News Release 185

STODDARD COUNTY RECOGNIZED BY DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR
FOR WORK IN SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION

Volume 36-185

Contact: Jessica Royston

(For immediate release)

573-751-1373

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, April 8, 2008 -- Sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other chemicals entering Dexter Creek have been reduced due to the efforts of Stoddard County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers has recognized Stoddard County SWCD for its outstanding progress in an Agricultural Nonpoint Source Special Area Land Treatment project. AgNPS SALT projects are locally led projects that focus on reducing agricultural nonpoint source pollution and are sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources.

Bill Foster, director of the department's Soil and Water Conservation Program, will present Stoddard County Soil and Water Conservation District with the Director's Award for Outstanding Progress of an Agricultural Nonpoint Source Special Area Land Treatment Project at the district's monthly board meeting at 7 p.m. on April 8 at the USDA Service Center in Dexter.

"Soil and water conservation districts have made great strides in controlling erosion and improving water quality in Missouri," said Childers. "We should all recognize their important contribution to the sustainability of our agricultural land."

The seven-year Dexter Creek AgNPS SALT Project began in 2005. By the end of fiscal year 2007, the minimum percent progress expected from the Dexter Creek AgNPS SALT project was 9 percent. The actual percent progress reported for this project was nearly 33 percent. Stoddard County Soil and Water Conservation District worked with agricultural landowners in the Dexter Creek area to implement erosion control practices, implement pasture and nutrient management programs, protect groundwater and stream corridors and provide information and education programs. "Stoddard County Soil and Water Conservation District is well on its way to successfully accomplishing the goals of its Dexter Creek Agricultural Nonpoint Source Special Area Land Treatment project due to the hard work of the district's supervisors and staff," Childers said.

Other districts recognized for their outstanding work in soil and water conservation are Audrain County Soil and Water Conservation District for treatment of gully erosion, Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District for implementation of Best Management Practices on grasslands and Pettis County Soil and Water Conservation District for treatment of sheet and rill erosion.

Missouri's 114 soil and water conservation districts work with agricultural landowners and the public to conserve the state's soil and water resources.  The districts are funded by the one-tenth-of-one-percent parks, soils and water sales tax.

For more information, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Soil and Water Conservation Program at 573-751-4932 or the department toll free at 800-361-4827.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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