During 2007, the Salcha-Delta Soil and Water Conservation District worked on a number of Conservation Education initiatives, including the first Conservation Outdoor School in the interior. All classes taught met the Grade Level Equivalency (GLE) standards for Alaska.
The Conservation Outdoor School was held at Lost Lake Boy Scout Camp. The camp has winter facilities for cooking, sleeping, and bathing, and provided a wonderful outdoor setting where students learned about Forest Ecology, Orienteering, Wilderness Ethics, and Wildlife Ecology. All instructors were experts in their field of instruction. The students learned about the wise use of natural resources through hands-on projects and skits. The Outdoor Recreation Industry Council is now reviewing the curriculum for accreditation.
The District conducted field trials using GPS and GIS software to evaluate the cost effectiveness of precision farming practices for agricultural operations. The trials will help farmers evaluate the economic return of this technology, which can reduce fuel, fertilizer, and chemical costs. The system includes a rugged tablet computer, a specialized GPS receiver, and tracking software. There has been a lot of interest in this technology since the spike in fuel and fertilizer prices. There will be a presentation at the Farm Forum on March 1, 2008 where we will share the information we gathered.
The District has a very active Noxious Weed Program. In 2007, District Staff scouted and/or treated over 1000 acres of cropland for noxious weeds. Part of the program includes the Noxious Weed Free Straw Certification, which certifies straw as noxious weed-free for use on certain public lands which require its use. District technicians worked with USDA/ARS (Agricultureal Research Service) and ADOT (Alaska Department of Transportation) on research trials for controlling roadside vegetation in Delta and Valdez. The study will provide information about herbicide rates, delivery methods, movement through soil, and residual life. With the increasing threat to our ecosystems, this information will help Alaska respond quickly and effectively to invasive plants before they become more established. Millions of dollars a year can be saved by applying what we know now to these threats.
The District has a cost-share program that pays 50% of the cost of soil, manure, and forage testing to cooperators. The aim is to encourage testing, which may reduce the quantities of fertilizers applied to the land. The program has been very popular with farmers, resulting in more than 140 samples taken. Since each sample is composed of 20-40 subsamples, it represents a lot of sampling that is taking place. In addition to the cost-share program, the District also operates an ongoing series of research projects to track nutrient movement through the soil, pH and electrical conductivity, and irrigation scheduling. These projects help forewarn us of deteriorating soil conditions, so that steps may be taken to remediate the problem before critical levels are reached.
After many years of permitting, the Harding Lake Habitat Restoration Project was finally completed. Dropping water levels in Harding Lake resulted in the loss of two thirds of the Northern Pike spawning grounds. Critical waterfowl habitat was likewise reduced. Working with over many landowners, agencies, and organizations, the District was able to secure funding through USDA/NRCS and Fish and Wildlife Service to construct a sheetpile diversion on Rogge Creek, which will allow Fish and Wildlife biologists to adjust the flow of water going into Harding Lake. After the diversion was completed, channel restoration was undertaken to to clear logs, brush and debris that had choked the channel over the years.
This was the second year the District conducted water quality testing on the Clearwater River and Clearwater Lake. The purpose is to establish baseline data for water quality that will enable accurate evaluation of water quality changes. Tests conducted include Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids, Ortho-Phosphate, Nitrate, and Nitrite. The information collected and analyzed will help landowners and water users make wise decisions regarding yard care, septic system design, and agricultural practices. This years report is shown on the Water Quality Page of this site. The page is located under Programs.
The Salcha-Delta SWCD provides valuable conservation assistance to the US Military. Projects in 2007 included creation and enhancement of bison, grouse, and moose habitat in training areas and establishment of grass cover on erosion sensitive areas.
The District continues to seek a resolution to flooding at milepost 1408 Alaska Highway. Because of repeated flooding of the access road, in 2007, NRCS asked us to assist them in obtaining a conservation easement on property adjacent to the 1408 access road. The landowner agreed to sell his property and vacated it. Title to the property was then transferred to a non-profit organization, who will grant a conservation easement to NRCS once all the structures have been removed.