Congratulations to the McMinn County Soil and Water Conservation District

February 8, 2005

Extension of Remarks

United States House of Representatives

Mr. Speaker, this month, the McMinn County, Tennessee Soil and Water Conservation District will celebrate its 50th anniversary. This milestone is much more than a birthday. It is a celebration of a voluntary conservation program that has involved more than 30,000 farmers, and other land users.

This program has benefited thousands of East Tennesseans by implementing flood prevention plans, creating recreation areas, and putting many other soil conservation projects in place.

I have enjoyed working with the McMinn County Social and Water Conservation District in the sixteen years I have served in the House. My father also worked closely with this program when he served in this seat from 1964 to 1988.

Mr. Speaker, let me again congratulate the McMinn County Soil and Water Conservation for fifty years of excellent service to east Tennessee. I have enclosed a written history of the program that I would like to call to the attention of my fellow members and other readers of the Record.

THE HISTORY OF THE MCMINN COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

The McMinn County Soil Conservation District was founded on December 28, 1954. The original charter members were Rex Moses, Clarence Miller, Carl D. Stager, J. G. Wilson, and J. K. Pickens.

Conservation Districts are local government subdivisions established under state law to carry out a program for the conservation, use and development of soil, water and related resources.

In 1972, The McMinn County Soil Conservation District, along with nine other sister districts, took an active part in the drive to establish the ten county Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation and Development Districts. We met with other SCD Boards several times in making and submitting an application to the Secretary of Agriculture for and RC&D project. This project was approved and funded in September 1972. The Board asked for and received active support on this project from the County Council, City Governments, Farm Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, and others interested in the resources of McMinn County.

The Sweetwater Creek Watershed District was organized in 1958 by local landowners with the help of the three sponsoring organizations--McMinn, Monroe, Loudon Soil Conservation Districts. A flood prevention plan for the Cities of Sweetwater and Philadelphia and all the low-lying land along the Sweetwater Creek from its origin in McMinn County to the outlet at the Tennessee River in Loudon County was completed in 1970.

Sweetwater Creek Watershed Program is a local project with technical and financial assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture. The principal problems were floodwater and sediment damage to agricultural lands, industrial, commercial and residential properties and roads. There are 37,460 acres in this watershed.

With the help of the sponsoring districts the watershed board requested funding from the three counties and the City of Sweetwater for operational and maintenance expenses in the amount of $6,600.00 annually. Funding was provided in 1974.

Congress authorized funding for the Sweetwater Creek Watershed Project in July 1972. Without the help of the Honorable John Duncan, Sr., the project would not have been funded.

The McMinn Board of Supervisors asked the County Council to budget $600 per year for maintenance of dams on the Sweetwater project. The council was very happy to comply with this request.

Four flood retarding structures have been completed in McMinn County, channelization for the creek in the City of Philadelphia, and 9 miles of clearing and snagging of the creek between the Cities of Sweetwater and Philadelphia. The construction on the first flood retarding structure begins in October 1975. In 1989 the fourth flood retarding structure was completed. This was the final phase of the project for federal funding. The total cost of the work was 4.6 million dollars. Benefits to the area have been substantial. The Cities of Sweetwater and Philadelphia have not been flooded since the structures were built and the channelization complete.

Every year the watershed board maintains the flood retarding structures and the channel. The retarding structures are mowed annually; any trees removed from the embankment, and eroding areas are seeded. The channel is inspected and cleared of any fallen trees, logs or trash that may cause problems. Sand bars are removed from the channel.

Benefits to the area have been substantial. The Cities of Sweetwater and Philadelphia have not been flooded since the structures were built and the channelization completed. Preventing damage to the agricultural, industrial, commercial and residential properties has saved millions of dollars.

The McMinn County Soil Conservation started Tree Day in March 1972. We gave away 10,000 white pines which were donated by Bowater. The District requested the assistance of the City of Athens to distribute the trees in 19--. Later, Arbor Day and the State Forest Service absorbed Tree Day. Citizens National Bank joined the District and City in sponsoring this event, which continues today.

The County Council requested the District assist in planning and implementing a nine-acre recreation area at the County Landfill. The District supplied tuff-cote Bermuda sprigs for the ball fields and supervised planting and land grading. The District Board assisted in three seminars on landfill operations, and site selection at the request of the County Council, for visiting county officials, schools, health departments, etc.

In 1982, the Chestuee Creek Special ACP Demonstration Area was co-sponsored by the Soil Conservation District. Approximately thirty-five thousand (35,000) acres of land in the McMinn County Soil Conservation District is within this watershed. At a dedication ceremony held in April, over 500 people from East and Middle Tennessee attended to close out this project. The Board of Supervisors was very proud to have had a part in the success of the Chestuee Creek project. This project brought over $1,250,000 in federal funds to the area. Many conservation practices were installed by local farmers, which they would not have otherwise been able to accomplish.

The District signed a Memorandum of Understanding with McMinn County in March 1983. The Memorandum spells out the responsibilities of both parties in our joint conservation efforts. The district has been able to lead the state in many areas of conservation application because of the support of our County and City officials. The commitment to the conservation effort by these groups makes the job much easier and satisfying.

The orphan strip mines continued to be a problem in the county. The District completed an inventory of these mines in 1984. Special funds were requested to reclaim these areas through a Special ACP funding for critical area treatment. We are awaiting approval of this project.

Our Conservation District was pleased to have our local nominee named as a Five Star Farmer by TVA for outstanding soil conservation accomplishment. Lowry Dougherty won the award for the excellent progress to controlling erosion on his 240-acre dairy farm.

In 1984, the Upper Oostanaula Creek Special ACP Demonstration Area was co-sponsored by the Soil Conservation District. Approximately twelve thousand acres of land in the McMinn County Soil Conservation District is within this watershed. This is the second national project that has been approved for McMinn County. The Board of Supervisors was very proud to have had a part in the success of the Oostanaula Creek Project which brought over one million dollars in federal funds to the area. Many conservation practices were installed by local farmers, which they would not have otherwise been able to accomplish.

Work was started on the Flood Hazard Study on Oostanaula Creek in October 1987, A series of public hearings were held in November and survey work has proceeded on schedule. The final plan was completed and ready for funding by September 1988.

In 1987, a group of volunteer conservationists formed an ``Earth Team'' to assist the McMinn Soil Conservation District with their conservation programs. The members included Hugh ``Doc'' Lamb, J. Neal Ensminger, Harold ``Prof'' Powers, Herbert ``Dick'' Williams, F. W. Adsit, Rex Moses, Charles Engle, E. H. Looney, Clarence Streetman, and Ginger Wheeler.

The McMinn ``Earth Team'' was the first recipients to receive state and national recognition for their volunteer efforts in conservation.  They were cited by the National Association Conservation Districts for their exemplary volunteer efforts to attain conservation goals. They were honored at the NACD National meeting in February 1988 at Little Rock, Arkansas. The ``Keep McMinn Beautiful'' committee was formed as a direct result of the Earth Team.

Some of the projects carried out by the Earth Team were:

a. Conducted conservation school camps for city and county schools.

b. Presented programs to civic and garden clubs.

c. Contacted farmers to explain the provisions of the Farm Bill.

d. Developed a forest information program for area woodlot owners.

e. Assisted with conservation tours, meeting, etc.

a. Conducted an extensive public awareness campaign on the water quality problems in McMinn County.

b. Developed a slide presentation on roadside litter and dumps.

c. Assisted the county in locating suitable landfill sites.

a. Sent out brochures to civic, school, and church groups on conservation speakers available for programs.

a. Located farm boundaries on maps.

b. Compiled list of Highly Erodible Land (HEL).

c. Assist with layout of strip cropping, animal waste systems and waterways

d. Gather information on soil loss for SL-1 referrals.

e. Contact farmers concerning sodbuster-swampbuster provisions of Farm Bill.

In 1993, The Tennessee Department of Conservation and Environment published a list of all streams in Tennessee, which have water pollutants. Oostanaula Creek was identified as having pollutants nitrogen and pathogen. Best Management Practices were installed and cost shared through funds received from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture with the help of the Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation and Development. Water Quality practices included stream fencing to prevent livestock having direct access to the creek, stream crossing, alternative livestock watering systems, conservation buffers strips and animal waste management systems

The Farm Bills bring many programs under Conservation Compliance. To participate and receive benefits from USDA is voluntary to the farmer. The District strives to make program participation clientele friendly and manageable to the farmers as it can, while meeting conservation goals.

In 1993, 484 landowners received assistance from Field Office staff. To date, 23,546 acres of highly erodible land were identified with 20,996 acres under conservation plan and 13,084 acres plan applied and on the ground. The ACP program had 171 referrals. There were 25 LTAs, 13 Farm Bill Status Reviews, 1 569 compliance investigation, and 7 water quality complaints were investigated.

The McMinn County Water Quality assisted the Tennessee Department of Health & Environment with investigations of citizen complaints involving water pollution from animal waste and dairy operations waste, poultry operations waste, mining runoff, and disposal of dead animals Investigations were conducted of numerous potential groundwater pollution problems (wells and springs in the county), Through these investigations, samples were collected to be analyzed by private laboratories. The test results were then analyzed and possible solutions were recommended.

Local industry and utility districts with potential groundwater problems were assisted. The County Board of Education was assisted with assessment of periodic well water sampling requirements to comply with State Regulations. Well water samples were collected for determination of lead in drinking water from several homes in response to requests. The laboratory determination results were then analyzed and citizens advised as to further action. Also, assistance was given in determining aquatic weed problems and treatment was recommended for several farm ponds.

Consultation was provided for two established watershed districts in response to water quality assessment needs. Sites for drinking water sampling were selected and samples collected to establish the need for extension of Riceville water lines to additional areas in the county.

The Water Qualify Office responded to many requests for information and questions concerning appropriate authority for assistance.