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-~41.=p=~-' <br /> �� ' ' <br /> ` - REPORT TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON OBJECTIVES ' <br /> ~ AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE ORANGE SOIL AND <br /> WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT FROM JULY 1 , 1984 <br /> TO DECEMBER 91 , 1984, <br /> - . • <br /> ^ <br /> A. Mission of Department - The Orange Soil and Water Conservation District is <br /> charged by state law to plan and direct a program for the conservation and <br /> development of natural resources on the county level. . <br /> B. Functional Organization to Accomplish Mission - Presently, there are-four ' <br /> employees in the Soil and Water Conservation department; . Robert S. Tennant, <br /> District Conservationist with the Soil Conservation Service, USDA (federal), <br /> Gail M. Hughes and Todd Roberts,' Soil Conservation Technicians (county), and <br /> the District's secretary, Jeanette K. Wagoner (county) .� � <br /> Soil erosion is still the major concern of this conservation district and its <br /> Board of Supervisors. Because of this concern our efforts have been concen- <br /> trated on getting more permanent conservation practices established on the . <br /> farms in Orange tounty. This can only be done by contacting landowners and <br /> operators to work with them in developing a conservation plan that includes <br /> . the objectives of the landowner, recording his decisions on how he will solve <br /> his land use problems after sound alternatives are presented to him, and in- <br /> clude in his plan/a schedule or time frame for installing the necessary conser- <br /> vation practices to accomplish his objectives. <br /> • <br /> C. Conditions or Changes Which Bring About the Need for the Services Rendered . <br /> • By the Department - Excessive erosion is rapidly reducing the acres capable of <br /> maintaining productivity on agricultural lands. An evaluation of the problems <br /> indicates that about 86 percent of our cropland has an erosion rate in excess <br /> of acceptable soil loss lim|ts. Sediment damage to streams, flood plains, ' <br /> | lakes and reservoirs is increasing which results in a degradation of water <br /> | <br /> quality. <br /> D. What Department forsees as Needing to Be Done as objectives in 19 84-85 on d <br /> What Has Been Accomplished. <br /> Because of this excessive erosion occuring on agricultural lands, we have <br /> I concentrated our efforts in establishing cropland and agricultural waste <br /> management systems. Listed below are our performance objectives for fiscal <br /> year 1584-85 and our accomplishments to date. <br /> . <br /> Practice Name and Objective Accomplishments As Of <br /> 1/1/85 <br /> 1. Prepare conservation plans (5000 ac.) 2629 ac. <br /> 2. Service conservation plans (550 no.) 267 no. <br /> 3. Establish conservation practices: <br /> a. Conservation cropping system - 400 ac. 181 ac. / <br /> . , . <br /> b. Minimum Tillage - 1900 ac' 872 ac. <br /> c. Contour Farming - 2680 ac. 1001 ac. <br /> d. Crop Residue Mgt. - 2300 ac- 960 ac. <br /> e. Field Borders - 72,000 ft. 39,762 ft. <br /> f. Grassed Waterways - 26 ac. 24 ac. <br /> g. Agr. Waste Mgt. Systems - 8 no. 3 no. <br /> h. Pasture & Hayland Pltng. - 400 ac. 555 ac. <br /> I . Pasture & Hayland Mgt. - 600 ac. 282 ac. <br /> 4. Provide technical services to government <br /> agencies & departments - 15 no. 14 no. <br /> _ <br />