (min.) and manure sample kits ($35) available at the office. These test

kits are a valuable way to identify nutrients in the soil and in the manure. This information helps when selecting and

purchasing fertilizer for future crops at the present cost of fertilizer sampling is the best way to be cost effective. The

samples will be sent to Cornell Labs in Ithaca and results emailed back along with a hard copy. For more information

call 1-607-687-3553 or to pick up a sample Kit the location is 183 Corporate Drive, Owego, NY 13827.

Other Nutrient Management news is the Tioga Soil and Water has 2 no-till drills for rent (12’ Esch and 8’Truax). The

current requirements for their use is proof of insurance (liability), completed Tier 1&2 and at least a 3A plan (completed

or signed up), Wildlife food plots are exempt. The no-till drills will be ready for the 2018 season. Call Alex Marks or

Rick Neuman for questions and more details.

The question is frequently asked why people would want to plant cover crops, and what the benefits

of cover cropping are. Cover crops not only reduce the potential for erosion but also increase soil

health and organic matter; they also assist in minimizing soil compaction. The goal behind cover

cropping practices is to cover the soil during the winter months to hold the soil in place, and also

provide for means of nutrient uptake in the event that manure spreading must occur during the win-

ter months.

The Upper Susquehanna Coalition has received funding from New York State Department of Con-

servation for the implementation of Cover Crops. This is a cost share program for farms throughout

the Upper Susquehanna Watershed. If you are interested in implementing cover crops for the first

time or have some new ground that you want to implement cover crops on, please give us a call at

the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District office.

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Farm assistance

Aerial Photos

Topo Maps

GIS Maps

Soils Maps

Ag. Assessments

Bird Houses

Post Pounder rental

No-Till Drill rental

Tree Planter rental

Tire Cutter rental

Soil/Manure sample analysis

Water Testing

Tree/shrub sale

Fertilizer Tablets

Marking Flags

Stream technical assistance

SWCD Services and Products Provided

Facecord (4’x8’x16”) $65

Full Cord — (3 - 4’x8’x16”) $180

Trailer of Logs—(Approx 4 Cords)

$400

Now Accepting

Credit Cards!

Timber & Firewood Marking and

Sales— Woodland Appraisals

Eager Beaver Logging and

Firewood Sales

Alex Palmer

2284 Sulphur Springs Road

Owego, New York 13827

607-862-3812

8 Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District 183 Corporate Drive Owego, NY 13827

Non-profit Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Owego, NY

Permit No. 5

WINTER 2018

In This Issue:

Stream Program

AEM and Cover Crops

Buffer Program

WQIP Grant Award

Nutrient Management Program

Waste Tire Usage

Does the winter weather seem to keep dragging on? If

so choosing trees and shrubs to plant this spring or putting

up bird nesting boxes may lessen the feeling that spring is

too slow coming.

The Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District

offers a wide variety of species for reforestation, Christmas

trees, wildlife food, windbreaks, borders, erosion control

and ground cover. The Annual Tree and Shrub Conserva-

tion Planting Program sale includes ten species of ever-

greens, twenty-five species of deciduous trees and shrubs,

three groundcovers and four berry species available for

planting this spring. There are six wildlife pacs for differ-

ent uses to benefit a wide range of wildlife. A fern pac with

two each of five fern species and one wild perennial flower

pac round out the selection of bare root stock for sale.

Seven wildflower seed mixes for sunny, shady, bird & but-

terfly and other uses are available in ¾ and 4 ounce pack-

ets. We offer the species and sizes best suited for all

types of conservation planting in this area. All stock is

bare root and packed with a water gel to keep moist.

The only new species this year would be the Bluecrop

Blueberries which help with cross pollination if anyone

planted Jersey Blueberries from last years sale.

Stock for the sale was ordered from nurseries last Sep-

tember based on previous years’ sales. Generally more

evergreens can be ordered if our stock runs out. Decidu-

ous species, however, are not as likely to be available

when our stock runs out, especially toward the deadline.

The order deadline is April 2, 2018, but we will contin-

ue sales of available species through the order pick

up dates of April 20 and 21.

We feel the district offers a good variety of species for a

wide range of conservation plantings for wildlife, song-

birds, windbreaks, groundcovers, erosion control, Christ-

mas trees, or other needs. District staff is available to an-

swer questions on species and site selection. Order blanks

are available from the Soil and Water Conservation District

office, 183 Corporate Drive, Owego, NY.

Phone (607)687-3553. E-mail or sent by USPS.

Order blanks are also on the Conservation District page on

the Tioga County website: tiogacountyny.com/

programs-agencies/soil-and-water. We also

have ordering information available for the NYSDEC

Nursery Program

We have bluebird, chickadees/house wrens, nuthatch/

downy woodpecker/titmouse and wood duck nesting box-

es for sale. A limited number of bat houses are offered as

well. The boxes are built to specifications of the North

American Bluebird Society. Large wooden bird feeders are

for sale as well.

CONSERVATION PLANTING PROGRAM FOR 2018