Federal grant supporting Wabash River conservation efforts

A $325,000 federal grant will support the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation's cost-share program, which reimburses farmers for implementing sustainable farming practices.

Popular ways to promote water conservation.

The local group organizing the event was forced to cancel this year.

But as news 18's joe paul reports, that's not slowing down their efforts to protect the wabash.

Nat pop the fertilizers and pesticides applied here... ...eventually end up here.

"this cornfield is in the watershed of the wabash river, which means that water that comes off the field is going to end up in the wabash."

That's a big problem, says jane frankenberger, an expert in water quality at purdue university.

"nitrogen and phosphorous are great on corn but when they get into the water, they also cause plants to grow in the water and that's where we don't want them, so algae."

Shannon stanis, watershed coordinator for the wabash river enhancement corporation, would rather see more sustainable farming.

"agricultural practices like cover crops, grassed waterways and two-stage ditches are all things that can be done on our corn and soybean agricultural fields that actually hold water in place and hold nutrients in place so that we are reducing the amount that is running off into our streams and that lead to the wabash river."

The corporation is using a 325-thousand- dollar federal grant to reimburse farmers who implement these practices.

"we can reimburse up to 75 percent of the cost for those practices, and that's important because these things can be expensive and it's not something that folks can always pay for out of pocket."

Frankenberger says the cost-share program is a win-win for farmers.

"practices like cover crops are good for the water and also good for the farmers because it keeps the nutrients there and also builhealth, whico important."

Keeping our rivers clean isn't easy, but there's a lot at stake.

Nat pop joe paul, news 18.

Applications for the cost-share program are currently being accepted.

The corporation's annual wabash sampling blitz is next week.

You can find more information on our website, wlfi.com.

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