Ogeechee River Soil & Water Conservation District annual report, 2013

ANNUAL REPORT OGEECHEE RIVER SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
2012-2013
The Ogeechee River Soil and Water Conservation District was organized by a charter which was issued by the Secretary of the State on July 12, l940 under a provision of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District law of 1937. The District is a legally, constituted, administrative agency of the State of Georgia.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN THE OGEECHEE RIVER DISTRICT HAS TWO SUPERVISORS - ONE WHO IS APPOINTED BY THE STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND ONE WHO IS ELECTED BY REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE COUNTY. ALL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS VOLUNTARILY GIVE OF THEIR TIME TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION. THE DISTRICT WAS ORGANIZED TO GIVE LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN HELPING THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE, A DIVISION OF THE U S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ESTABLISH COOPERATING LANDOWNERS AND LANDUSERS WITH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PROBLEMS.
DISTRICT ACTIVITIES A major portion of the Board's job involves publicity and promotional programs - programs that help
to make the public aware of the continuing need to conserve soil and water.
1. April 28th through May 4th was observed as Soil and Water Stewardship Week by the District. 2. The District sponsored students to attend the Natural Resource Conservation Workshop at ABAC Col-
lege. 3. District supported the Georgia Forestry Commission's Stewardship Incentive program. 4. District supervisors attended the GACDS Group V Meeting on June 13th in Statesboro, GA. 5. The District shared membership in the Coastal and the Central Savannah River Resource Conservation
and Development Councils and supported their goals. 6. The District operates three no-till drills, two operates in Bulloch, Screven and Effingham Counties, Wade
Hodges (912-687-1500) is the operator and the others operates in Evans, Candler and Tattnall, Jimmy Hall (912-282-1198) is the operator. 7. The District operates a dirt pan and can be obtained by contacting Wade Hodges at 687-1500 in Bulloch County. 8. Cooperators in the District have access to conservation equipment such as para till plow, pasture aerator, grass digger and sprigger. The contact for renting this equipment is Pete Waller, Bloomingdale 748-4210. 9. The District is involved with the Statewide Water Plan and has a supervisor serving on the Coastal Georgia and Altamaha Regional Water Planning Councils. 10. The District held their "Sixty-second Conservationist of the Year in Soil and Water Program" in Effingham County. Winners were Spence and Spence Farms, Bulloch County; Hackle and Hackle Farms, Candler County; Bill Tyson, Effingham County; Buurma Farms, Evans County; McCormick Farm, Screven County and Strickland Farms, Tattnall County. 11. The District assisted in Erosion & Sediment Control Re-Certification Courses to certify everyone in order to comply with the Erosion and Sediment Control Law. 12. The Ogeechee River District reviewed and approved or disapproved Erosion and Sediment Control Plans to help prevent erosion on construction sites. 13. The District provided "Water's Journey" DVD's to schools throughout the District to serve as supplemental educational resources. 14. The Ogeechee River District worked with local, State and national legislators to inform them of conservation needs and problems and encourage their support of soil and water conservation programs.

15. The District co-sponsor a Grazing Management Workshop with the Coastal Georgia RC&D.
16. Board reviewed the Memorandum of Agreement between US Department of Agriculture and State of Georgia.
17. The District promoted the Lotts and Mill Creek 319 Project through hosting a Water Quality Improvement Field Day.
18. This past year the Ogeechee River District supported conservation on the National and State levels by paying dues to NACD and GACDS.

OGEECHEE RIVER SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Fred Blitch, Jr. Charles Finch Jerry Lanier Randy Durden Jackie Davis Joe Burns Cornelius Garrison Gary Bell A. W. Robinson, III Lamar Zipperer Lavanda Lynn Adair Branch

Bulloch Bulloch Candler Candler Effingham Effingham Evans Evans Screven Screven Tattnall Tattnall

Each year the Ogeechee River SWCD distributes conservation related educational materials to school systems throughout the District in recognition of Soil Stewardship Week. Pictured left to right is Rahn Milligan, GSWCC Regional Representative, Fred Blitch, Ogeechee River SWCD Chairman, Dr. Fran Stephens, Assistant Superintendent Bulloch County BOE, and Charles Finch, Ogeechee River SWCD Supervisor.
All District Board members voluntarily give of their time to promote and encourage soil and water conservation. On the first Thursday of every month, the Board meets to plan, organize, and carry out the District's soil and water conservation program. Representatives from agricultural agencies, state and federal governments, farmers, and businessmen are invited to attend these monthly meetings to discuss the District's needs and problems. Any interested individuals are also encouraged to attend.
The Ogeechee River Board of Supervisors provides leadership in making the effective use of conservation funds and technical assistance available to the people of the District. They provide assistance to programs which are designed to meet the conservation needs of our land and water resources for the benefit of both rural and urban people.

THE OGEECHEE RIVER DISTRICT OBJECTIVES ARE THAT EACH ACRE OF LAND IS USED IN ACCORDANCE TO IT'S CAPABILITIES AND TREATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT'S NEEDS.

IN APPRECIATION
The Ogeechee River Soil and Water Board of Supervisors would like to take this opportunity to thank the landowners and landusers of the District who are doing outstanding work in applying soil and water conservation practices. Over the year, the District has been assisted by many agencies and the Board would like to express its sincere appreciation to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Consolidated Farm Service Agency, Vocational Agriculture, The Georgia Forestry Commission, the Cooperative Extension Service, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and all the others agencies
We would like to thank the many professional organizations, churches, schools, civic clubs, businesses, county and city government, and the state and national legislators which have been most helpful in assisting us to carryout our program of work. The television stations, radio stations and newspapers have also been helpful.
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE PERSONNEL ASSISTING THE DISTRICT State Conservationist James Tillman Area Conservationist
Sidney Lanier, Federal Bldg. , 601 Tebeau St. P O Box 797, Waycross, GA. 31502 Field Personnel
Jason Gatch and Stephanie Williams, Bulloch, Evans, Candler; 912-871-2600, Extension 3; Clay DeLoach, Tattnall, 912-557-6706, Austin Blackburn, Screven, 912-564-2207; Phil Hall and Charles Branch, Effingham, 912-754-3812
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT PERSONNEL Coastal Georgia RC&D Administrative Assistant Sandra Porter, Richmond Hill Central Savannah River RC&D Administrative Assistant Grace Walker, Wrens
GEORGIA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVTION COMMISSION PERSONNEL ASSISTING THE DISTRICT
Executive Director, Brent Dykes, Athens, Georgia Regional Representative, Rahn Milligan Jason Mallard, Resource Specialist Dustin Rushing, Irrigation Technician

Ogeechee River SWCD 151 Langston Chapel Road Suite 700 Statesboro, GA 30458