Text Box: The Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP), a state funded grant program, recently assisted the Lake Royale Property Owners Association with a stormwater wetland restoration project. CCAP funds were obtained through the local Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District office. The project, located at the Rocket Ship playground, is on the waterfront of the lake. The stormwater wetland area encompasses a total of 75 acres of total watershed with 6.4 acres of impervious surfaces (driveways, roads, and rooftops). The wetland, previously a sediment basin, will still act as a sediment basin but will also help reduce other pollutants from entering Lake Royale and the Tar River. Construction of the Text Box: wetland included the planting of wetland species which were specially chosen for their ability to absorb great amounts of pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Actual engineering of the stormwater wetland is built to handle a hundred year storm and utilizes a “stair step” design for the Text Box: Text Box: Lake Royale Stormwater wetland Completed Text Box: March 2010 Text Box: Special Dates FFA Land Judging: March 26th and 27th Area IV Envirothon: March 26th Awards Program: April 22nd State Envirothon: April 23rd Environmental Field Days: April 27th - April 30th

FFA Land Judging

2

Buffer Rules

2

Field Days

2

Falls Lake

3

Out of Compliance?

3

Sponsors

3

 

 

Spring 2010

Text Box: MAY Recieves Recognition for 15 years of service Text Box: Text Box: Text Box:

Supervisor Elmo May recently received a Length of Service Award of Fifteen Years from The NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. He was first elected to the the Soil and Water Board in

1994. He is the owner/operator of May Farms located south of  Louisburg. We whole heartily thank Mr. May for his continued service and dedication to Franklin County, its citizens, and our Natural Resources.

Text Box: Every year the FFA holds a land judging competition for FFA teams across the state. This year’s annual event will be held in Franklin County. This is the 55th Annual Land Judging Event. Bunn FFA and Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting the two day event. The central location and registration will be at Bunn High School. The Dinner on Friday the 26th will also be held at the High School. This is a great opportunity for our county as a whole. This event we bring a lot of people from across the state to explore our beautiful county. Text Box: Bunn FFA and Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District are in the process of raising money for this two day event. If you or anyone you know would like to help out monetary or physically please contact Bob Frisbie at 919-495-1007 or Charlie Bass at 496-3137 ext 3. Text Box: Text Box: our natural environment. The students move around from station to station through out the day. The stations include wildlife, forestry, wetlands, and water quality . Text Box: All 5th graders in Franklin County are invited to attend Soil and Water’s Annual Environmental Field Days. This annual event has been going on for many, many years and is a great way to educate the youth about our environment and natural resources. It is a four day event that is held outside in Text Box: Text Box: Page # Text Box: Reminder: River Basin Buffer Protection Rules Text Box: NC Future Farmers of America’s Land Judging Competition Text Box: Franklin County 5th Graders learning about our Natural resources Text Box: establish new buffers unless the existing use in the buffer area changes. A total of 50 feet of riparian area is required on each side of water bodies. Within this 50 feet, the first 30 feet, referred to as Zone 1, is to remain undisturbed. The outer 20 Text Box: feet, referred to as Zone 2, must be vegetated, but certain additional uses are allowed. Specific activities are identified in the rule as "exempt", "allowable", "allowable with mitigation" or "prohibited". These rules can be found on NC DWQ’s Website. Text Box: The main rule, called the buffer protection rule, requires that existing vegetated riparian buffers in the basin be protected and maintained on both sides of intermittent and perennial streams, lakes, ponds, and estuarine waters. This rule does not Text Box: This event we bring a lot of people from across the state to explore our beautiful county. Text Box: Volume 1, Issue 1 Text Box: Spring 2010 Text Box: The staff at the Soil and Water Conservation District has been involved with the Falls Lake Watershed Stakeholders forums. DWQ has come up with a draft strategy that calls for agriculture to reduce its nutrient loads by 40% for Nitrogen and 77% for Phosphorous from the 2006 baseline year levels by the year 2036. The strategy will now go before the EMC next month and then be open for public comment. This is where your voice can be heard about the potential effects this could cause. There are other interests that Text Box: will be affected by this besides agriculture. Some are developers, city, county facilities, farmers, communities, and etc. A effective strategy is in the interests of both the DWQ, which manages water quality statewide, and those in the watershed that will be responsible for implementing the nutrient management strategy. The purpose of the study is due to the 2008 Draft North Carolina Impaired Waters List includes the entire lake for chlorophyll-A standard violations. Franklin County has one tributary, Horse Creek, which is located west of Youngsville. Text Box: For more information please give us a call or visit the following website. http://www.fallslakestakeholder.org/index.shtml Text Box: Page # Text Box: HEL and Wetland Compliance Text Box: Big Changes to come in the Falls lake watershed Text Box: This Newsletter Sponsored by Text Box: Payments, Countercyclical Payments, Farm Operating Loans, Conservation Costshare Programs, and others. Lately, we have been performing HEL and Wetland Compliance reviews in Franklin County and have found several common problems with waterways, Text Box: crop rotation, and cover crops . We have been noticing these issues and don’t want you to lose your USDA benefits. Also, all land clearing must be reviewed and approved before it is cleared. The HEL and Wetland compliance rules require that you fill out a 1026 at your local Farm Text Box: “What is the importance of maintaining compliance”, and that is a good question. If you choose not to be compliant with the HEL and wetland rules, you will lose the majority of your USDA benefits. This means you would not be able to participate and receive funding from Direct Text Box: We have been noticing these issues and don’t want you to lose your USDA benefits.

 

PLACE YOUR AD HERE

 

CONTACT US FOR DETAILS

wetland species to be at their adequate depths. The combination of the design and the wetland species will have a great impact on the reduction of pollutants entering Lake Royale and the Tar River.