Happy holidays from NRCS-Michigan to all of our conservation partners. I hope that all of you have the opportunity to share the holidays with friends and family. We can all take pride in navigating another challenging year.

Here at NRCS, we continue to support the agency’s mission of getting conservation on the land. During the past year, NRCS with assistance from our partners including local conservation districts and private Technical Service Providers among others, provided nearly $30 million in conservation financial assistance to Michigan agricultural producers and private forest owners. We also provided $1.64 million to farmland preservation organizations to preserve valuable agricultural land through the purchase of conservation easements.

Our local partners continue to support conservation efforts, a strong example of this is the selection of six new Regional Conservation Partnership Program projects in our state. The lead partners who submitted these projects for funding demonstrate the variety of entities promoting conservation in Michigan; included are the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, The Nature Conservancy, Gladwin County, the Ottawa Conservation District, and the City of Ann Arbor.

As you can see from this newsletter and the previous issue, NRCS-Michigan is continuing to add new employees. Many of these new hires filled positions that were vacant for an extended period of time. New employees will help bring new ideas and vitality to our mission that make me excited for what the new year will bring, Happy New Year!

The May 2020 flood waters that caused two dam failures on the Tittabawassee River didn’t stop after causing mass evacuations and property damage in Midland County. Another area adversely affected was the Shiawassee River State Game Area near St. Charles.

“They absorbed a lot of that impact from all different directions,” said NRCS Civil Engineer Colleen Vasher.

The nearly 10,000-acre state game area serves as a flood storage area, said Biologist Jeremiah Heise of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The Tittabawassee joins the Shiawassee River north of the game area on its way to the Saginaw Bay. The volume of water at the two rivers’ convergence bottled up water further upstream.

(Breached dike after May 2020 flooding - above left)

The rains that caused the May 2020 flood was a watershed wide event and the area was inundated. It was the worst flooding Heise had seen in his eight years at the refuge and was only comparable to the historic flood of 1986. The flooding breached or damaged numerous dikes within the game area that serve to control water levels and protect adjoining property. Financial and technical assistance through the USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program aided with the repairs which are now largely completed.

NRCS provided engineering assistance, including designs, and materials to repair damaged dikes in the game area. The DNR provided construction labor which fulfilled their matching contribution required for EWP assistance. Work is largely completed with only seeding and some other finish work to do in the spring, said Vasher.

Although the Shiawassee River State Game Area was not able to contain all of the flood waters it demonstrated the value wetlands have in reducing the impact of floods. Wetlands will continue to play an important role as major rain events become more frequent.

(Breached dike after repairs - below)

• Michigan farmers and private forest owners are invited to submit applications for a funding initiative that addresses water and wildlife resources. Producers may submit applications by Jan. 14, 2022, to be considered for selection.
  Funding will be provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through Conservation Incentives Contracts. The contracts provide conservation financial assistance for implementing conservation practices targeted to regional conservation concerns. In addition, producers can receive annual payments for ongoing management practices that benefit water quality, water quantity, and wildlife for up to five years.
  The current Conservation Incentives Contracts funding is available to farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin and Saginaw Bay watersheds for addressing water quality, in the St. Joseph Watershed for practices that conserve water quantity, and in the Upper Peninsula for practices that improve wildlife habitat.

• Michigan farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin and Saginaw Bay watersheds are eligible to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture financial assistance for adopting cover crops. Producers with at least a portion of their operations in one of the two watersheds may submit applications by Jan. 12, 2022, to be considered for selection.

  The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing $3.2 million in financial assistance to encourage producers to adopt cover crops as a way to protect water quality and reduce soil erosion in the two priority watersheds. The adoption of cover crops has other conservation benefits including improving soil quality, suppressing weeds, and providing wildlife habitat. Producers can apply for assistance to plant a single-species or a more diverse multi species cover crop. 

Bob Battel - Soil Conservationist, Bad Axe

Last Position: MSU Extension Field Crops Educator, Huron and Tuscola counties
Home Town: Cass City
Education: BS in Crop and Soil Science, Michigan State University and MS in Extension Education, MSU
Family: Four kids; Addy, 19; Dori, 15; Asher, 13; and Elias, 11
Hobbies and Interests: Maple Syrup Production

John Bauer - Soil Conservationist, Sandusky

Last Position:  Farm Bill Biologist, Tuscola Conservation District
Home Town: Reese
Education: B.S. Forestry, Natural Resources,  Michigan Technological University
Family: Married with toddler and chocolate lab
Hobbies: Hands on/being in the field; metal fabrication/mechanic; arborist/lumber- landscaping

January

11 - Winter Woody Plant Identification webinar with Martha Holzheuer, 6 - 7:30 p.m., for more information go to www.washtenawcd.org

14 - Kiss the Ground live film viewing, 6 - 8 p.m., Acorn Farmers Market & Cafe - Manchester, for more information and to register go to www.washtenawcd.org

26&27 - Great Lakes Crop Summit, Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort - Mt. Pleasant, for more information go to www.greatlakescropsummit.com

27 - Waterbody Health: Benefits of Natural/Living Shorelines Webinar, 6 - 7 p.m., for more information and to register to www.washtenawcd.org

February

1 - Native Plants & Natural Communities webinar with Doug Tallamy & Michael Kost, 6:30 - 8 p.m., for more information go www.washtenawcd.org

24 - Mid-Michigan CISMA Annual Invasive Species Training, Save the Date, for updates including time and location go to inghamconservation.com

March

9 - Maintaining & Restoring Native Plant Gardens in-person seminar with Vern Stephens, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Matthaei Botanical Gardens Auditorium - Ann Arbor, for more information go www.washtenawcd.org