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The Rural Voice, 1991-12, Page 49\I:I.I.I;IYAMAHAH I:I;I,I/� Yamaha Brings Your EFamily Out of Hibernation. =- Six months of winter can put anyone to sleep. = So why not wake up to the fun of owning a 1991 Yamaha. Yamaha's got a sled for every member of your family. From the lightweight SnoSport, to the reliable —_ Ovation, the trail -breaking Phazer II's, the luxury —_ touring Venture series and the wild Exciter II. = They're the choice of the serious rider. Bring your family in today. It's time to ride and shine. 7forday Greetings to ail our customers from the staff and management at .. . ARGYLE MARINE & SMALL ENGINES Ltd. 88 BRITANNIA RD. East Goderich .519-524-5361 46 THE RURAL VOICE ADVICE WATER MATTERS: INCREDIBLE LIQUID MANURE RESEARCH Twenty minutes. That is how fast liquid manure can be detected in tile drains after an application. So, why is this important to you and I? The surpris- ing speed in which tile water turns from clear to brown is serious, since tiles empty their contents into local streams and rivers. This water, of course, will eventually drain into lakes. Unfortu- nately, manure and bacteria go hand in hand, and as a result, vast amounts of bacteria can sometimes be found in tile water. These bacteria are harmful both to our health and our environment. It is for this very reason that problems of this nature are closely monitored. The research that detected manure in tile water in just 20 minutes was carried out last year by researchers at the Aus- able Bayfield Conservation Authority in Southwestern Ontario. Since many of the Lake Huron beaches that do close are posted unsafe due to high levels of bac- teria, bacteria from tile drains may be one of the explanations of the beach closures. Of course, manure spreading is not the only contributor to high bacterial levels found in our local water re- sources. A number of other problems and practices add to water pollution. In rural areas, livestock herds with access to streams, and faulty septic systems, are only a couple of other known sources that add great quantities of bacteria to local water sources. Soil and moisture conditions greatly influence the impact of manure spread- ing on the quality of the receiving tile drain water. Cracks and pores in the soil are the pathways that the manure takes as it travels through the ground, and into the receiving water. Soil moisture con- tent also plays an important part, in that if tiles are flowing (regardless of the flow amount) when a spreading event occurs, manure will enter the tile drains. Spreading manure is a necessity, so what can be done to reduce pollution during an event with little cost to the applicator? • Work the ground prior to manure application, to cut off pore openings, and slow the movement of the manure components through the soil. • Choose suitable soil moisture condi- tions that will help to reduce the risk of contaminating tile drains. • Make an effort to produce a farm emergency plan which would include organized instructions on how to pump contaminated water back onto the land if the tiles are found to contain manure. Small efforts go a long way in pro- tecting our water resources. Fcr more information on the subject, contact Janette Smiderle at the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, your local OMAF office, or the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority in Exeter.° This is another in a series of articles by Janette Smiderle of the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, high- lighting information on water quality in the rural environment. LEADERSHIP SKILLS Leadership is a concept that is hard to accurately define. Skills that contrib- ute to leadership can be more easily described. Leadership skills can be di- vided into three categories: • Personal leadership skills involve communicating effectively, under- standing and developing oneself, man- aging meetings, understanding leader- ship, and facilitating learning. • Organizational leadership skills re- late to working with groups, planning for group action, managing projects, understanding financial matters, and managing volunteers. • Community leadership skills help people in understanding society and societal change, responding to commu- nity concerns, and influencing commu- nity decisions. It is important for people involved in rural organizations, business, and poli- tics to have strong leadership skills. Once learned, these skills can also be applied to other activities in life. Any group interested in having a workshop or seminar on personal, organizational, or community leadership should contact their local OMAF office.° Brita Ball rural organization specialist