Ottawa Conservation District

Crockery Creek Watershed Advisory Council hosts meeting on water best management practices on Jan. 28.

The Crockery Creek Watershed Advisory Council announced that it will host a workshop on resources for land and water best management practices at its next business meeting, Tues., Jan. 28, at 6:30pm at Cellar Brewery, 133 E. Division St., in Sparta.

Speaker Ben Jordan of the Ottawa Conservation District will discuss the services it offers to farmers and land owners, as well as funding resources available to implement better environmental practices. The conservation district currently has funding to offer confidential, free or reduced-cost assistance to residents in the Deer and Bass Creek Watersheds wanting to implement better land and water management practices on their property.

“The conservation district hopes to be able make more best management practices resources available in the Crockery Creek Watershed, so we encourage residents to join us at this presentation to learn more and get involved in the process,” Jordan said. “Until then, we are always able to provide advice, technical assistance, and connect residents to resources they need to get started with their own conservation work.”

Agricultural, water and land best management practices are designed to assist land-owners and agricultural producers in: balancing efficient production with sound environmental practices, meeting scientific standards for best environmental protection, runoff prevention, planning for emergencies, and safe fuel and chemical storage.

According to Callie Melton, who handles pubic relations for the Crockery Creek Watershed Advisory Council, there are are number of things people can do right now to help address water problems where they area. She noted that all the waterways are connected.

One example is to let your grass grow to three inches or higher before moving or leave more areas un-mowed.

“The more water captured by the ground, native plans and deeper root systems — will help reduce water flow into the Grand River and Lake Michigan,” Melton said.

For more tips and ideas, visit the the Crockery Creek Watershed Advisory Council meeting and workshop on Jan. 28.at Cellar Brewery.