Conservation Chronicle

BOARD OF

SUPERVISORS

Gayla Wortman,

Chairman

Stevie Neuman, Vice

Chairman

Marc Shane, Treasurer

John Chase, Urban Supervisor

Alan Rollo, Supervisor

ElliotMerja, Supervisor

Scott Brown, Urban Supervisor

Rose Malisani, Associate

Doug Wicks, Associate

Jim Freeman, Associate

Jim Larson, Associate

DISTRICT STAFF

Tenlee Atchison, Administrator

Tonya Merryman, Technician

NRCS STAFF

Matt Crampton, District Conservationist

Craig Biggart, Soil Conservationist

Max Blodgett, Soil Conservationist

Roy Knudsen, Conservation Technician

Whatchabeenupto 2

Crooked Falls 3

State of Your District Report 4

Water Rights Addressed 5

Montana Producers 6

Is EQIP in your future? 7

Prairie Pothole Wetlands/

Grasslands Project

8

MSU Extension—Golden Triangle

Barley Update

9

Partners in Education 10

Urban Insight 11

In this issue:

January 2015

Published in the interest of encouraging the most beneficial

utilization of natural resources within Cascade County Volume 49, Number III

J osh Myers is the newest addition to the

Cascade Conservation District as our Big Sky Watershed Corps Member. He will be

working with CCD through November 2015. Big Sky Watershed Corps is an AmeriCorps

program that assists Montana’s watershed communities to make a measurable difference

in local conservation efforts while strengthening the experience of young

professionals. Participants focus on watershed research, planning and project

implementation, watershed education and outreach, and community engagement.

Josh pulled into town during the snow storm

that hit right after Christmas after travelling over 1,700 miles from Northeast Ohio. He is used to the crazy amounts of snow coming in

off of Lake Erie but is not excited about the intense cold and wind that Montana has to

offer. Before the trip out the farthest west that Josh ever travelled was Chicago so he is

excited to experience everything that Montana has to offer while getting his hands

dirty with some great projects here at the conservation district.

As a recent graduate of Bowling Green State

University in Environmental Policy & Analysis with an emphasis in Restoration Ecology, Josh

will be tasked with various outreach and education projects for Cascade Conservation

District as well as with the Sun River Watershed Group. As an outdoor enthusiast he is excited to check out the Rivers Edge

Trail on his bike and is already planning hiking and camping trips to Glacier National Park

and Yellowstone. He also hopes to get a few

road trips in down the west coast.

You can reach Josh at the district office (406)

727-3603 x 107 or by email at joshmyers@3rivers.net.

Cascade Conservation District Welcomes

Big Sky Watershed Corps Member Josh Myers

As a producer in agriculture I found the pineapple industry very interesting. James Dole pioneered the pineapple

industry in Hawaii in 1903. For a pineapple to produce fruit it takes about 20 months for the first fruit and another

14-15 months for the second fruit. They usually have two crops in 4 years or 3 crops in 5 years and plant year-round

to ensure fresh fruit for markets. Much like wheat and barley, after the fruit is harvested the field is knocked down

with cultivators and a new cycle begins. Pineapples grow well in the decomposed volcanic ash soil which is red in

color due to the oxidized iron. Around 28,000 plants are planted per acre, all by hand. The pineapple fields are

irrigated by a drip tube running under a plastic mulch. Liquid fertilizer, mostly nitrogen and iron, is sprayed on the

plants. All harvesting is done by hand and pineapples are loaded on a boom conveyor that takes the fruit to a bulk bin.

About 70-80% of the pineapples are used as fresh fruit and the balance as cut and juice. They make a delicious

Pineapple Whip ice cream too!

There are several varieties of pineapples, however in Hawaii the Smooth Cayennne and its clones are the only variety used for commercial

planting. Other varieties are important to plant breeding, landscaping and ornamental planting.

As you can see Hawaii isn't all about sunny beaches, it does have agriculture!

PINEAPPLES

PAGE 2 CONSERVATION CHRONICLE Volume 49, Number III

Whatchabeenupto... ………………………………………..Catching up with the Supervisors

Aloha! From

the beautiful and

unique watersheds

of the Hawaiian

Islands. Lush

rainforests with

waterfalls,

botanical gardens, mountain ranges, archaeological sites, black, green

and white sandy beaches, highland deserts, acres of lava fields, and

active volcanoes oozing lava makeup Hawaii's landscape. Some areas

of the islands have 150-200 inches of rainfall and while others have

merely 10 inches. It has the most southern point of the United

States!

The Hawaiian Islands are unique in their geology, geography, biology

and culture. The islands are the most isolated land masses on Earth.

Due to the islands geographic isolation, there are no native land

reptiles or amphibians and only two native mammals: the Hawaiian

Hoary Bat and the Hawaiian Monk Seal. Over 90% of the native

Hawaiian plants and animal species do not exist anywhere else in the

world and are primarily found in the undeveloped and mountainous

areas of the islands. Most of the plants and animals commonly seen

today were introduced by humans.

The Polynesians established colonies around A.D. 800. It was

Captain James Cook, an English explorer, who first encountered the

Hawaiian Islands in 1778.

The islands of paradise have balmy air, golden sunsets, vibrant colors

of nature, swaying palm trees, a consistent range of temperatures

(60 - 88 degrees) and sandy beaches. The coffee , macadamia,

mango and papaya farms, breath taking zip-lines, hiking, whale

watching, luaus, lava tubes, volcanoes (dormant and active),

submarine rides, and pineapple plantations, are some of the

adventures you can take in while visiting the islands.

This is a tidbit of information about Hawaii that I hope you found

interesting. I enjoyed my visit to learn more about the State and to

spend time with my son and his family residing in Oahu.

Aloha a hui hou kakou! (Farewell until we meet again!)

Stevie Neuman

PAGE 3 CONSERVATION CHRONICLE

Volume 49, Number III

Cascade Conservation District is on the web at www.cascadecd.com

The Twelve days of help from the

Conservation District On the twelfth day the Conservation District

helped me with:

12 miles of hedge row

11 filter strips

10 fire protection sites

9 grassed waterways

8 acres of riparian buffers

7 bridge culvert replacements

6 hundred feet of stream channel restoration

FIVE HEAD GATES

4 springs a developing

3 310 permits

2 stock water tanks

AND

A mile of cross fencing

Education Committee begins the process of

rejuvenating Crooked Falls Managed Natural Area

The Education Committee has begun the process of

rejuvenating Crooked Falls Manage Natural Area after

being closed for almost 4 years due to changes in the

Rainbow Dam infrastructure.

Education Committee

members:

Stevie Neuman, John Chase,

Marc Shane. Not Pictured,

Rose Malisani

Volume 49, Number III CONSERVATION CHRONICLE PAGE 4

Henry Ford is credited with saying, “Coming together is a

beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is

success.” I like that quote a lot. I think it speaks volumes about

trying and failing, and trying and achieving a goal. But more

than anything, I think it speaks to teamwork. And that is what

your conservation district can point to, more than any other

single thing, as the reason behind the success we have enjoyed

over the last year.

The Cascade Conservation District, during the latter months

of 2013, was lucky enough to have Tenlee

Atchison accept the position of District

Administrator. Her professional

approach, coupled with her friendly,

positive outlook helped refocus our

efforts. Tenlee, partnered with our long-

time Technician, Tonya Merryman, has

helped the District not only rebuild and

strengthen historical partnerships, but

also forge and nurture new allies. Where

once Supervisors found no reason to

come in to the office, it is not unusual

now to see 2 or 3 Supervisors just

“dropping in”. Our relationship with our

federal, state, and local agencies and organizations has never

been stronger or more productive. I think we owe much of

that to our employees.

While Tenlee was learning the ropes at the District office, the

Board of Supervisors tackled the daunting task of finishing and

publishing their Long Range Plan. I will be the first to say, that

I was a bit of a slave-driver; I will also be the first to say that

this most excellent group of men and women, my fellow

supervisors, stuck with me to the end. We spent many, many

hours at the proverbial, and sometimes literal, drawing board

developing an ambitious, yet achievable work plan through

June of 2016. We divided ourselves into ad hoc committees

each with a specific area on which to work. Specific goals

were developed and tasks were set out to meet those goals.

We measured our progress by identifying bench marks that

we tried to hit each month. When necessary, we shifted,

reassessed, and altered – always checking for better ways to

meet more accurate, relevant landowner needs. But always,

we moved forward. I think we owe much of that to our most

excellent, dedicated team of board members.

As we moved further into 2014, Tenlee hit her stride and with

our work plan in place we started looking at what on-the-

ground projects could be and should be funded. Our Cost-

Share Program, the Sun River Watershed irrigation projects,

the Crooked Falls Managed Natural Area,

and Urban Conservation all found

themselves vying for the top spot. As I

said before, we have an ambitious work

plan, but not a very large work force, so,

with the collaboration of the Sun River

Watershed Group, we wrote a proposal

for a Big Sky Watershed Corps member.

Big Sky Watershed Corps is the Montana

derivative of the AmeriCorps

organization. Our proposal was

successful and we are happy to have Josh

Myers join our staff for the next 11

months. His work plan is specifically tied

to that of the Board with regard to Urban Conservation and

the Crooked Falls Managed Natural Area. Our Cost-Share

Program is, I think, one of the best ways for small acreage

landowners to do small projects on their land. It can also be

used by larger landowners to help augment their Farm Bill

program funding. Unfortunately, our Cost-Share Program is a

bit under-utilized. To address that, we are planning to have

special sign ups to get more people involved. Our 20-year

veteran employee Tonya Merryman has the skill set that

makes our Cost-Share Program viable.

I could ruminate and natter on for a page or two more, but

space (and time) are limited. Rest assured, Members of the

Cascade Conservation District, your District is in a good,

solvent, forward-moving place. Your tax dollars are hard at

work on natural resource conservation in Cascade County.

We are your team, working for you.

By Gayla Wortman, Chair

STATE OF YOUR DISTRICT REPORT

Volume 49, Number III CONSERVATION CHRONICLE PAGE 5

By Gayla Wortman, CCD Chair

Cascade Conservation District is on the web at www.cascadecd.com

Scary idea, I know, but it is indeed true that the newly

minted Legislative body will make a decision on the

Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes--Montana Water

Compact. If you, dear reader, are anything like me, the

first thing you thought of when you heard about the

Compact was that it was for the Tribes “up around the Flathead” and therefore didn’t impact you at all,

right? Well, one thing is for certain, I needed to get my head out of the sand and pay attention and here is

why: The outcome of the legislative decision on the Compact will impact the water users in the Missouri

and Yellowstone river basins. As citizens and water users we need to understand how.

The legislature’s job is to either ratify the proposed Compact or not. Basically, the Compact resolves the

existing and legally recognized water rights of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which have a

priority date of either July 16, 1855 or “time immemorial”. The Compact is the product of many years of

negotiation between the Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission and the Salish and

Kootenai Tribes. Because of their very early priority date (1855) and their large historical geographical

area, the Tribes’ water rights could impact existing water rights and potentially, future water availability in

Montana. The Compact, if ratified, provides a negotiated settlement to water rights for all time by

quantifying the Tribes right and it sets forth the conditions of their use. A joint State-Tribal body will be

created to administer all the water rights on the Reservation. Ratification of the Compact will result in

significant benefits to Montanans by protecting water users from potential off-Reservation claims. In

addition, water users will likely see a quicker resolution of the adjudication process.

If ratified, the Compact settles off-Reservation instream flow rights for the Tribes. The Tribes claim the

instream flow because of the 1855 Hellgate Treaty which said the Tribes have the right “to take fish” in

their “usual and accustomed” locations. This treaty language was interpreted by Federal case law to

include water rights outside the Reservation to maintain fisheries flows. The Compact also provides

specific language protecting irrigation water for all water users, including the Tribes. Here’s the kicker: In

exchange, the Tribes will waive and relinquish all other reserved water rights claims they could otherwise make in

Montana, including the vast majority of off-Reservation claims both west and east of the Continental Divide.

So, what will happen if the Compact is not ratified? That is a pretty simple answer: The Tribes can, and

have indicated that they will, file extensive off-Reservation water rights claims throughout the upper

Missouri River Basin—the area that is the historic range of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes. These claims

will be adjudicated by the Water Court.

While this is a very brief review of the Compact, it is not hard to see that the Compact is a good thing for

all water users and should be ratified by the 2015 legislature. Water users should contact their Legislators

to urge them to support ratification of the Combined Salish Kootenai Tribes-Montana Water Compact.

Much, much more information can be obtained by contacting the Water Resources Division of

Department of Natural Resources at 444-6667.

2015

Legislature Will Address

Water Rights

CONSERVATION CHRONICLE PAGE 6 Volume 49, Number III

Cascade Conservation District offers many educational activities, grant funding opportunities and cost share help as

well as basic guidance to area residents. We think we can do better. We are looking for ideas from county property owners

and producers concerning conservation projects and resource concerns that are impacting the area in which they live.

Examples of resource concerns would be soil erosion from wind or water, riparian area treatment (re-establishing vegetation,

offsite water, stream bank stabilization, filter strips, controlled access for livestock), forest health improvement, saline seep

areas, irrigation efficiency improvement, Water savings, grazing management, distribution of water and cross fencing.

The Conservation District has access to funding, both public and private, that could be used for projects or solutions

to problem areas. If you have ideas about what sort of issues and problems need a solution, Cascade Conservation District

would like to know about them.

Please take a moment to review and fill out the survey below. Once completed please detach it from the newsletter

and send it back to: CCD

12 Third St NW, Ste 300

Great Falls, MT 59404

Or contact Tenlee at Tenlee@cascadecd.com or 406-727-3603 x125

What do you think the most important resource issues are affecting property owners, farmers and ranchers in Cascade

County?

[ ] Streambank/shoreline protection [ ] Stream channel stabilization

[ ] Soil Erosion [ ] Wildlife habitat improvement

[ ] Riparian forest buffers [ ] Tree/shrub plantings or shelterbelt restoration

[ ] Rangeland Health [ ] Private Property Rights

[ ] Water Quality [ ] Noxious Weeds

[ ] Water Quantity [ ] Air Quality

[ ] Wetland restoration [ ] Restoration and improvement of native plant communities

[ ] Other:

What area of the County do you reside?

[ ] East [ ] Southeast

[ ] Southwest [ ] West

[ ] Northwest [ ] Northeast

THANK YOU!

PAGE 7 CONSERVATION CHRONICLE Volume 49, Number III

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has technical assistance and funds available for many farm and ranch

improvements. Examples of improvement practices for ranches include cross fencing, livestock watering systems, shelterbelts

and grazing planning. Farm improvements include conservation crop rotation, saline control, filter strips, no till and cover

crops. Producers may be interested in sprinklers for irrigation, canal lining, stream bank restoration and shelterbelts. There

are approximately 124 practices that can be applied so I will not list them all here. NRCS policy requires that the planners

take a look at the whole farm or ranch and address a number of resource concerns rather than just one or two. For example

with a grazing contract for livestock the items might include a grazing plan for livestock, a spring development, a pipeline,

watering facilities and cross fencing. An irrigation contract might include items such as ditch lining, hand lines, pivots, and

irrigation water management. The NRCS cannot contract just one item without considering the other related items.

One of the comments I have heard from people is that they or their neighbor applied for an EQIP contract and were turned

down so they weren’t going to put in another application to get turned down again. The reality here is that the programs

(EQIP for example) change every year and so do the rules and guidelines along with the available funding dollars. An

application that was not funded in 2013 for example; may rank out very high in a different year. The applications are ranked

through a series of questions that have different number values based on how important they are to environmental concerns.

The NRCS person doing the ranking has no idea what value any particular question would have to keep all bias out of the final

ranking. The questions and values change from year to year so there is really no way to predict the outcome of any contract

over another.

If you are interested in working with the NRCS the process is fairly simple. You can go on line to the NRCS*(see below) and

explore your options or visit your local office to talk to one of the planners. You should have some kind of idea of the kinds

of things you would like to do and be ready to discuss them with the planners. You will be given a booklet to fill out to assist

in developing the application. If the items in the application qualify you for assistance, a planner will schedule an appointment

to visit your place. After developing a plan, you will have the opportunity to go to a contract if it is funded, but even if a plan is

developed you are not under any obligation to continue until a contract is signed.

Let’s visit for a minute about funding. For example, the NRCS pays a certain dollar amount per lineal foot of fence or livestock

pipeline if it is installed correctly using the approved materials. The amount of funding is set for each item and doesn’t always

take into consideration local conditions. There is no difference in the funding for a spring development in a very remote area

compared to one that is easy to access. Also the funding is a set amount and is not tied in any way to the amount an individual

contractor may charge to complete a job.

If you are a beginning or socially disadvantaged produce there are additional opportunities for you. One of them is that the

amount of cost reimbursement per item is much higher than in a conventional contract. This makes the improvements much

more affordable.

Other programs are available such as the Conservation Reserve Program and Special Initiatives which are offered from time to

time. See the other article in this newsletter for more information on them.

By Roy Knudsen Soil Conservation Technician

*NRCS—www.nrcs.usda.gov

Select programs

Scroll down in programs and

select Environmental Quality

Incentives Program under

Environmental Improvement

Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Is there an EQIP contract in your future?

The PPWGRP initiative is intended to assist producers in the Prairie Pothole

Region to implement conservation practices that are specifically targeted to encourage the

retention of wetlands and grasslands, improve wildlife habitat for migratory birds, improve

water quality and quantity, improve grassland health, and reduce soil erosion and

sediment. Basically, this initiative is geared toward converting cropland to permanent

vegetation that can either be hayed or grazed. This initiative will help with the expense of

installing the necessary systems to allow grazing or haying to occur on previously cropped

acres. This is to include expired and expiring CRP acres.

This initiative is only available in Blaine, Cascade (North of the Missouri River),

Choteau, Daniels, Glacier, Hill, Lewis & Clark (East of the divide and north of the

Dearborn River), Liberty, Philipps, Pondera, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Teton, Toole

and Valley Counties of Montana. The sign-up deadline for the PPWGRP initiative is

February 20, 2015. A completed EQIP application will need to be delivered to

the NRCS Great Falls Field Office by this date.

Please call the Great Falls Field Office at 406-727-7580 ext 122 with any questions

regarding the PPWGRP initiative or stop in to pick up an application.

2015 Montana EQIP Initiatives

Montana will offer these five statewide EQIP initiatives in 2015: Certified Organic, Organic Transitioning, Seasonal

High Tunnels, On-Farm Energy Audits, and On-Farm Energy Savings Implementation. Due to the delay of the new

Farm Bill, more guidance will be coming from NRCS on these initiatives through bulletins, fact sheets, and webpage

updates. Specifics on each initiative will be provided in the initiative bulletins once they have been approved for

release. If you are at all interested in any of these initiatives, please come in to the Great Falls NRCS Field Office

in the First Interstate Bank Building at 12 Third St NW, Suite 300 and fill out an application

right away. For questions or concerns, please call 406-727-7580 extension 122 with any

questions.

Cascade Conservation District is on the web at www.cascadecd.com

and Facebook.com/cascadeconservationdistrict

EQIP 2015 Prairie Pothole Wetlands and Grasslands

Retention Project (PPWGRP)

PAGE 8 CONSERVATION CHRONICLE Volume 49, Number III

PAGE 9 CONSERVATION CHRONICLE Volume 49, Number III

2015 Golden Triangle Barley Update

Tuesday, February 10 – Pondera Shooting Sports Complex 972

Granite Road, Conrad, MT

Agenda:

8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Registration and coffee

8:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. Barley Production Topics

Production topics to include:

Montana Wheat & Barley Committee Update

MSU Barley Breeding Program

Managing Wireworms and Other Insect Pests Damaging Barley

Managing Disease to Produce a High Quality Barley Crop

Sustainable Barley Production

Barley and Malting Barley Crop Insurance and Proposed Changes for 2016

Feeding Sprouted Grain

Malting Barley Industry Panel

Lunch provided

RSVP required to Glacier County Extension – 873-2239 or glacier@montana.edu

(Please limit to two/operation)

Pesticide Applicator Points

1 commercial/private pesticide applicator credit available

Sponsored by:

American Malting Barley Association, Montana Wheat & Barley Committee, Centrol Crop Consulting, MSU Exten-

sion, AB-InBev, MillerCoors, Busch Ag/Helena Chemical

MSU Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/Veteran’s Preference Employer and Provider of Educational Outreach. If you require accommodation for a disability to

participate, please notify the Glacier county extension office.

As a chapter, Electric City FFA is starting a project called InFARMation. This is an Agriculture Advocacy

project to help educate the public on the Agriculture in the area. There will be three parts to the project: on a

specific “day trip route” putting up signs identifying the crops, an AM radio station with more information

about the crops and processors, and Geo-caching locations of processors and specific agricultural points of

interest. We will be documenting our project to encourage replication by FFA chapters across the state with

the project covering all of Montana. I am the chair of this large project and I've already presented it to multiple organizations

including Electric City FFA Alumni, The Montana Department of Ag, and The Montana Chamber of Commerce. Everyone

seems very enthusiastic, giving their full support.

We have already received some financial support for the project. The Wilbur-Ellis Company Impact Fund provided $1500

grant toward the project expenses. The Montana Agricultural Business Association has provided $500 toward the project as

well. These funds will help to purchase signage, promotional materials, and costs associated with the public relations.

It will be great to see all the involvement and get our InFARMation out to the public!

All Electric City FFA newsletters can be found at http://electriccityffa.theaet.com/AET_Files.aspx?ID=23725

By Amber Brown, Project Committee Chair

Electric City FFA inFARMation

We received the following email in December. It is from the teacher of “The Green Hornets" who attend Thomas R. Pollicita Middle School (better know as just "Pollicita Middle School") in Daly City California. They are working to promote water conservation for all ages and walks of life. Their goal is to make sure that people realize just how easy and affordable (free, if you're handy enough) it is to create and maintain a greener home, and the innumerable benefits to doing so. We were happy to add the link they requested to our website and pleased that our site has been a good resource for children and adults everywhere. The article is reprinted on the opposite page. Hi Mrs. Atchison!

My name is Melanie Nelson, I work in environmental services for Daly City. Our department is putting together a workshop on water conservation in the home as part of our "Going Green" series. We see it as a great way to protect the environment while also educating the community and saving them money, it's a win-win-win situation!

Your page, http://www.cascadecd.com/other-links/ , has been awesome as a guide for the event planning committee, and we can't thank you enough for posting it!

The reason I'm emailing you is because a local middle school class has been helping us with the endeavor as a volunteer project and they (very proudly, I might add) found a great article here: http://www.improvenet.com/a/water-conservation-at-home . The article is a basic overview for children on water conservation in the home and its benefits, with links to several great sources for both children and adults. I think the kids would be absolutely stoked if you were to post a link to the article on your page, they love to help out wherever they can, and seeing the link on your page would show them that they've made a difference and their actions have had an impact (however small).

Please let me know if this is a possibility and I look forward to hearing back from you soon!

Thanks again! -Melanie

The Green Hornets Find CCD

Volume 49, Number III CONSERVATION CHRONICLE PAGE 10

Volume 49, Number III CONSERVATION CHRONICLE PAGE 11

Cascade Conservation District is on the web at www.cascadecd.com

Water conservation means doing as much as we can to not

waste water when we use it. Only 1% of the water on our planet

is water that is safe for us to drink, bathe, and wash with. That

means it's a precious resource that we need to conserve as

much as possible by getting into good water-using habits every

day.

What if you wanted a glass of water one morning and all of the

water was gone? What would you do? Our water is an

important natural resource that is steadily being used up. That

means you really could wake up one morning and not have any

water to drink if more people don't start conserving water. Not

only will not having water affect you and your family, but it can

also affect animals, plants, and our whole planet. Knowing

about conserving water is important because it teaches us how

to take care of the resources we have so that our families will

always have water to drink. Let's learn more about how we can

do this!

What Is Water Conser vat ion? Water conservation means doing as much as we can to not

waste water when we use it. Only 1% of the water on our planet

is water that is safe for us to drink, bathe, and wash with. That

means it's a precious resource that we need to conserve as

much as possible by getting into good water-using habits every

day.

How Can You Help? The great thing about water conservation is that it's super-easy

to do! Some things are simple, like turning off the faucet while

you brush your teeth or taking showers instead of baths. Some

things you can ask your parents for help with, like letting them

know that a faucet is leaking or even making sure that when

you turn on the faucet, you turn it off tightly when you're done.

Or you could ask your parents about getting a rain barrel for

your backyard so that in the summer, you can water the garden

and fill up water balloons with recycled rainwater instead of

needing to use the hose. Another great idea is hen you get your

laundry together to be washed, make sure you have a full load

so that the washing machine is full and no water is wasted.

The Water Cycle The water cycle is nature's way of recycling water and moving it

where it needs to be moved. It starts when the sun shines on

the ocean or other bodies of water. The water heats up and

becomes water vapor in a process called evaporation. Water

vapor is a gas, which means it's much lighter than liquid water,

so it floats up into the atmosphere, where it becomes clouds.

Clouds are very light, so when the wind blows them, they get

moved around, either over farm lands or forests or even your

neighborhood! As clouds grow, the water vapor begins to get

colder again and condenses back into liquid water. This means

the water gets heavier, and eventually, it falls to the ground as

rain or snow, which is known as precipitation. The water soaks

into the earth and is sucked up by plants or falls into reservoirs

and is used by us to clean, bathe, drink, and cook with. The

water that isn't used up funnels back into oceans, rivers, and

lakes and stays there until the sun warms it again and it

evaporates back up into the atmosphere.

Reprinted from

By Andrea Davis on Apr 21, 2014

Urban Insight

WATER CONSERVATION AT HOME

Cascade Conservation District

12 Third Street NW, Suite 300

Great Falls, MT 59404

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Great Falls, MT

Permit No. 37

All CCD and NRCS programs are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex,

age, marital status or handicap. To contact the District, call 727-3603, extension 125 or email at ccd@3rivers.net.

CALENDAR Feb 1 ~ Super Bowl

Feb 9 ~ CCD regular board meeting

Feb 16 ~ Presidents Day, Office Closed

Mar 9 ~ CCD regular board meeting

Mar 27—29 ~ Home Show

April 11 ~ STEAM Expo

April 13 ~ CCD regular board meeting

April 20—21 ~ Envirothon, Lewistown

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Cascade County Ownership Maps $25

Paul Brown Soil Probes $65

Stock Tank Bird Ramps $35

Large Heavy Duty Rain Gauges $45

FOR SALE