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Osage Fork Dairymen |
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Teachers |
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The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has granted an
initial award of $289,045 to the
The district will use the grant
for technical and cost-share assistance for dairy producers in the Osage
Fork of the
The Osage Fork has six miles of
losing stream segments that lose all or part of their flow by suddenly
disappearing underground. This makes the river vulnerable to nonpoint
sources of pollution where livestock numbers are high. Runoff from
livestock manure can be a potential threat to surface and groundwater. The
funding will help producers construct lagoon facilities to contain the
manure until it can be properly applied to the land as fertilizer. These
facilities make animal waste management easier for producers and provide a
healthier more productive environment for the dairy cows.
"These types of projects
allow important environmental improvements to be made that help both the
landowner as well as those down stream," said Steve Mahfood, former Natural
Resources director.
Five planned grazing and
watering systems will help keep cattle out of streams and prevent stream
bank erosion caused by trampling. The best management practices in this
project are aimed at preventing manure from being directly deposited into
a stream or running off into it from surrounding land. They also help
reduce soil runoff.
Other goals of the grant
include development of comprehensive nutrient management plans for
producers, demonstration of manure transfer using underground pipe,
educational field days, a Web site and newsletters. The Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the
For more information, contact
Mary Jo Tannehill with the
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