In old western movies, someone always cautioned the new cowboy to drink upstream from the horses. Too often, people forget this simple practice and also forget that "everyone lives downstream from someone."
For many years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) and the Newton and McDonald County Soil and Water Districts have worked with landowners to help protect streams and other waterways.
Now a new voluntary program has gone into effect which will give even more assistance with safe stream practices. For the last year or so, only enough money has been available to set up stream bank controls for about a half mile of river bank. This usually involved only one landowner. Now there is more money, but the deadline to apply for assistance is August 13.
With many streams in the two-county area, revitalizing stream banks a half mile at a time would take eons. The new program, which is in cooperation with state conservation agencies, will provide nearly a million dollars for stream improvements in the next four years.
The main focus of the new program is stream protection. To do so, cattle are fenced away from streams, and water provided to them from other sources. Also, trees are planted in the open (fenced off) areas along the waterways. Landowners who participate in the program receive a onetime stipend for their loss of grazing land, and, of course, all the land still belongs to him.
The trees offer shade, wildlife protection areas, and serve as soil erosion buffers. The trees eventually shade the stream so the water stays cooler. Cool water harbors fewer "bad things."
A few years ago, a study was done on the E.coli bacteria in a local stream. The study showed that in summer, 40% of the E.coli was attributed to cattle. This new program would work to decrease this E.coli problem.
The new stream protection program is voluntary and is cost sharing. Landowners must contribute about one-fourth of the cost. According to local Department of Agriculture officials, a good share of local landowners are eligible for the assistance. Although only $19,200 has been made available this year, next year's distribution is scheduled to be much greater.
Heath Cobine, who will be in charge of the program, said this is the best program ever for those who wish to have stream improvement done on their land. He explained that money has been scarce for water improvement. But, because of the cooperation of state and federal sources, this new program offers much to the landowner. It extends what has already existed in other programs, it can affect more people, and those who participate will be treated better financially than in the past.
But the best part of the program is that it is set up to help those who live downstream. Everyone wants clean water in the lakes, streams, and ponds, and we must always remember that everyone lives downstream from someone.
Any landowner who might be interested in protecting local streams, should call the NRCS office in Neosho today. The number is 451-1007, Ext. 3.
Just remember—the deadline is August 13.
