Indianapolis, IN, May 4, 2015 – Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist for Indiana’s USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today that NRCS is accepting applications until June 19 to be considered for funding to improve two watersheds in northern Indiana. 

NRCS is investing dollars through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) that will help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations.  The University of Notre Dame’s “Indiana Watershed Initiative” was one of three RCPP projects selected that impacts Indiana, out of 115 projects funded across the country.  Funding for this project will focus on the Shatto Ditch watershed located in Kosciusko County and Kirkpatrick Ditch watershed located in Newton, Jasper and Benton counties.

“We are working with partners to encourage farmers to put in conservation practices in these two small watersheds because of water quality concerns,” Hardisty said. “By targeting RCPP dollars to address critical resource concerns we can make a greater impact on the health of streams and lakes in the area.”

RCPP funding comes from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help farmers adopt conservation practices that improve water quality.  Conservation practices reduce the amount of nutrients flowing from farm fields into waterways, curb erosion and improve the resiliency of agricultural lands during times of extreme weather.  This RCPP project will focus on promoting planting winter cover crops and installing two-stage ditches because they provide a practical solution to nutrient and sediment loss from cropland.

“This project will greatly expand the use of two important conservation practices in these two Indiana watersheds and will help us document the effect of those practices in a way that is meaningful to producers, managers and researchers,” said Hardisty.

All applications for funding consideration must be received by June 19, 2015.

To learn more about RCPP in Indiana, visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/in/programs/farmbill/?cid=stelprdb1248173. 

For more information about NRCS and other technical and financial assistance available through conservation programs, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or contact your District Conservationist http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/in/contact/local/.

 

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