NHCGov: May 2024 Soil and Water Updates

May 2024 N.H. Soil and Water Updates

Update on Pages Creek Watershed Restoration Plan

We have a couple updates about our Pages Creek Restoration Plan. We are partnering with the NC Cooperative Extension in New Hanover County. An application for the 319 grant with the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) was submitted May 6th, 2024. The 319 grant program comes from the Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) provides states with funding to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Nonpoint source pollution are pollutants that we don't know the exact source. Examples of nonpoint source pollution includes dog poop, sediment from construction, litter, oil from cars or other vehicles, or excess fertilizer. 

In order to receive the funds, action for treatment in the grant has to directly align with the state listed impairment for the watershed. Pages Creek's impairment is currently listed as coliforms. This means we are looking for ways to provide more infiltration into the ground to filter water more effectively. We should hear if we have made it to the next round for consideration by May 31st, 2024. If chosen to proceed, interviews with NC DEQ will take place on June 28th, 2024 and recipients are announced July 5th, 2024.

These grant funds would be used at a local non-profit in the watershed to remove impervious surface, create a bioretention area, and improve a current swell system on the property. To learn more about bioretention, use this link. And to learn more about swales, use this link. Another community meeting will take place after we hear more news about our grant application.

For any direct questions or to express interest in installing practices like rain gardens, that help with the goal of infiltration contact Dru Harrison at drharrison@nhcgov.com or Bryan Dadson at bdadson@nhcgov.com.

 

Rain Barrel Sales 

We had a busy rain barrel sale this month which is great! We sold 21 rain barrels! Our next rain barrel sales are on the same week in June:

June 13th at the New Hanover County Arboretum (6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403) from 8:30am-4pm.

June 15th at the Wilmington Farmer's Market at Tidal Creek (5329 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403) from 8am-1pm. 

Learn more about our 50 gallon Ivy Rain Barrels here

School Programs

3rd Grade Field Day

    We will have our 2nd field day of the year on May 30th. There will be six stations, each station will be run by a different organization. The other organizations that will be joining us are: Cape Fear Museum, Garbage to Gardens, NC Cooperative Extension, Carolina Beach State Park, and Cape Fear River Watch. At the soil and water station, we will teach about the three different main types of soil which are sand, silt, and clay. We will also let them dig a soil profile with an auger and let them observe worms.

   We will talk about how worms help keep our soil healthy. The kids love interacting with these organisms while learning how they played an important role in their ecosystem.

     

Soil and Water "Living Soil" Contest Winners

        New Hanover County Soil and Water District would like to shine a light on our contest winners from New Hanover County! Congratulations to Clara Morgan (1st place Essay contest) and Elin Shields (1st Place Slide Show contest)! They are both from Murray Middle School. They won at the State level and will win a monetary prize. We are so proud of you all! 

        Every year the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation District hosts a conservation contest for students from 3rd grade to high school. The 3rd-5th graders can submit posters while middle school-high school students can submit slideshows and essays, as well as compete in a speech competition. This year the theme is the Living Soil. The deadline is the end of February for the county contest. If the submission is selected at the county level, they go to the State level. They first have to place at the area level, which includes 11 counties. From there, they go to the state level and compete. 

        Look for our updates about deadline for next year! The theme is Wetlands are Wonderful! Here is a link to the contest handbook to learn more about what is required for the contests.

 

 

Big Day of Nature Play at Cape Fear Museum of History and Science

          On Saturday, May 18th, we had the pleasure of taking part in the "Big Day of Nature Play" at Cape Fear Museum of History and Science in Wilmington. We interacted with 383 members of our local community. We taught kids and their families how to make biodegradable planters using newspapers. The families planted native wild flower seeds in their homemade pots. We are hoping that memories, not only seeds, were planted that day as well!

 

Canines for Clean Water

       At the beginning of June, we will set up another table for Canines for Clean Water at Ruff Draft. During this outreach event, we educate the community about the importance of cleaning up after their canine family members. Just one gram of fecal matter (the size and weight of a paperclip) contains about 23 million bacteria strains. Dog poop that is not picked up, pollutes our water streams. Here is a link for more information about the program.

 

Our next board meeting is June 5th at 8am at the New Hanover County Government Center in Room 138.