Allegan Conservation District

Kalamazoo Water Quality Trading Project

The Allegan Conservation District and the Gun Lake Tribe of Pottawatomi Indians have joined efforts to provide 75% cost-share for the installation of agricultural best management practices in the Kalamazoo River Watershed.

The funding for the project is provided through a Targeted Watershed Grant on the Kalamazoo River. We have installed over $80,000 in cost-shared practices in 2007. These conservation practices included a roof run-off management system, exclusion fencing, no-till payments, cover crops and manure management plans. These practices help producers to be competitive in a continuously evolving growing market. How can you gain an edge on the agricultural market and improve your crop yields and reduce fertilizer use? The Targeted Watershed Grant is the answer.

The Targeted Watershed Grant pays 75% of the cost to install best management practices that reduce phosphorous to surface waters in the Kalamazo River and Lake Michigan. Phosphorous enters our surface water attached to soil particles from agricultural fields, erosion sites, fertilizers and in animal and human waste. Your neighbor’s farm may already be taking advantage of this great opportunity to receive 75% cost-share for phosphorous reducing practices! Why not your farm?

The application process is quick and the selection process for funding is based on the geographic location of your farm. For full details call Shawn McKenney at the Allegan Conservation District 269.673.8965 x

Gun River Tree Revetment Site

The Watershed Project has provided technical assistance and installation guidelines to install a 140 foot tree-revetment project on the Gun River. This project used conifer trees anchored into the “toe” of the stream to prevent erosion from occuring and to rebuild the river bank.

Tree revetments greatly slow the current along the eroding bank; this decreases erosion and allows silt and sand to be deposited along the bank and within the tree branches. The deposited material forms a good seed bed in which the seeds of river trees such as cottonwood and sycamore can sprout and grow. The resulting trees spread roots throughout the revetment and streambank. By the time the revetment trees have decayed, the bank should be stabilized by the roots of the living trees. As an added benefit, tree revetments provide excellent fish and wildlife cover.

Riparian Buffer Strip Project

The Gun River Watershed Project will be installing a riparian
buffer strip in Gun Plain Township on the Gun River in Spring 2007. What are buffer strips? Glad you asked!

Buffer Strips slow water runoff, trap sediment, and enhance infiltration within the buffer. Buffers also trap fertilizers, pesticides, pathogens, and heavy metals, and they help trap snow and cut down on blowing soil in areas with strong winds. In addition, they protect livestock and wildlife from harsh weather and buildings from wind damage. If properly installed and maintained, they have the capacity to:

• Remove up to 50 percent or more of nutrients and pesticides.
• Remove up to 60 percent or more of certain pathogens.
• Remove up to 75 percent or more of sediment.

Buffer strips are a source of food, nesting cover, and shelter for many wildlife species. Buffers also provide connecting corridors that enable wildlife to move safely from one habitat area to another.

Buffer strips help stabilize a stream and reduce its water temperature. Buffers also offer a setback distance for agricultural chemical use from water sources.

For more information on the benefits of buffer strips

No-Till Project

The Gun River Watershed Project cost-shared the use of a no-till drill to plant crops for a Plainwell producer in the spring of 2007. Some of the benefits of no-till vs. conventional tillage are:

A producer can save at least 3.5 gallons of fuel per acre by going Low Impact from conventional tillage methods to no-till. At November 2007 diesel prices, this amounts to $7.70 per acre in production cost savings. On a farm with 1,000 acres of cropland, these savings add up to 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel per year valued at $7,700.

Currently, no-till is practiced on over 62 million acres. If the amount of no-till acreage doubled, farmers could save an additional 217 million gallons of fuel, valued at over $480 million.

No-till is a conservation practice that leaves the crop residue undisturbed from harvest through planting except for narrow strips that cause minimal soil disturbance. Crop residues are materials left in an agricultural field after the crop has been harvested. These residues include stalks and stubble (stems), leaves and seed pods. Good management of field residues can increase efficiency of irrigation and control of erosion. No-till can be used for almost any crop in almost any soil and can save producers labor costs and fuel. It’s a sound investment for the environment and the farm.

In addition to energy efficiencies and cost savings, no-till has several environmental benefits. No-till increases the organic matter in the soil, making it more stable and helping prevent soil erosion. No-till reduces greenhouse gases because it requires less fuel and sequesters (stores) carbon in the soil. Other benefits of using no-till as part of a resource management system include:
• Increased earthworm populations that improve soil quality—an average of 540,000 earthworms per acre versus 285,000 in conventional tillage
• Increased water infiltration—cutting evaporation and runoff by at least 70 percent
• Reduced tilling time per acre—by as much as two-thirds

Free Soil Testing Program

Have you ever wondered why your neighbors lawn is so green? Have you ever had your soil tested? Well, now is your chance to catch up with your neighbors lawn. A free soil testing program is now offered for your home or garden.

>100% Free soil testing for Gun River Watershed residents
>We cover the shipping charges to the lab as well as the lab analysis
>Soil Testing is for pH, lime deficiency, available phosphorous, potassium, calcium and magnesium
>We will provide recommendations for lime and fertilizer after soil results are returned
>Your lawn can be more productive! And you can use less phosphorous!

Soil Sampling Instructions:

For a large lawn or garden, 10 to 15 sub-samples should be taken.
Take sub-samples in a random or zig zag pattern.
Avoid road edges, next to concrete foundations, walks etc.
Take samples at 4” deep for turf and 6” deep for a garden.
In a large container mix all sub-samples and air dry approximately 2 cups for soil analysis.

For more information call: Shawn McKenny at 269.673.8965

Please leave your name, address, phone number and sample site (garden, lawn etc) with soil sample.

Drop sites for dried soil samples:

GUN LAKE BUILDING SUPPLY AND RENTAL CENTER
81-124TH STREET
SHELBYVILLE, MI 49344

SHAWN MCKENNEY
ALLEGAN CONSERVATION DISTRICT
1668 LINCOLN ROAD M-40N
ALLEGAN, MI 49010

PAUL WYLIE
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION OFFICE
3255 122ND AVENUE
ALLEGAN, MI 49010

Gun River Monitoring Internship

The Gun River Watershed Project is looking for a college volunteer for the 2007 summer sampling program. Sampling includes utilization of a Dissolves Oxygen and Temperature Meter, Static Water Level, Seci Tube and Sampling Bottles. Sampling occurs monthly. Transportation is needed. College credit available from GVSU. Approximate monthly sampling time, 8 hours.

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Allegan County

The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed that the emerald ash borer (EAB) is present in Allegan County, in Section 27 of Gun Plain Township along M-89. The pest was likely transported to the county on firewood. The presence of this serious pest of ash trees does not mean that all Allegan County ash trees will be dead soon. The beetle does not spread very far on its own, only about ½ mile per year. To slow this spread, it is recommended to remove ash trees within ½ mile of known infestations. However there are no longer any government funds to do so. It is likely that areas within 5 miles of the known infestation will see impacts from EAB in less than 10 years. Ash trees for timber should also be removed or salvaged from these areas within that time frame to minimize EAB losses. To date, no widespread effective treatment has been found for EAB. There are some chemical treatments available to homeowners for valuable yard tree applications, but these treatments can be costly since annual applications are necessary for effective control in an infested area. The most important things all Allegan County residents can do is to be aware of the problem, talk to their neighbors, look for symptoms of the beetle and comply with the statewide and federal quarantines that restrict the movement of firewood. Suspected new EAB infestations may be reported to the MI Department of Agriculture in St. Joseph at 269-428-2575.

Land Use Planning in the Gun River Watershed

Land Use Planning to improve water quality techniques range from the adoption of conservation easements and farmland preservation to the development of model ordinances that recognize additional requirements in sensitive areas (setbacks, slope protection) and low impact development techniques such as reducing impervious surfaces to increase infiltration. These techniques allow for long-term preventive measures that account for changes in land use. Best Management Practices (BMP) can be installed, but when the land use changes, that BMP may no longer address the problem or may be removed. Land Use Planning can bridge the gap between needing to address physical sources impacting water quality BMP’s and a community’s desire to meet future land use needs.

Currently, no townships in the Gun River Watershed have a comprehensive ordinance designed to protect water quality. Township ordinances have the greatest potential for future protection of resources in the Watershed. The Gun River Watershed Project is pursuing multiple grant opportunities to implement the following land use planning principles in the Watershed.

•Overlay maps on a township scale based on existing information that provide overlay districts highlighting sensitive areas that will assist planners with land use decisions and site considerations (setbacks, slope protection).

•Improved storm water management techniques through ordinances that minimize impervious surfaces, reduce runoff, promote infiltration to increase base flow, and maintainriparian corridors, according to low impact development principles.

•Encourage storm water detention policy that allows no more than 0.06 cfs/acre of development to be discharged to the Gun River.

•Model ordinances for water quality protection: floodplain management, high risk erosion area protection, setbacks, green belts, wetland protection, and storm water management ordinances.

Please see the Land Use Download section for more planning information.

Annual Gun River Cleanup with the Kalamazoo Downstreamers

The Annual Gun River Cleanup Day was held on September 17th, 2006 in partnership with the Kalamazoo Downstreamers and the Gun River Watershed Project. Over two miles of the Gun River were cleared for canoe access and cleaned of debris on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. Once again this year there were no swimmers at this event, although many were wet from clearing small log jams in the river and getting that one Coca Cola bottle that was just out of reach from the canoe. The river cleanup was from 2nd Street and 114th all the way down to 106th Street near Gun River Drive. Not enough can be said of this hardy group of canoeist that call themselves the “Kalamazoo Downstreamers”.
Some of the largest items found on this years cleanup included a 12 speed mountain bike, 50 gallon drum and even two matching car seats from an old Chevelle. While it is always a great feeling to remove debris from the river, we hope that as more residents begin to understand the beauty and joy this river can bring to their daily lives, less and less garbage will be found on this hidden paddling gem in Allegan County.

The Kalamazoo Downstreamers Canoe Club is the oldest family canoe club in the State of Michigan. They meet quarterly for business meetings and paddle extensively throughout Lower Michigan during the summer months. If you would like to join the group as a member or just for a paddle pleas call:

Dave Wegner 269-327-6987
Cary or Sam Mannaberg 269-685-1028

Cost-Share for Gun River Watershed Producers

Interested in funding for conservation practices with up to 75% cost share without NRCS caps? No long complicated application process, no waiting for a scheduled review period. Take advantage now!

The Kalamazoo River Trading Program is a new source of grant-based funding available for agricultural producers to put soil and phosphorus reduction practices on the ground in select areas of the Kalamazoo River Watershed, including the Gun River Watershed. Gully stabilization, streambank stabilization, filter strips, feed lot waste management systems, prescribed grazing, conservation tillage, conservation cover, conservation crop rotation, cover crop & green manure, critical area planting, strip-cropping, etc. are all among the eligible practices.
This is a unique opportunity for any producer looking to install conservation practices in the Gun and Kalamazoo River Watersheds.

Please call Shawn for a field appointment or for more information! 269-673-8965 ext 3