Healthy soil with a higher organic content reduces erosion, ameliorates the effects of flood and drought, reduces nutrient and sediment loading to streams and rivers, and may require fewer nutrient inputs. The four key principles to building healthy soils are:
- Minimize soil disturbance through never-till or conservation tillage practices
- Maximize soil cover
- Keep living roots growing as long as possible
- Grow a variety of plants
The Indiana Conservation Partnership brings eight Indiana agencies and organizations together to collectively provide the technical, financial, and education assistance needed to implement practices that are both environmentally and economically sustainable.
Funding for soil health practices comes from federal sources, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, state programs like Clean Water Indiana, and local sources which include county funds or grants administered by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
A total of 1,446 active practices were in place in Indiana's portion of the Lake Erie basin in 2017, which led to a 79,757-pound phosphorus reduction.
Total expenditures on conservation agriculture practices for Indiana counties in the Lake Erie Basin.
The most commonly implemented conservation practices are cover crops, conservation cover, and residue and tillage management (i.e., conservation till or no-till methods). These practices are undertaken voluntarily by private landowners with support of the Indiana Conservation Partnership.
Indiana's portion of the Lake Erie basin consists of four 8-digit sub-watersheds which encompass six counties, as shown on the right. Efforts are being taken across the area to reduce phosphorus to Lake Erie.
Indiana's portion of the WLEB, which includes six counties and four 8-digit sub-watersheds (Indiana State Department of Agriculture).
More detailed information on each of the counties in Indiana's portion of the Lake Erie basin is shown below.
Steuben County
The southeastern portion of Steuben County is in the St. Joseph sub-watershed. Roughly 25 percent of Steuben County is within the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for Steuben County is for the entire county, not only the area within the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in Steuben County.
In Steuben County in 2017, 10 percent of cropland had living cover and over 97 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
Noble County
The eastern portion of Noble County is in the St. Joseph sub-watershed. Less than 20 percent of the county is within the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for Noble County is for the entire county, not only the area within the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in Noble County.
In Noble County in 2017, 11 percent of cropland having living cover and 92 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
DeKalb County
DeKalb County is in the St. Joseph sub-watershed, with over 95 percent of the county falling inside the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for DeKalb County includes the area outside of the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in DeKalb County.
In DeKalb County in 2017, 10 percent of cropland had living cover and almost 93 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
Allen County
Allen County spans all four of Indiana's Lake Erie subwatersheds - the St. Joseph, Maumee, Auglaize, and St. Mary's watersheds. Almost 75 percent of Allen County is within the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for Allen County is for the entire county, not only the area within the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in Allen County.
In Allen County in 2017, 11 percent of cropland had living cover and 70 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
Wells County
The northeastern portion of Wells County is in the St. Mary's sub-watershed. Less than 10 percent of the county is within the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for Wells County is for the entire county, not only the area within the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in Wells County.
In Wells County in 2017, 6 percent of cropland had living cover and about 73 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
Adams County
Adams County is in both the Auglaize and St. Mary's sub-watersheds. Almost three quarters of the county is within the Lake Erie basin. The reported information for Adams County is for the entire county, not only the area within the Lake Erie basin.
Spending on conservation agriculture practices in Adams County.
In Adams County in 2017, 12 percent of cropland had living cover and about 76 percent of cropland used either conservation till or no-till methods.
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