Grants to clean up two creeks in south Georgia

Funds are available for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners to help clean up two creeks in WWALS watersheds: Deep Creek in Turner County, a tributary of the Alapaha River, and Piscola Creek in Thomas and Brooks Counties, a tributary of the Withlacoochee River. The deadline for applications is May 16th.

WCTV via AP 5 April 2104, Georgia to Clean Up Waterways,

Georgia officials are trying to clean up waterways in two south Georgia counties.

State conservation officials say they’ll be giving funds to farmers, ranchers and forest owners in Brooks and Thomas counties to help repair environmental damage to four watersheds.

Piscola Creek has a GA EPD hazardous waste site near it in Brooks County; that doesn’t seem to be within the grant parameters.

Let’s go to the source, NRCS PR of 4 April 2014, NRCS Announces National Water Quality Initiative in Georgia,

Natural Resources
Conservation Service
355 East Hancock Ave., Ste. 212
Athens, GA, 30601

Release No.: 00009.14

Printable Version

Agricultural Producers located in priority watersheds will be able to participate

ATHENS, GA, April 4, 2014 — Acting State Conservationist Greg Kist, announced the National Water Quality Initiative to help improve four impaired waterways in Georgia. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will manage the initiative by making funds available to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners in the selected watersheds. Applications must be in by May 16.

Through this effort, eligible producers in the following four watersheds: Lower Deep Creek, in Turner County; Upper Piscola Creek, Middle Piscola Creek and Lower Piscola Creek, in both Brooks and Thomas Counties, will invest in voluntary conservation actions to help provide cleaner water for their neighbors and communities. The selected watersheds were originally identified with help from state agencies, partners, and the NRCS State Technical Committee.

Using funds from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, NRCS will provide funding and advice to producers to install conservation practices such as cover crops, filter strips and terraces in watersheds with impairments where the federal investment can make a difference to improve water quality.

NRCS accepts applications for financial assistance on a continuous basis throughout the year. Remember to check with your local NRCS office to see if you are located in a selected watershed. All applications for funding consideration, during this fiscal year, must be received by May 16, 2014. This summer, NRCS will notify all applicants of the results and begin developing contracts with selected applicants.

Since 1935, NRCS’ nationwide conservation delivery system works with private landowners to put conservation on the ground based on specific, local conservation needs, while accommodating state and national interests. For more information about NRCS’ programs, initiatives and services in Georgia, visit us online at http://www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov.

Above are maps of the four priority watersheds in Georgia. Left is Lower Deep Creek, located in Turner County and right is the Upper and Middle Piscola Creek, located in Thomas and Brooks Counties and Lower Piscola Creek located in Brooks County.

Above are maps of the four priority watersheds in Georgia. Left is Lower Deep Creek, located in Turner County and right is the Upper and Middle Piscola Creek, located in Thomas and Brooks Counties and Lower Piscola Creek located in Brooks County

And still more detail by NRCS in National Water Quality Initiative: Georgia: Overview, in which it becomes clear that these two creeks are all the NWQI priority watersheds in Georgia.

-jsq