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Mayor Coleman, Secretary Veneman, Governor Taft
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COLUMBUS, OH - A new $13 million conservation agreement to protect Central Ohios drinking water and environment was signed today by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman, Ohio Governor Bob Taft and Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman. The federal/state/local partnership, part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), will reduce runoff pollution in the Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed and Hoover Reservoir, a source of drinking water for more than 575,000 residents of Columbus and several neighboring communities.
This project reaffirms the Bush Administration's commitment to strong conservation programs that assist farmers and benefit our communities, said Veneman. These funds will help provide clean drinking water for Ohio residents as well as help farmers conserve our natural resources, said Veneman.
The agreement creates the
Upper Big Walnut Creek Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which will pay farmers and other landowners to plant trees and establish forested and grass corridors along tributary streams in Delaware, Franklin, Knox, Licking and Morrow counties. The voluntary program uses financial incentives to encourage farmers to enroll by making a commitment to protect their land for 15 years or longer.
Weve set a goal of protecting more than 450 miles of waterway, and more than 3,500 acres in this vital watershed, said Governor Taft. Ohio farmers have shown how productive voluntary programs can be in protecting the environment.
The effort is a joint project with the State of Ohio, the City of Columbus, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Upper Big Walnut Creek Water Quality Partnership and local county soil and water conservation districts.
There is perhaps no service the City provides that is more essential than clean, safe drinking water, said Mayor Coleman. We are excited to be part of a collaboration that shares our vision of balancing the needs of Central Ohio residents with the significant responsibility of protecting the environment.
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), trees and grass strips planted along streams are the most effective way to reduce water pollution from agricultural runoff and help to restore forested corridors along streamsides. In addition to reducing runoff of soil sediment, nutrients and pesticides, forested corridors along streams help lower water temperatures, increase dissolved oxygen and provide additional habitat for fish and wildlife.
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CONSERVATION TERMS
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Watershed:
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An area of land in which its common rain and snowfall drains to a single river or lake. As water flows downhill it eventually ends up in a stream. All the land that drains into that stream is referred to as its watershed. The Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed encompasses portions of five different counties.
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Buffers:
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Strips of land planted with grasses, trees, or shrubs next to a stream to filter soil, fertilizers, pesticides and other surface pollutants from rainwater that runs off of farm fields. Buffers work as filters to remove possible pollutants from field runoff before they enter a body of water.
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Nonpoint Source Pollution:
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Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is the accumulated sediment, fertilizers, pesticides, road salt, oil and gas, livestock and pet wastes, car brake dust and assorted waste products that rainfall washes into drainpipes and into waterways. These contaminants eventually end up in lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water.
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Perpetual Easements:
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Voluntary land-use restrictions that landowners agree to place on their property deed and are documented at the county recorder's office. The landowner usually receives a payment, typically valued at 50 percent of the fair market value of the property, to restrict development and preserve the natural setting of the property in perpetuity.
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Riparian Area:
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The land directly adjacent to a stream where vegetation naturally occurs. Riparian areas are valuable to wildlife and serve as transportation corridors for wildlife and migrating birds. Trees and shrubs adjacent to the stream prevent stream bank erosion and shade the water to keep it cool, thus benefiting aquatic habitats and water quality.
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Land enrolled in such a program would either be cropland, marginal pastureland or land that qualifies for the federally funded Conservation Reserve Program.
The conservation program announced today is the second CREP partnership in Ohio. In April 2000, Governor Taft unveiled the Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, an initiative successfully underway in 27 counties in Ohios western Lake Erie watershed. To date, the program has seen nearly 13,000 acres of conservation practices enrolled, with more than 2,400 farmers participating in the program.
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program uses state and federal resources to help solve conservation problems. The program combines the existing USDA Conservation Reserve Program with state programs to meet specific state and national environmental objectives. CREP provides for voluntary agreements with farmers to convert cropland to native grasses, trees, and other vegetation in return for rental payments and other incentives.
Information on the Upper Big Walnut Creek Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is available by contacting the Delaware County Soil & Water Conservation District at 740-368-1921, the ODNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation at 614-265-6610, or the Farm Service Agency or Natural Resources Conservation Service, located at local U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Centers.