PROGRAM GOALS

Encourage the use of conservation planning to reduce erosion and improve water quality.

PRACTICES

Erosion control structures (DWP-1):  The state funded cost share program is intended to provide financial incentives to landowners for installation of erosion control projects and practices that otherwise would not be installed.  “State funded” means that public tax dollars, the 1/10th of 1 cent Parks and Soils Sales Tax, are made available to soil and water conservation districts to reduce soil erosion.  The Board of Supervisors (locally elected) determine cost share rates, decide on practices needed for the county and allocate the funding.  The maximum the district can cost share is 75% of the cost of the installation of the practice or the estimated county average cost. 

If a farm qualifies for cost share, the board of supervisors must approve your application before starting any part of the planned practices.  Practice must be completed and claim approved before the termination date of the application.

Land Use in the Watershed:

Objectives of the AgNPS SALT project include:

1. use Residue Management to save approximately 26,000 tons of soil per year on 13,000 acres of the conventionally tilled cropland from sheet-rill and wind erosion,
2. plant 375 acres of grass filter strips along field edges and riparian corridors to benefit 15,000 acres, reducing sedimentation and subsequently creating wildlife habitat,
3. plant 80 acres of windbreaks to protect 1,000 acres of cropland and riparian corridors,
4. apply nutrient and pest management techniques, according to ICM, on 13,000 acres of cropland,
5. stop excessive gully erosion adjacent to the Pemiscot Bayou by installing structures, and
6. increase irrigation efficiency on 2,000 acres of furrow irrigated cropland.

Project support includes: NRCS, Missouri Bootheel Partners Program - Cropland Flooding Program, stream team, MDC, Caruthersville High School, Cooter High School, Delta C-7, Hayti High School, South Pemiscot High School, Southeast Missouri RD&C, Ag Distributors, Helena Chemical Company, Consolidated Public Water Supply District #1, FSA, UOE, Delta Research Center and Southern Telecommunications Center.

Practices are available in the project area, that are not available in the rest of the county.

Filter strip on cropland to prevent gully Erosion and wildlife cover.	Weirbox (or stoplog) installed on rice ground to hold water year round. Winter flooding is common in Pemiscot County for migrating birds as well as benefits the practice has for the soil. Cost share available in State programs and federal programs

Conservation Security Program Wetlands Reserve Program Environmental Quality Incentives Program

The District is partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service NRCS.

Federal programs are offered to cooperators through NRCS such as the Conservation Security Program  that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life.  The Wetlands Reserve Program allows participants to establish conservation easements of either permanent or a 30 year duration or can enter restoration cost-share agreements where no easement is involved.   The Environmental Quality Incentives Program addresses locally identified problems with natural resources.  For more information, go to the links provided on each program.