Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 1984)
Water-master's Report for the SWCD Special Farm Section, Thursday, March 1, 1984 FIVE 1983 was the year that water was discovered by the politicians. The Legislature did four things concerning water this last ses sion, They failed to reconfirm Jim Sox son as Water Resources Director. William Young has been appointed the new Director. Dill was the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, and Is well thought of. The legislature passed SB 225 which required the Departments of Fish and Wildlife, and Envi ronmental Quality to make recommendations for seventy five high priority minimum stream flows. The Waer Policy Review Board is to complete its deliberatins and makes its deci sions by January 1, 1986. Mini mum flows have been recom mended on the Walla Walla River, Birch Creek, Umatilla Hiver, and the John Day River. The third water related activity was the passing of SB 223 which required the Governor to form a task force of other state agencies to help the Water Resources Department form a unified water management system. This is being done now, except the Emergency Board has not yet approved any money for it. The fourth thing the Legisla ture did was create a Legislative Interim Committee on Water. This is a permanent committee to study water related problems and propose new legislation. This is another result of the new political awareness of water and water problems. There have also been changes in the local Watermaster's office. Larry Nunn replaces Steve Ap plegate as Watermaster. The Watermaster's office now Soil management Why bother ? Preventing soil erosion on your Held is just plain good sense! It follows the same principle as the regular maintenance you do on your larm machinery. It costs you money to grease and oil, to change the points or put in a new air filter but you know that in the long run you'll save money. Your machinery will last longer, you'll get top performance and your machi nery, say your tractor, is not as likely to breakdown when you're counting on it. Well It's the same with your soil! Take care of it now and in 10-20 years it will still be performing for you. And think about this: If your tractor gets too old and tired you can always go and buy a new one. But if your land gives up, you're out of luck. They aren't making any more of it... The manufacturer closed his door after the last ice age 10,000 years ago! (Reprinted from "Talk of the Thames." by Jane Sadler, Agronomist.) holds office days at the Morrow County Public Works Building in Lexington, on the first and third Fridays of each month. The hours are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments are helpful, but not needed. Well logs and water right records are now available, as well as blank application forms. There are several things hap pening locally in relation to water. The Water Resources De partment is again studying the Butter Creek Groundwater Area. The current plan is to hold a public hearing to determine if a Critical Groundwater Area should be declared, in, possibly, June. An order will then be issued, probably in the fall, either declaring a Critical Groundwater Area, or canceling the procee ding. Groundwater studies are also underway in the rest of the Umatilla Structural Basin to determine what additional Ground water Study Areas are needed. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey is beginning to study the area, including the Washington side of the basin. The state and USGS are cooperating in the Umatilla Basin, as we have done for several years now. The Willow Creek Dam is beginning to fill. Water Right applications have been filed by the Morrow County Court for the stored water for irrigation and recreation. The irrigation por tions of the permits are being assigned to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The USBR is working with a local group to market the stored irrigation water. 267 N, Main, Heppner OR 676-9141 Abrams, Kuhn and Spicer Attorneys at Law 206 Main St., PO Box 30, Eoardman, OR 481-5433 We pride ourselves on being your fully stocked farm and home lumber yard. Building Supplies Fireplaces o Paint & Pcneling Septic Tanks Windows Roofing Glass Lexington Lumberyard Lexington 989-8586 Morrow Co. receives $216,087 from ASCS During fiscal year 1983 (October 1, 1982 September 30, 1983) the Agricultural Stabilisation and Conservation Service spent $216,087.00 on Morrow County cost-shared acres, according to Judy Buschke, County Executive Director. Following is s breakdown according to cost-share practice: Program Practice Acres Paid Acres Cost-Share SL15 No-Till Systems SLM Reduced Tillage Systems SL1 Permanent Vegetative Cover Establishment SL2 Permanent Vegetative Co verage Improvement WP1 Sediment Retention, Ero sion or water control structure WC4 Irrigation Water Con vat'on SLC - Grazing Land Protection SL4 Terrace Systems SP35 - Water management sys tem for pollution control FR2 Forest Tree Stand Improvement LTA's SP35 Water Management Sys-, tern for pollution control SL14 Reduced Tillage Systems SL15 No-Till Systems SL4 Terrace Systems Served 1.240.3 1,442.0 $23,985.00 5.662.4 12,638.4 70,589.00 81.0 81.0 4,744.00 250.0 250.0 2,458.00 10.0 10.0 1,388.00 ISO 13.0 512.00 1,505.0 1,505.0 2,314.00 1,151.0 1,151.0 37,923.00 38.0 38.0 3,500.00 66.0 66.0 4,520.00 20.0 20.0 3,463.00 100.0 100.0 1,250.00 31.0 31.0 620.00 1,685.0 1-685.0 58,821.00 Equipiraeni Repair & CuSi'orQi Feibrlcca tfion Quiz continued... Answers from Conservation 1. f, 2. d, 3. c, 4. b, 5. b, 6. d, 7. d, Quiz on page 2 8 (your answer) 9. b, 10. e, A I """ O No-Till Drill llenfals $7 per acre. Includes 31 ft of drills, 3 sections; Hillside Hydraulic Hitch & a, 1000 gallon Liquid Fertilizer Unit oBcalo Forks o Truck Beds MILLER & SONS WELDING Linden Way Heppner 676-9613
