2018 SWCD Annual Reports

Logan Soil and Water Conservation District 2018 Annual Reports
Logan SWCD serves the natural resource conservation needs of Logan County residents and landowners.  We enthusiastically encourage you to give us a call or stop by the office if you have a resource conservation need.

Logan SWCD Supervisors:  Tim Lyden, Chairman, Eric Johnson, Vice Chairman, Joe Ramsey, Fiscal Agent, David Knight, Member.

Logan SWCD Staff:  Deb Roberts, District Administrator (Outgoing), Steve Searson, District Administrator/Technician, Jennifer Snipes, Administrative Assistant, Lorre Culp, Secretary/GIS.

Natural Resource Conservation Service:  Leisha Billenstein, District Conservationist, LaRae Baker, Resource Conservationist, Charlie Alan, Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Biologist.

Indian Lake Watershed Project:  Abbi Hastings, Watershed Coordinator.
Logan SWCD holds an Annual Meeting each year to elect supervisors to the Board.  Supervisors serve for a three-year term and receive no compensation for their work for the District.  

Financial Report
District

• Balance 1/1/2017 ( includes change fund of $100.00)             $111,542.82
• Income                                                                                      $  53,648.53
• Expenses                                                                                  $  33,481.17
• Ending Balance 12/31/17                                                          $131,710.18
• Funds committed to education                                                  $  19,559.00
• Funds remaining in District Fund                                               $112,151.18

Special (County) Funds

•  Balance 1/1/2017                                                                        $ 67,059.64
•  Income - County & State Match Funds                                      $155,109.44
•   Expenses                                                                                   $150,905.95
•   Ending Balance 12/31/17                                                           $  71,263.13

2018 Conservation Programs and Technical Activities

The following conservation programs have provided funding for technical assistance and financial assistance for the implementation of conservation practices.  Logan Soil and Water Conservation District (Logan SWCD) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical assistance.  Farm Service Agency administers the government programs with the exception of EQIP and CSP which is administered by NRCS.

Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) - 5 contracts, 1,433 acres, $312,396.00.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) - 6 contracts, 4,810 acres, $281,535.00.

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - 400 contracts, 3,175 acres, $441,387.00 to Logan County producers.

The 2018 construction season was very busy this year!  Several waterways that were not constructed in 2017 were completed along with 2018 waterway applications.  Logan Soil and Water Conservation District worked to assist landowners getting conservation on the land by surveying, designing and laying out as built conservation practices and providing technical assistance to properly establish various other conservation practices.  

Waterways planned - 13 projects; 23,000 ft (4.2 miles).

Cost Estimate of waterways - $200,000.00 (with cost share funds from Farm Service Agency along with landowners expense).

Estimated tons of soil saved by the installation of waterways - 3900 tons.

Pond site investigations - 8.

Pollution Abatement Investigations (Manure) - 4.

Group Drainage Assistance - 3.

Drainage Investigations - 6.

Ohio Department of Agriculture cost share assistance project - 1.

Conducted a Soils Health Workshop March19th at Marmon Valley Farms, 18 in attendance.

Logan Soil and Water Conservation District along with Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District, Logan County OSU Extension and Hardin OSU Extension conducted 4 conservation education meetings for landowners.  Approximately 275 landowners attended, averaging 70 per meeting. Meeting convened at the Plaza Inn, Mt. Victory.  Area organizations and businesses assumed responsibility for the expenses of the provided breakfast buffet.  Topics included were:  CAUV Property Tax Changes, Worldwide Grain Markets, Climate and Weather, Soybean Population.

George Feltham continues to conduct stream water quality testing throughout Logan County.

Conducted "Exploring the Effects of Water Quality in Western Ohio" workshop for 7th grade teachers from Logan, Shelby, Darke, Mercer, Miami and Auglaize counties.  Logan SWCD, Jill Smith with Logan County Farm Bureau and Midwest Regional Educational Service Center (MRESC) planned the August 7 and 8 event.  Dave Shellhaas, MRESC representative, developed the curriculum utilizing a grant from Ohio Environmental Education Funds.  Each teacher participant received a $150,00 stipend, water quality test kits for their classrooms, water quality curriculum and spectrometers that were developed by the University of Akron.  The second day of the workshop the group travelled to the Blanchard Watershed Demonstration Farms for hands on training. 

Logan SWCD 2018 Tree Sale - 3410 seedlings, 14 wildflower packets and 27 tree shelters were sold. Left over seedlings were once again donated to Myeerah Nature Preserve.

Pollinator Seed Sales - 7 customers, 123 acres of pollinator plots.  

Mid Contract Management Pollinators Plugs - offered as a service to the public.  Sold 122 flats to Logan, Champaign and Union County landowners.

Deb Roberts announced her retirement effective September 21st.  Steve Searson was named District Administrator/Technician.

Jennifer Snipes was hired as Administrative Assistant, effective August 13, 2018.

Indian Lake Watershed Project hired Abigail Hastings as Watershed Coordinator.