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Southern Bull Shoals Watershed
Water Quality Education Project
Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District has recently received funding from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Program for an AgNPS Salt grant. This minigrant will enhance that grant by providing additional educational opportunities for the residents in the Southern Bull Shoals Watershed. The Ozark County SWCD hops to target uncapped wells, herbicide misuse, nutrient management plans for dairymen, and to engage students in monitoring and poster contest activities.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
During the 18 months of this minigrant, the project sponsor will conduct 2 workshops and track changes in participant behavior due to the workshop topics. A field day will demonstrate the use and necessity of nutrient management plans. Again the sponsor will track participant willingness to make changes in nutrient applications after the workshop. Students in the watershed will be exposed to stream team monitoring and equipment, in the hopes they will form an active stream team after the minigrant completion. Newsletters and poster contest will further inform watershed residents of relevant NPS issues relating specifically to their watershed.
OBJECTIVES
1. To increase public knowledge of the potential impact unused well could have on water quality, through decommissioning of two wells after an informative workshop;
2. To increase public knowledge of the potential impact of misused herbicide applications on ground and surface water though an informative workshop, after which, at least 4 people will re-evaluate and possibly change their current applications;
3. To inform local dairymen of the importance of a well running waste management system for good water quality, by holding a field day, and producing a nutrient management plan on at lease two dairies in the watershed; and
4. To educate grade school and high school level students on the importance of good water quality by teaching basic water quality elements, and holding water quality poster contests.
METHODS EMPLOYED
Watershed residents, farmers and dairymen will be invited to attend 2 workshops and 2 field days to learn about water quality and the effects open wells, misused herbicide, and nutrient management plans can have on water quality. Participants in the workshops will be surveyed before and after each event to record the effectiveness of the workshops. Participants will be tracked to determine if objectives are met. Students in the watershed will be invited to participate in stream monitoring activities and meetings during the minigrant time period. A poster contest will also engage students to participate in water quality activities. Other education activities include news letters to inform residents of watershed related NPS issues.
PRODUCTS
Well Decommissioning workshop
Herbicide workshop
Nutrient management field day
4 new nutrient management plans
Two days of in class water quality education programs for kids
Students trained to conduct stream monitoring
Poster contest
Newspaper articles
Pre and post workshop surveys
Quarterly and Final Reports to DNR
PROJECT SPONSOR
Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District
COOPERATING AGENCIES
USDA - Natural Resource Conservation Service
Missouri Department of Conservation
Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District
University of Missouri Outreach and Extension
CONTACT
Tina Mills
Bull Shoals Salt Project Manager
Ozark Count SWCD Technician
P.O. Box 476
Gainesville, MO 65655
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