The James River Water Development District awarded $365,113 in cost-sharing assistance at their Board of Directors meeting in Huron on Thursday.
The District awarded $23,853 to the United State Geological Survey for operation and maintenance of three streamflow gaging stations on the James River near Stratford, Redfield, and Yankton. These funds will provide quality hydrologic data in a timely and professional manner.
The District awarded $7,000 to Beadle Conservation District for a project to demonstrate various cropping systems. Approximately 5 sites, 5 acres each will be used to demonstrate the benefits of different cropping techniques to improve soil health and water quality.
The District awarded $10,000 to Sanborn Conservation District for purchasing a grass seeding drill to assist operators in the county with planting native grasses for CRP contracts, cover crops, food plots, wildlife habitat, and other conservation programs. These plantings, along with future plantings will improve the water quality by reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
The District awarded $157,500 for 2018 tree planting efforts within the District; allocating $15,000 to Beadle Conservation District, Brown/Marshall Conservation District, South Brown Conservation District, Davison Conservation District, Hanson Conservation District, Hutchinson Conservation District, Marshall Conservation District, Sanborn Conservation District, Spink Conservation District, Yankton Conservation District and $7,500 to Aurora Conservation District. These funds will encourage producers to plant trees to improve the environment, for example; by protecting the soil, improving water quality and to establish wildlife habitat.