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Huron Expositor, 2007-02-21, Page 10Page 10 February 21, 2007 • The Huron Expositor News Farmers invited to create environmental plans Voluntary Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) can help prevent potential contamination of ground- water in areas where sinkholes are present, according to Mari Veliz, Healthy Watersheds Specialist with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). Close to 10 landowners in the sinkhole region within the munici- palities of West Perth and Huron East attended an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) workshop in Staffa in December of 2006. The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is offering several free, two-day EFP courses in Huron and Perth coun- ties between Jan. 31 and March 28. The goal of the EFP workshops is to help landowners self -assess their property and reduce any potential impacts on the environment. The workshop in December pro- vided the ABCA an opportunity to inform residents of the Sinkhole Region Water Quality Enhancement Project. The Ontario Trillium Foundation has financially supported three local watershed programs to promote individual environmental assess- ments in the sinkhole and lakeshore areas. "The landowners attending the workshops are taking proactive measures to protect common sources of surface and groundwa- ter," said Veliz. "The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the OSCIA are helping to create opportunities for even more property owners to develop their own plans to protect surface and groundwater." Potential contamination of well water is a concern in the sinkhole region. The sinkholes in the area, which have been measured as large as 100 feet across and 30 feet deep, have the potential to rapidly transport surface water to groundwater sources. In a largely rural area with 100 per cent dependence on wells for drinking water, the sinkhole region has been identified as a priority area for best management practices. Surface water quality parameters are typically exceeding guidelines in the drains that empty into the sink- holes, said Veliz. "This is of concern for well water users because the transport of sur- face water through sinkholes does not provide the natural filtering Ht_'RON PERTH HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE Clinton Pub }{,ryntal St Marts MIemomal H.opn,t :';eafonh (7otnmtinitv 1l piral Sttaatfor.l General 1 i,t<pttal Brenda Andrews Laurel Austin Valerie Bachert Clara Bedard Claudette Begg Kathryn Belfour Grace Benedict Kathy Birtch Frances Blackler Karen Blanchard Valerie Bolton Elizabeth Bomasuit Donna Marie Boon Stephanie Brocklehurst Darlene Brodhagen Nancy Brodhagen Mary Brown Shelley Brown Gayle Brownridge Gillian Burtenshaw Kathryn Bylsma Cheryl Cade Corinn Caldwell Regina Campbell Michelle Carter Tracey Caverley Miriam Cherniak Mandy Clark Nancy Clark Jo -Ann Cole Lynda Cole Brenda Consitt Neil Dartch Lynn Davies Allison Debus The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA), is comprised of Clinton Public Hospital, St. Marys Memorial Hospital, Seaforth Community Hospital and Stratford General Hospital, and is committed to being a provincial leader in the delivery, coordination and integration of innovative and sustainable system -focused rural healthcare. Together, we're the best! Please join the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) in celebrat- ing the milestones of service (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 years) reached in 2006 by our caring, compassionate and committed staff. Agnes DeJong Wilma DeYoung Russell Dick Grace Dolmage Natasha Dotzert Gordon Dowling Linda Durfy Jennifer Ehnes Rudy Elderhorst Darren Flood Joyce Gerber Amber Glenn Kelly Gordon Debra Gowing Julie Graf Anne Graul Christine Gray Carol Halfpenny Sandra Hall Patti Harnett Bernard Hartemink Crystal Harvey Erin Headrick •Jane Heffernan Janet Herold Sheila Hicknell Deb Hirdes Bonnie Hirst Brian Hodgson Kim Holmes Ruth Hope Annie Houben Donald Hulley Debora Ann Hunt Rose lacobellis 2006 Award Recipients Connie Illes Tara Noordhof Marianne Jackson Betty Northey Graeme Johnston Emily Ohler Nancy Kestle Margaret O'Reilly Barbara Klomp Linda O'Rourke Mary Knight-Heimpel Holly Osgerby Edna Koert Andrea Page Jennifer Konarski Debbie Palmby Anne -Marie Lappano Gordon Parkinson Brian Le Souder Garry Parsons Michele Limburg Angela Paulen Sharon Lindner Joanne Pehlke Colleen Lowes Jennifer Penner Sharon Maloney Anne -Marie Phillips Isis Manning Deb Phillips Gayle Mark Heather Poirier Mercy Mathews Shannon Price Kim Maxwell Sandra Pridham Mary McCaffery Brenda Purcell Kyle McGraw Judith Rankin Cheryl McKay Lynn Redfern Linda McLachlan Cathy Reeder Marnie Merkel Fiona Richards Flavio Michelazzi Peter Robertson Dianne Miller Adam Robinson Valerie Miller Lee Robinson Eileen Morris Karen Rogerson Nancy Muma-Mclntosh Kathryn Rosborough Carol Ann Munnings Betty Roth Paul Munro Deborah Roth Martha Murray Gary Russell Barbara Mustard Michele Schliewinsky Patti Nelson Wanda Schultz Tasha Neumeister Mary Diane Schweitzer Rhonda Nolan Carolyn Scott Glenna Seguin Lori Selves Bonnie Shackleton Catherine Shackleton Teri Shackleton Nabiha Sharif Marilyn Sinnamon Tanya Slater Mary Slattery Denise Spence Bette -Anne Stairs Sandra Stewart Lynda Strachan Brenda Straus Lorie Talbot Tammie Thompson Claire Trachsel Julie Trites Carol Trow -Salt Paula Turner Amy Vanderhaar Arden Vanoosterhout Joseph Verberne Nina Verhoef Louisa Vermast Wendy Wagler Robert Donald Wallace Lorna Weber Joe West Angela Wettlauier Andrew Williams Anne Wood Shirley Yantzi process that usually occurs when water travels through soil and bedrock into groundwater sources," she said. Combined, the sinkholes drain approximately 813 hectares of land. Landowners may not have sink- holes on their property but they could still have a potentially nega- tive impact on water quality if their land drains into one of the 60 sink- holes identified in the area and if protective measures are not in place, according to Veliz. That's what makes participation in the workshops so important, she said. As part of the workshop, farmers work through the EFP workbook, a series of worksheets that guides landowners through a self-assess- ment process. Once it has been peer-reviewed and deemed appropriate, landown- ers may then be eligible for funding in 36 different categories. This funding may help cover the costs of projects such as improved manure storage, berms, eave- stroughs, grassed waterways, estab- lishing buffers around sinkholes and along watercourses, and upgrading and decommissioning wells. Two participants who have taken the EFP workshop are Sandi and Mark Brock, poultry producers and cash -crop farmers from RR 2 Staffa. Doing an Environmental Farm Plan assists with the environmental planning decisions a farmer under- takes. It can also make a farm operation eligible for funding to take positive protective measures, according to Mark Brock. Environmental efforts by the Brocks on their Chiselhurst-area farms include new manure storage to better handle manure and a pro- tective berm to divert clean water away from manure storage. Those measures might not have been possible without government funding programs, he said. Completing an EFP has helped the Brocks identify important future protective measures such as well decommissioning in their oper- ations which are in the sinkhole region. "The workshops took two days, it's not a big time commitment when you consider what you get out of it," said Mark Brock. If you would like more informa- tion about the Sinkhole Region Water Quality Enhancement Project or the Huron Clean Water Project, please contact the ABCA at (519) 235-2610 or 1-888-286-2610. To find out more about the OSCIA Environmental Farm Plan work- shops contact in Huron County Lois Sinclair (519-357-3146).