For immediate release

NRCS Announces Recipients of State-Level Conservation Innovation Grants

SPOKANE, WA, Aug. 9, 2012—State Conservationist Roylene Rides at the Door announced the winning proposals for the 2012 State-level Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). Through CIG, the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing nearly $151,000 in innovative conservation technologies and approaches that address a broad array of existing and emerging natural resource issues in Washington.

The 2012 CIG award winners will demonstrate the effectiveness of new ways to increase irrigation application efficiencies, lower flood damage to livestock via the creation of livestock evacuation routes, enhance nutrient tracking in the Yakima Basin, and identify the best sub-soiling model for pine forests and demonstrate improved seedling growth and survival. Grant winners pay 50 percent of project costs.

Below is a brief description of the approved projects awarded in Washington State at the local level.

Extreme Efficiency Linear-Move Irrigator - Hydrolinear Irrigators Company was awarded $50,000 to demonstrate the cost-saving efficiency of the Hydro-coupler linear-move Irrigator. The Hydro-coupler linear-move Irrigator enables irrigation to an entire quarter section utilizing roughly the amount of water discharged by a center pivot to increase water application to 25 or more acres for the corners. The hydro coupler, an affordable and extremely efficient automated coupler/drive, makes manual-move and furrow/gravity conversion affordable or adds a benefit to the current linear-move irrigator.

Livestock Evacuation Routes – Lewis County Conservation District was awarded $27,000 to assist in the evaluation of alternatives for lowering flood damage to livestock via the creation of livestock evacuation routes. The practices will include livestock trails, walkways, and fencing to contain livestock in a safe location free of floodwaters.

Enhancing the Nutrient Tracking Tool (NTT) for Use in the Yakima Basin - South Central Washington RC&D Council was awarded $24,626 to further develop the NTT for use in Yakima and Benton Counties. The NTT will estimate the environmental effectiveness of a number of conservation practices in the lower Yakima Basin. From the evaluation, a customized update to the current NTT manual will be made available. Additionally, the focus of the project is to expand the use of the tool to other areas of Washington.

Subsoiling as Site Preparation in Pine Plantations – The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation were awarded $47,464 to improve the Nation’s understanding of soil compaction in the pine zone of the forest. This project will identify the best sub-soiling model and demonstrate improved seedling growth and survival on treated acres.

“These grants will focus on important natural resource concerns at a local-level,” said State Resource Conservationist, Bonda Habets. “The knowledge we gain through these diverse projects will help us all better understand resource challenges we face in Washington and help provide groundbreaking solutions to solve them.” she said. All grantees are required to transfer their technology by showcasing their project at a NRCS event.

The NRCS administers CIG as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, investing in innovative, on-the-ground conservation technologies and approaches, with the eventual goal of wide-scale adoption to address water quality and quantity, air quality, energy conservation, and environmental markets, among other natural resource issues. Grants are awarded to state and local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals.

For more information about NRCS conservation programs online, visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov or visit the nearest USDA Service Center in your area.
 

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