The Conservation Implementation Strategy (CIS) Project Rapid Creek Water Restoration will soon enter its third year in Pennington County, South Dakota, serving farmers, ranchers, and the community. This three-year project is one of 16 selected in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 and federally-funded through the conservation programs of the 2018 Farm Bill administered by the USDA’s NRCS. The purpose of this three-year project is to reduce the amount of water lost in the St. Germain irrigation ditch and will be carried out by the Pennington Conservation District in concert with landowners and operators within the project area. While applications are accepted year-round, interested landowners and operators in the project area who are eligible to apply for financial assistance are encouraged to apply by the review date for FY2023, which is February 22, 2023.
The NRCS conservation specialists and partners who are coordinating these projects throughout the state. “Through collectively focusing expertise and resources on the highest priority resource concerns, CIS projects can yield impressive returns,” says Jeff Vander Wilt, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Huron, SD, who oversees the effort. Collaborative funding and support from other agencies and groups create a coordinated community effort and focus on mutual issues.
The Rapid Creek Water Restoration Project partners with producers to directly benefit water quality and quantity. Project sponsors identified water loss and erosion as resource concerns and developed this CIS project to address the situation.
“Improving irrigation efficiency, in cooperation with local producers, promotes landscape-level sustainability," said Joel Milos, District Conservationist, Rapid City, "This initiative will also reduce mosquito breeding grounds and aid in flood control, which are common difficulties in open-ditch irrigation systems."
To apply to be a part of this project, find and contact your local NRCS Service Center at www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center, or contact Joel Milos, District Conservationist, Rapid City, SD, at (605) 342-0301, Ext. 3 or joel.milos@usda.gov. For more information on the CIS in South Dakota, or if you have ideas for a project, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/south-dakota/south-dakota-conservation, or contact Jeff Vander Wilt, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, at jeffrey.vanderwilt@usda.gov or (605) 352-1226.
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