[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 8, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E171-E172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATIONS TO McMINN COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 2005

  Mr. DUNCAN. 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 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 Specal 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.

[[Page E172]]

       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:

     I. Conservation Education Program
       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.
     II. Water Quality Concerns
       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.
     III. Formed a Speakers Bureau
       a. Sent out brochures to civic, school, and church groups 
     on conservation speakers available for programs.
     IV. Conservation Application
       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 LTA's, 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 determing 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.

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