The Rural Voice, 2006-10, Page 44I
Advice
Weather sites help you keep up with latest
By Ian McDonald data for Canadian agriculture is
Applied Research Coordinator, available through the Weather
OMAFRA Guelph Network (www.theweathernetwork.
Canadians love to talk about the com). They have a site called
weather, especially those of us in Farmzone.Com (www.farmzone.
agriculture. It controls our lives more com) that provides excellent
than any other sector of the economy. information for us.
You can cut a tree, be a tourist, build Radar and Satellite Images
a widget, or shop in any weather, but Radar and Satellite images
not so in farming. enables us to see what weather is
Since our lives are so dependent coming our way. I prefer to use The
on the weather, let's look at some Weather Channel (www.theweather-
practical aspects of finding the channel.com) or Intellicast
weather information we need. (www. intellicast.com) images.
My Favourite Weather Sites A brief list of urls is included. The
Weather information is best option is to go to the respective
everywhere, but where is the stuff we home page, type in a U.S. location
really need. We are interested in close to you, and then select the radar
forecasts, weather warnings, or satellite images. Using Port Huron
satellite/radar imagery, and often MI, Erie PA, Niagara Falls NY or
historical data (i.e. how much rainfall Watertown NY gets almost full
did we get last week). coverage of Ontario. These sites give
Farmzone.com a clear view of where the rainfall and
One of the best sources of weather cloud cover is and are very useful in
determining for instance, if you can
get that last 20 acres planted before it
rains.
http://www.weather.com/maps/mapty
pe/satelliteusnational/northeastussatel
lite_large.html
This one is for satellite of
northeastern North America
http://www.weather.com/maps/mapty
pe/dopplerradarusnational/northeastr
adar2100mi l e_I arge. h t m l
- North east radar at 2100 miles
http://www.weather.corn/weather/ma
p/USMI0684?name=i ndex_large&da
y=I
- local radar at Port Huron, MI
http://www.weather.com/weather/ma
p/USNY 1010?name=index_large&da
y=1
- local radar at Erie, PA
Remember, you can add any of these
weather pages to your "favourites"
listing in your web browser allowing
you to go directly to these pages at
any time.°
Huron Clean Water Project finding continues
Huron County has announced it funded more than 700 projects.
will renew a successful program to The Huron Clean Water Project
help property owners and community could fund up to 50 per cent of
groups improve surface and eligible project costs for approved
groundwater quality. works such as clean water diversion,
The Huron County Clean Water erosion control, fragile land
Project financially assists property retirement, livestock fencing,
owners and community groups with wellhead protection, well
stewardship projects to improve decommissioning and community
surface and ground water quality. stewardship and education projects.
Almost 100 water protection projects Septic system replacements are not
have been approved under the covered by the program. The Project
program, totaling almost $200,000 in Review Committee of the Huron
grant money. Applications have Clean Water Project approves the
already been received for some new projects.
water quality projects in 2006. "In all projects, the applicant must
"Many rural landowners have show the existing situation is
already applied to this excellent impairing water quality and the
Huron County program and their proposed solution will improve water
projects benefit everyone," said Kate quality," said Doug Hocking, Water
Monk, Stewardship and Conservation Quality Extension Coordinator with
Lands Supervisor with the Ausable the Maitland Valley Conservation
Bayfield Conservation Authority Authority (MVCA). Grants will
(ABCA). "More rural landowners cover up to 50 per cent of the eligible
can now. take advantage of this project expenses and can be
program in 2006 thanks to Huron combined with other sources of
County's commitment." money such as Habitat Stewardship
The Huron Clean Water Project is Fund and the Environmental Farm
similar to the successful 2001-2003 Plan suite of grants.
Huron Healthy Futures Project that Eligible project categories
40 THE RURAL VOICE
include:
Clean Water Diversion — Eaves
troughs and berms to divert clean
water from manure and exercise
yards.
Erosion Control Measures —
Grassed waterways, catch basins,
terraces and berms to reduce erosion
of agricultural land.
Fragile Land Retirement —
Planting trees and shrubs on erosion -
prone farmland and buffers along
watercourses.
Livestock Fencing — Fences,
crossings and watering devices to
eliminate livestock access to
watercourse.
Wellhead Protection — Pitless
adapter caps, grading, sealing and
upgrading well casings to prevent
contamination.
Well Decommissioning — Properly
decommissioning abandoned wells to
eliminate the link between surface
and ground.
Community Projects —
Stewardship and educational projects
done by community groups.
The Ausable Bayfield and Maitland
Continued on Page 41