The Daviess County Soil & Water Conservation District was formed in 1941 to provide information about soil, water and related natural resource conservation; identify and prioritize local soil and water resource concerns; and connect land users to sources of educational, technical and financial assistance to implement conservation practices and technologies.
Location: 2526 East National Highway, Washington IN 47501
Phone: 812-254-4780,ext.3 Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Closed weekends and holidays
To provide educational, technical and financial assistance to all Daviess County residents in order to maintain a clean and wholesome environment in which to work and live.
In a typical year, 98% of corn and 89% of soybeans would have already been planted in Indiana. Extreme weather this Spring across the state has prevented farmers from entering their fields. As of June 9, 2019, only 67% of Indiana corn acres and 42% of Indiana soybean acres have been planted. Some farmers who were able to get in their fields sooner have credited their adoption of soil health practices, for example, cover crops and no-till. CCSI (Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative) has compiled a comprehensive resource to get farmers the specific information they need. The official resources have been pulled from the USDA-RMA, Indiana NRCS, IDEM, Purdue University, the Midwest Cover Crops Council and more. Call the SWCD office with any questions, 812-254-4780 ext. 3, or visit this link for a list of resources:
The Daviess County SWCD, in partnership with the Dubois County and Martin County SWCDs, has received a Clean Water Indiana grant to help fund the removal of invasive species plants. The newly formed Daviess, Dubois and Martin County Invasive Plants Partnership will offer a cost share program for landowners in these counties with areas of ten acres or less that need control. To apply for this program, contact the Daviess County SWCD, 812-254-4780, ext. 3. Click this link for the cost share application.
Here is a list of plants that are considered as invasive: Indiana Invasive Plant List
With ample rainfall, all the plants are thriving...including some unwanted ones! A visit to the rain garden on this hot, muggy July morning to pull weeds revealed the Wild Bergamot in full bloom. The beautiful lavendar-colored blooms attracted lots of bees and butterflies. Plants blooming now are Purple Poppy Mallow, Marsh Milkweed, Black-Eyed Susan, Daylily, Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm), Culver's Root and Nodding Wild Onion. Be sure to stop by the rain garden often to see what's blooming!
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is a federal-state conservation program designed to help alleviate some of the concerns of nonpoint source pollution by restoring buffers and wetlands to improve water quality. CREP participants receive financial incentives and maintain ownership rights to enrolled land. See the flyer below for more information.
The Daviess County SWCD and the City of Washington's Stormwater Department are offering 60-gallon rain barrels for sale at a special price! Barrels are $48.00 + IN sales tax. Contact the SWCD if you are interested in purchasing a rain barrel, or print out the order form and mail it with your payment. One barrel per family at this price - Daviess County residents only please!
Farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can now do business with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through an online portal. With the launch of the Conservation Client Gateway, producers will have the ability to work with conservation planners online to access Farm Bill programs, request assistance, and track payments for their conservation activities. The Conservation Client Gateway is secure and is entirely voluntary, giving producers a choice between conducting business online or traveling to the USDA Service Center. To learn more, visit: www.nrcs.usda.gov/clientgateway
...But didn't know who to ask! Whether you have owned your land for a lifetime, or are a new Indiana landowner, you may have questions when it comes to land use and conservation. This is a quick guide for who to call and where to look when you have questions about natural resources and conservation on your land in Indiana.