Oklahoma conservation conversation, 06/2012, v.58 no.6

              In This Issue
Oklahoma’s 2012 Water
Quality Success Stories
USDA Celebrates
150th Anniversary
NACD Auxiliary
	
Photo Contests
Little River Conservation
District Honors Terry Baker
“Six Million Tons: Earth’s
Revolt that Inspired Reform”
— Students’ Dramatization
Blaine County Progressive
Agriculture Farm Safety Day
Our vision:
Responsible care for Oklahoma’s
natural resources.
Our mission:
To conserve, protect and restore Okla-homa’s
natural resources, working in
collaboration with the conservation dis-tricts
and other partners, on behalf of the
citizens of Oklahoma.
www.conservation.ok.gov
Information for and about Oklahoma’s Conservation Districts Volume 58, Issue No. 6 June 2012
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Oklahoma’s 2012 Water Quality Success Stories The Oklahoma Association
of Conservation Districts and
the Oklahoma Conservation
Commission held a joint news
conference on May 7 to an-nounce
11 new success stories
on improving the state’s water
quality. The press conference
was held at the state Capitol.
Monitoring and assessment
efforts by OCC have led to the
proposal to add 11 Oklahoma
streams to the U.S. Environ-mental
Protection Agency’s
(EPA) Nonpoint Source Success Stories. Upon approval by EPA these 11 will join the 16
existing Oklahoma stories highlighted on EPA’s website at: http://www.water/epa.gov/
polwaste/nps/success319. These 11 streams are located in nearly every area of the state
and are the result of voluntary participation in conservation programs offered through
partnerships among local, state and federal entities. OCC’s Water Quality Monitoring
Program measured improved water quality in the streams, including decreased turbidity,
higher oxygen content, reduced fecal bacteria contamination and reductions in visible oil
and grease, according to Shanon Phillips, OCC’s Water Quality division director. Phil-lips
also stated that in the latest EPA review, Oklahoma is number one in the nation for
nutrient reductions for 2011.
USDA Celebrates 150th Anniversary The U.S. Department of Agriculture celebrated its 150th
anniversary on May 15 with a series of events at both national
and state levels. In Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama
issued a proclamation in honor of the event. The Presidential
Proclamation begins:
“On May 15, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation to establish the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and codified a commitment to the
health of our people and our land. One hundred and fifty years later, USDA continues to
realize that vision of service by applying sound public policy and science to an evolving
food and agriculture system.”
In Oklahoma, state leaders of USDA agencies gathered in the Blue Room at the state
Capitol to commemorate the event. Also attending and participating were legislators and
leaders and representatives of partner agencies and agricultural organizations. State Sen.
Eddie Fields and Rep. Phil Richardson, chairmen of the Senate and House of Represen-tatives
Agriculture Committees, read a Legislative Citation they co-authored in honor of
the anniversary. Garrett King, field representative for U.S. Congressman Frank Lucas,
read a message from Lucas congratulating USDA and commending its role in the history
and success of the nation.
Clay Pope, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts,
was among the speakers featured at the event. Pope spoke about USDA’s conservation
legacy and the critically important role that conservation has played in Oklahoma his-tory.
“Oklahoma has been a leader in conservation,
WQ Success Stories, continued on page two
USDA Anniversary, continued on page four