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St. Joseph County

Soil & Water Conservation District

2008 - 2012 Business Plan

All programs and services of the Conservation

Partnership and the Soil and Water Conservation
District are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis,
without regard to race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, age, marital status or handicap.
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Who We Are SWCD – NRCS

CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP
The St. Joseph County Soil and Water
Conservation District (SWCD) is a subdivision of 5605 US 31 South, Suite 4
State Government. It is a public body which South Bend, IN 46614
exercises public authority. It is governed by five Phone: 574-291-7444, ext. 3
supervisors, each a resident of St. Joseph County, Fax: 574-291-0284
three elected and two appointed. It’s staff member http://stjoseph.iaswcd.org/index.htm
are considered to be employees of the county. The
district receives its statutory authority from Indiana Board of Supervisors - 2008
District Law (Indiana Code IC 14-32-5-1). John Dooms, Chairman
Paul Williams III, Vice-Chairman
Dave Craft
Jan Ivkovich
Carole Riewe

SWCD Staff
Troy Manges
County Conservationist
Rick Glassman
(PHOTO: Community Garden)
Environmental Education Coordinator
What We Do Sara McClaran
The St. Joseph County Soil and Water Administrative Assistant & Treasurer
Conservation District provides the public with
information, education and technical assistance on NRCS Staff
soil, water and related natural resource Deborah Knepp
conservation; identifies and prioritizes local soil District Conservationist
and water resource concerns; and connects land Rafael Vega
users to sources of education, technical and Soil Conservationist
financial assistance to implement conservation
practices and technologies, to improve soil and
water quality
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How we plan to assess our progress Our Mission

• Track compost results
• Track land owners
To provide guidance and education to the youth
• Tillage transect
and adults of St. Joseph County and to administer
• PRS- Performance Result System
programs to preserve, protect, and improve soil,
• Ed program survey
water, air, plant and animal resources for future
generations.

(PHOTOS: Swamp Stomp)

(PHOTO: Congressman Joe Donnelly and

SWCD’s Chairman, John Dooms)
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Critical Geographic Areas (“Key Strategies” Continued...)

St. Joseph River Watershed
Kankakee River Watershed
• Enhanced quality of life for St. Joseph
County citizens
• High quality drinking water
• More educated, informed, and proactive
public in natural resource management
• Wiser use of land and resources

St. Joseph River

Watershed

Kankakee River
Watershed

St. Joseph County, Indiana

(PHOTO: Water Sampling at the St. Joseph River)
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(“Key Strategies” Continued...)
• St. Joseph County Solid Waste
Management District
• St. Joseph County Parks
• St. Joseph County Engineering
Department
• St. Joseph County Health Department
• St. Joseph County Survey/Drainage Board
• St. Joseph County Commissioners
• St. Joseph County Council
• St. Joseph County 4-H Fair Board
• Area Plan Commission
• Michiana Area Council of Governments
• City of South Bend
• South Bend Engineering Department
• City of Mishawaka
• Mishawaka Department of Engineering
• Town of Osceola
• Town of Roseland
• Indiana University at South Bend
• Ivy Tech Community College
• John Glenn High School FFA
• Mishawaka High School Waltonian
League
Desired Outcomes
• Cleaner streams, rivers, and lakes
• More productive soils
• Increased woodland resources
• Improved wildlife habitat
(Continued on next page)
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Our Key Partners and
How They Assist
ISDA, Division of Soil Conservation (ISDA-DSC)
The State Soil Conservation Board, through
ISDA-DSC, provides guidance, direction, training,
and funding opportunities to the SWCD, including
Clean Water Indiana funding.
Purdue Cooperative Extension
Extension is the educational branch of the
Conservation Partnership. Through our local
Cooperative Extension Office we have local staff
and University expertise available for workshops,
field days, and other conservation
education activities.
Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS)
Our chief source of technical expertise, in the
agricultural area, is the USDA-NRCS. We share
office space, communication equipment, and goals
to reduce erosion and sediment on productive
agricultural lands. The NRCS District
Conservationist implements Farm Bill programs in
the county and advises the local SWCD Board as
they seek to address conservation concerns on
agricultural lands in the county.
(Continued on next page)
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(“Our Key Partners and How They Assist” Continued...) (“Key Strategies” Continued...)

St. Joseph County, City of Mishawaka, City of • Education programs

South Bend, Osceola, Roseland • Equipment rental
Through the MS4 Stormwater Partnership, the • Contracted services (e.g. SWMD, MS4)
SWCD works with the County and these
municipalities to address stormwater quality Partnership Collaboration
concerns throughout the county. The SWCD The district collaborates with a variety of local
provides expertise and guidance in developing and and state organizations to achieve our goals.
implementing a county-wide Our valued partners include:
stormwater management plan. • IDNR Education Programs (Hoosier
Riverwatch, Project Wet, Project Wild, and
St. Joseph County Government Project Learning Tree)
Primary funding for the staff comes from the • IDNR Division of Forestry
St. Joseph County Commissioners and Council. • IDNR Division of Wildlife
• Indiana Department of Environmental
Management
• ISDA Division of Soil Conservation
• USDA Farm Service Agency
• USDA Natural Resource Conservation
Service
• Army Corp of Engineers
• Other SWCD’s
• Master Gardeners (MMG)
• Pheasants Forever
• Quail Unlimited
• Ducks Unlimited
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• Wood – Land – Lakes RC&D
(PHOTO: Ground Stabilization) • Arrowhead Country RC&D
• Northwest Territory RC&D

(Continued on next page)

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(“Key Strategies” Continued...) Critical Natural Resource Issues

• Bi-annual landfill inspections 1) Degraded surface water quality in
• Participation in technical capacities to streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.
various county/city governmental Contributing factors from
committees. Agricultural land include:
• Customer Service (e.g. Natural resource • Sediment
investigation and evaluation and backyard • E. coli (livestock and wildlife waste)
conservation assistance) • Nutrients and pesticides

Financial Assistance Contributing factors from Non-Agricultural

The district connects landowners in St. land include:
• Sediment
Joseph County to the following sources of
• E. coli (septic, pet, and wildlife waste)
conservation financial assistance:
• Nutrients and pesticides
• Federal conservation programs (e.g. farm
• Pollutants from hard surfaces (e.g. oil,
bill programs and 319 grants)
• State conservation cost share/incentive
grease, litter, etc.)
• Storm water runoff
programs (e.g. Lake and River
Enhancement (LARE) and Clean Water 2) Degraded soil quality including loss of
Indiana) soil structure, loss of organic matter, and
• Supporting partner grant applications
increased compaction.
Funding Contributing factors from
The district receives financial support from Agricultural land include:
the following sources: • Soil erosion
• County Commissioners and Council • Excessive Tillage
• State grants, including Clean Water • Lack of crop rotation and cover
Indiana grants crops
• IDEM 319 grants
• Affiliate Memberships
• Annual Tree Sale

(Continued on next page) (Continued on next page)

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(“Critical Natural Resource Issues” Continued...)
Contributing factors from
Non-Agricultural land include:
• Soil erosion
• Excessive grading
• Failure to preserve existing
vegetation on construction sites
(including trees)
3) Land use fragmentation resulting in the
following:
• Loss of prime farmland
• Loss of productive forest lands
• Loss of wildlife habitat
• Spread of noxious and invasive
species
• Excessive costs to provide
infrastructure and services
4) Sustainability of Natural Resources
• Need for composting
• Need for recycling
• Reduce consumption
(PHOTO: Compost Seminar)
(“Key Strategies” Continued...)
Marketing
The district promotes conservation to the
public using the following strategies:
• Radio and TV interviews
• News Releases
• Contests
• Contacting the community with
conservation opportunities
• Customer Service (linking landowners to
conservation programs)
• Providing soils information and seeding
recommendations according to climate
and soils
• Supervisors and staff serving on various
community boards and committees
• Board member recruitment
• Tree sales
• Promotional giveaways (e.g. pens,
magnets, flyers, etc)
Technical Assistance
The district provides technical assistance to
county government and landowners in the
following ways:
• One on one conservation planning and
application assistance
• Ag conservation BMP’s survey and design
to meet NRCS specifications
• On-site consultations
(Continued on next page)
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Key Strategies
Information
The district provides conservation information
to the public with the following items:
• Quarterly Newsletter (Conservation
Kaleidoscope)
• Monthly newspaper article for urban
conservation practices
• Website (www.stjoseph.iaswcd.org)
• Customer Service (e.g. phone calls and
walk-in requests for information)
• Brochures and other publications
• Annual Meeting
Education
The district educates the public through the
following events and activities:
• Workshops (e.g. Hoosier Riverwatch and
construction site erosion control
workshops)
• Field Days (e.g. forestry field day)
• Presentations (e.g. classroom, public
seminar, civic and conservation
organizations, one on one)
• Demonstration Sites (e.g. MS4, outdoor
labs)
• Customer Service (e.g. soil survey,
planning specifications, and tree planting
information)
• Special events (e.g. Science Alive, 4-H
Fair, Ag Days)
(Continued on next page)
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Our Five Year Goals (By 2012)
Agricultural Land
• 5% increase in conservation tillage
• 200 additional acres of organic farming
• 100 additional acres of buffers (i.e. filter
strips, waterways)
• 8,000 additional acres of cropland utilizing
nutrient and pest management plans
• 500 additional acres of cropland utilizing
manure management plans
• 10 additional rotational grazing plans
• 100 additional resource management
plans (addressing compaction, erosion,
and loss of permanent vegetative cover)
• 250 additional acres of cover crops
• 250 additional acres of row crop converted
to hay land production
• 75 additional acres of tree planting
• 25 additional woodland management
plans
• 100 additional acres of wildlife habitat
plantings
• 25 additional wildlife habitat plans
• 200 additional acres of wetland restoration
Developing Land
• 100% of Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Plans (SWPPPs) received will be
reviewed
(Continued on next page)
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(“Our Five Year Goals (By 2012)” Continued...) (“Our Five Year Goals (By 2012)” Continued...)

• Every active construction site inspected department as they promote proper septic
once a year system maintenance, reduce
• 100% of erosion control complaints on contamination from failing septic systems,
construction sites will be investigated and identify areas of surface and ground
• 75% of sites will submit a notice of water concerns; and assist the county
termination surveyor’s office in improving drainage
• 80% of construction sites will actually use while protecting water quality)
temporary stabilization.
• 80% of sites actually following the SWPPP Other
• Five sites will be developed demonstrating • Educate at least 200,000 youth and 4,000
urban best management practices adults on the importance of soil and water
(BMPs).
Other Land Users
• 5 existing commercially developed
properties will implement conservation
practices (e.g. permeable pavement,
bioswales, and wetland retention)
• 50 owners of small tracts of land (e.g.
homeowners) will implement conservation
practices (e.g. rain gardens, tree
planting, composting, mulching, and
wildlife habitat improvement)
• Cooperate with all city and county
government agencies to incorporate
conservation practices and technologies
into all land use activities. (e.g. assist city
(PHOTO: Science Alive)
tree boards as they work to improve urban
forest cover; assist county health
(Continued on next page)