/Monroe County Soil & Water
Conservation District
618-939-6181, ext. 3 __ 140 Williamsburg, Lane Waterloo, IL 62298-2000 __ Fall 2008 _
DIRECTORS: DISTRICT STAFF:
Joann Hartman ……………………………...... Chairperson Cindy Zipfel………….………Administrative Coordinator
Terry Matzenbacher ……………...... Vice-Chairperson Courtney Rothlisberger…..…….Resource Conservationist
Pat Wetzel ….…………..…………………..…….Treasurer
Lyle Wessel……….……………….……………...Secretary NRCS STAFF:
Myron Neff……..………………………………….Director Wayne Johanning..….…………..District Conservationist
ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Ralph Buettner, Harvey Hoffmann,
Harry Reichert Jr., Larry Scace, Ron Solich, and Jay Vogt.
WEB SITE FOR THE DISTRICT
The District has a new web site. Go to www.mocoswcd.com and check out the information.
WHY SHOULD YOU USE A REUSABLE GROCERY BAG INSTEAD OF PLASTIC?
· An average person will use over 350 bags in a single year! The world consumes about 500 billion to a trillion, plastic bags each year in a report released by the Environmental Protection Agency.
· Plastic bags can cause considerable harm blocking drains & suffocating wildlife mistaking the bags for food.
· Less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled. It costs more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one.
· A plastic bag takes 450 years to biodegrade.
· Most plastic bags are thrown away after just 12 minutes and then end up in our landfill sites.
· Plastic bags account for over 10% of the debris washed up on the U.S. coastline.
· Plastic shopping bags are made from polyethylene, a thermoplastic made from oil. Reducing plastic bags will decrease foreign oil dependency.
· If just 1 of 5 people in the country used a cloth bag instead of a plastic bag you could save 6 bags per week, 24 bags per month, 288 per year. We would save 1,330,560,000,000 over our lifetime.
· Buy biodegradable garbage bags.
Most stores now offer cloth bags for customer use. If your local store does not, please encourage them to do so.
The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs based on race, color, national origin, gender,
Religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.
PESTICIDE SCREENING AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE WELLS
The Southern Regional Groundwater Protection Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Madison County, Monroe County, Randolph County and St. Clair County Health Departments and Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the Madison County Lab, is offering pesticide screening for rural residents of Madison, Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties on private water wells.
Samples will be screened for Triazines (of which Atrazine is a common form) and Alachlor, both common herbicides used in agriculture. The prescence of these herbicides in a water supply could be due to leaching, accidental spill, or improper storage. Pesticide screening is recommended for rural supplies where the potential exists for contamination. The cost of the screening for both pesticides will be $20.00.
Sampling bottles may be obtained from the County Health Departments, the County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, or the Madison County Lab. The collection dates for this fall are September 22 through October 3rd. The samples must be returned to the Madison County Lab and will be screened the following week of October 6th. All sample information, as well as results, will be kept anonymous and results will be mailed as soon as available.
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL FIELD
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL FIELD DAY
Mark your calendars to attend the free Erosion and Sediment Control Field Day on October 3, 2008. The field day will be held at the Operating Engineers Local 520 grounds on the campus of SIUE, 3800 Stadium Dr. Edwardsville, IL 62026
· 8:30-9:00 Registration
· 9:00-9:15 Welcome
· 9:15-9:30 Environmental Law
· 9:30-9:45 Prairie State Power Plant
· 9:45-10:15 Vendor Displays
· 10:15-12:00 Site Demonstrations:
Rock Sediment Dam
Turf Reinforcement Mats
Rolled Blankets
Hydroseeding
Properly Installed Silt Fence
Scour Stop
Rain Garden
Green Roof
· 12:00 Lunch
Please make reservations online at http://www.ce.siue.edu/special/secw/ If you are unable to register on-line please contact Brent Vaughn at 618-650-3533. A rain date has been set for October 10, 2008.
REMINDER
NEW FEES FOR THE DRILL
SWCD has a 10ft No-Till Drill to rent. A damage deposit of $200.00 is required before use of the drill. A maintenance fee of $12.00 per acre will be charged upon completion of use. The new fees went into effect July 1, 2008. To reserve the drill please contact the office.
CPP SIGNUP
If you are experiencing problems with erosion and have been thinking about addressing these problems this summer, now is the time to get your name in to request cost-share and technical assistance. The Conservation Practices Program offers 60% cost reimbursement for establishment of the following conservation practices:
· Filter Strips
· Field border strips
· Pasture and hayland planting
· Critical area planning
· Grassed waterway
· Terraces
· Water and sediment control basin
· Grade stabilization structure
· Sinkhole stabilization
FLAGS FOR SALE
The SWCD has survey/marking flags for sale. They are bright orange with 36” stakes. Prices are $.10 each or 100 in a bundle for $10.00. These work great for marking trees or shrubs that you have planted.
NOTE
In order to cut down on the costs of this newsletter, if you no longer wish to receive a copy of the newsletter, please notify us so we can remove your name from the mailing list. Also, if you know of someone who would like to receive our newsletter and may not be on our mailing list, please let us know so we can add his or her name to the list. Thank you.
GIVE US YOUR INPUT
The Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District board meets the second Monday of each month at the District office located at 140 Williamsburg Lane in Waterloo. Call to confirm exact time. Everyone is invited to attend.
FISH DESCRIPTIONS
CHANNEL CATFISH – Stocking rate: 100-200 per acre without feeding; up to 200 per acre if feeding. When feeding, one needs to feed 100 lbs. of floating food per 100 fish per year. Start by feeding 1/2lb. 4to 6 times per week but do not exceed the amount the fish will clean up in 10 minutes. Feed from April 15 until fish quit feeding in the fall.
HYBIRD SUNFISH – Stocking rate: 500 per acre. Hybrid sunfish are a cross between a bluegill and green sunfish. They hybrids are 93% male and produce very few offspring, which results in rapid growth. Large mouth bass should be stocked with the hybrids. The bass will not grow very fast but will prevent survival of the few offspring produced by the hybrids.
LARGEMOUTH BASS – Stocking rate: 50-100 per acre. They grow well in ponds with hybrid sunfish, providing the bass are fed.
BLUEGILL – Stocking rate: 500 per acre. Bluegill can take the place of hybrid sunfish. Bluegill will result in better bass growth but may overpopulate and fail to produce catch able bluegill. (Stock ½ rate when stocked with redear).
CRAPPIE – Stocking rate: 100-200 per acre. Recommended for lakes of 20 acres or more. They tend to overpopulate in smaller ponds.
REDEAR – Stocking rate: 250 per acre. Stock with bluegill for better bass growth. Redear are a bottom feeder and difficult to catch. Do not stock in northern 1/3 of state due to winterkill problems. (Stock ½ rate if stocked with bluegill).
FATHEAD MINNOWS – Stocking rate: 1-5 lbs. per acre. About 300 minnows per pound. Fatheads are used for forage in new ponds. Maximum size is 3”. They will reproduce.
TRIPLOID GRASS CARP – This fish is used for biological weed control and takes approximately two years to provide good control. Stocking rates are based on percentage of week cover and size of pond. Stock at a rate of 5 carp per acre. Remember that ponds must have an area that is 7-10’ deep for the fish to survive over winter. The Grass Carp are sterile and will not reproduce. It is very important to fill out the exact location of the pond on the order from under, Township, Range, Section, & County and return the order form promptly, as the District must apply for permits from IDNR.
QUANTITY COST
Channel Catfish 4-6” @ $.55 each ______$______
6-8” @ $.70 each ______$______8-10” @ $.90 each ______$______
Hybrid Sunfish 1-2” $60.00 per bag (250) ______$______
3-5” @ $.70 each ______$______
Largemouth Bass 3” @ $.75 each ______$______
5-8” @ $1.75 each ______$______
Bluegill 1-2” $60.00 per bag (250) ______$______
3-5” @ $.70 each ______$______
Black Crappie 2” @ $.50 each ______$______
Redear 1-2” $60.00 per bag (250) ______$______
Fathead Minnows $9.50 per lb. ______$______
Triploid Grass Carp 8-11” @ $9.50 each ** ______$______
**TOWNSHIP ______RANGE ______SECTION______COUNTY______
(TOWNSHIP, RANGE, AND SECTION # ARE REQUIRED FOR THE PURCHASE OF TRIPLOID GRASS CARP.)
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: MONROE COUNTY SWCD Amount Due $______
NAME______
ADDRESS______
______
HOME PHONE #______
WORK PHONE #______
Grass Carp must be ordered by October 3, 2008. All other fish must be ordered by October 10 and must be picked up on Friday, October 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Pick up will be at the SWCD office located at 140 Williamsburg Lane, in Waterloo. All fish must be picked up at this time! Payment is due when ordering. Please call 618-939-6181, ext. 3 for more information.