Conservation Spotlight

Summer Edition
2004

Editor: Holly Utrata-Halcomb

Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District
Layout: Barbara Connole 29 Triangle Park Drive, Suite 2901
Cincinnati, Ohio 45246-3411
Phone: 513-772-7645 Fax: 513-772-7656 Website: www.hcswcd.org

Annual Meeting 9/23/04

The District’s Annual Meeting is September 23, 2004 (Thursday evening). We are
holding the meeting in Winton Woods, at the Mill Race Lodge. Our guest speaker is
Dr. Rebecca Evans, a former employee of HCSWCD, was born and raised in Adams
Mission Statement: County, Ohio. Upon graduating from high school she joined the United States Army to
A public organization committed to earn money for college. After three years of active duty she became a reserve soldier
assisting the citizens of Hamilton and started her academic career with the college fund supplied by the Army. Over the
County through education, technical years she maintained her Army career while pursuing first a
assistance and leadership to be
stewards of our soil and water re-
bachelor’s, then a master’s degree and finally a Ph.D. She joined the faculty at
sources. Northern Kentucky University in 2002.
Dr. Evans was called to active duty in February, 2003 and deployed to Iraq. There
she served as a platoon sergeant for a water purification platoon. Her platoon was
Vision:
stationed in Tikrit and their mission was to purify water in support of the Fourth
To be a dynamic leader in soil and Infantry Division. She supervised two crews operating water purification equipment at
water conservation working to
achieve the sustainable use of the Saddam’s palaces in Tikrit and at a nearby former republican guard airbase. Her unit
soil and water resources on a local returned home in February 2004.
and regional basis. Feeling that she could do more to help a war torn
group of people, Dr. Evans recently applied to the Insti-
tute of International Education to return to Iraq during the
summer of 2004 as a faculty member assisting Iraqi
professors in developing-up-to date academic programs;
Inside this issue: a luxury which they were denied under Saddam’s rule.
Due to the political upheaval and lack of security, the
institute has postponed her trip to Iraq until the summer
New Election Procedure
Pg. 2 of 2005.
As our guest speaker at the HCSWCD annual meeting, Becky will give a slide
Pond & Lake Dam show presentation and talk about her experiences in Iraq. Hope everyone will join
Pg. 3
Safety us !!
Please look inside this newsletter for the new voting procedures
Education News Pg. 4
and candidate information.
Conservation & Urban
Development Issues Pg. 6 Horse Pasture and Manure Management Seminar
Our SWCD, along with ODNR and several other organizations are in the planning
Welcome New Staff Pg. 7
stages of developing a workshop for horse owners. Topics to be included are pasture
and manure management, nutrition and health, legal liability issues and cost-share
opportunities. The tentative date is Saturday, October 16, 2004, and it will be held at
Upcoming Events Pg. 8 Diamond Oaks Career Equine Center. Please contact the District office at 772-7645 or
e-mail holly.utrata-halcomb@hamilton-co.org to receive a brochure or to register.
Page 2

New Election Procedures

County residents attending our annual meeting this year will find the voting procedures for SWCD board members
to be very similar to voting in the general election.
Upon arrival at the annual meeting, attendees will immediately be directed to the election registration table where
election officials will find your name in the election registry. Voters will sign next to their name to verify their eligibility,
be given a ballot and proceed to a nearby voting booth. There they will mark their ballot and deposit it in the ballot
box.
This year’s banquet will begin at 6:00 p.m. but registration and voting will begin at 5:00 p.m. You may want to plan
on arriving just a few minutes earlier this year as we all learn and participate in this new procedure.
We will be electing 2 board members to a 3 year term commencing on January 1, 2005.
County residents and landowners have two other options for voting for SWCD board members. They may call or stop
by the District office to request an absentee ballot or cast their vote at the District office on the day of the annual
meeting between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
If you would like more information about the election or have questions about these new procedures, please
contact our office at 772-7645.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
How to Get Your Name on the SWCD Ballot
Recent changes to the rules governing the special elections held around the state to elect local soil and water
conservation district (SWCD) supervisors take effect this year.
Any resident 18 years of age or older who resides or owns land within the county of the election can seek election
to the SWCD board of supervisors. Names can be placed on the ballot in one of two ways.
1) Candidates can be nominated by the SWCD nominating committee.
2) Interested individuals may also stop by the SWCD office, 29 Triangle Park
Drive, Suite 2901, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 and pick up a nomination petition
form. Potential candidates need to secure at least 10 signatures from residents
and/or landowners from the county and submit the petition to the District by
the close of business August 20, 2004, in order to have their name appear on the official
ballot. Candidates meeting the eligibility requirements
and deadline will be listed on the ballot for the special election, which will take
place of September 23, 2004, at Mill Race Lodge in Winton Woods Park.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts, located in all 88 counties, are legal subdivisions of state government that
provide natural resource management assistance to county landowners and other units of government. The District is
governed by a five-member board of county residents. Board members serve staggered three-year terms.
The nomination procedure changes were adopted by the seven-member Ohio Soil & Water Conservation Com-
mission, which oversees SWCD election guidelines.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
To Request an Absentee Ballot-Anyone who wishes to vote in the election for District Supervisor may
request an absentee ballot and registration envelope from the District. We will accept one request per envelope
unless you are from the same household. When sending multiple requests from the same household, each person
must sign the request form. Ballots enclosed in the registration envelope must be received in the District office by
2:00 p.m. on 9/23/04. If you would like to vote by absentee ballot, please use the form below to request a ballot.

REQUEST FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT(S)

Please send an absentee ballot for the Hamilton County SWCD supervisor election that will be held at Mill
Race Lodge (Winton Woods Park) on 9/23/04. I will be voting for no more than 2 supervisors.

I am a qualified voter of the Hamilton County SWCD because:

____ I live in Hamilton County and I am 18 years of age by 9/23/04
____ I own property within Hamilton County and I am 18 years of age by 9/23/04

Name: _________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________ City: _____________ St: ____________ Zip:_______

Return to: Hamilton County SWCD, 29 Triangle Park Drive, Suite 2901, Cincinnati, Ohio 45246-3411

You may request an absentee ballot 21 days prior to the election.

 Page 3

Question & Answer

DID YOU KNOW that FIREFLIES are very serious predators of slugs and snails?

FAQ What am I supposed to do with left over pesticides? I know that occasionally, there is a
collection by some agency, but I never know when it will be.
A. The Solid Waste Management District is currently offering an opportunity for Hamilton County residents to
dispose of their Household Hazardous Waste. In the past, County residents were able to bring their unwanted
household materials (paint, pesticides, cleaners, batteries, etc.) to various sites throughout the County on specific
days of the year. Under a new trial program, Hamilton County residents may bring their waste to a central
location which is open throughout the week. This trial program is being conducted to test whether residents
find a central facility more convenient and whether such a facility can be operated more cost effectively
than traditional temporary programs.

The only stipulation for this new program is that participants must be Hamilton County residents and must first obtain
a free voucher from the District. In order to obtain a voucher, residents may call 946-7734 or may log on to
www.hcdoes.org. The voucher will contain directions to the facility and a list of acceptable and unacceptable items.
The facility is open Tuesday - Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

As this is a trial program, participation is limited. So spread the word quickly to friends and neighbors in the County
who may be interested!

Pond & Lake Dam Safety Tip: Ground Cover

by Pete George –Ohio Dam Safety Organization/Spring 2004 Newsletter

The establishment and control of proper vegetation is an important part of dam maintenance. Properly maintained
vegetation can help prevent erosion of embankment and earth channel surfaces, and aid in the control of groundhogs
and muskrats. The uncontrolled growth of vegetation can damage embankments and concrete structures and make
close inspections difficult. Grass vegetation is an effective and inexpensive way to prevent erosion of embankment
surfaces. If properly maintained, it also enhances the appearance of the dam and provides a surface that can be easily
inspected. Roots and stems tend to trap fine sand and soil particles, forming an erosion-resistant layer once the
plants are well established. Grass vegetation may not be effective in areas of concentrated runoff, such as at the
contact of the embankment and abutments, or in areas subjected to wave action.

Some common problems associated with lack of or improper ground cover includes: bare areas, footpaths, vehicle
ruts, and crown vetch. Bare areas, footpaths, and vehicle ruts on an embankment are void of protection and more sus-
ceptible to erosion which can lead to localized stability problems such as small slides and sloughs. Crownvetch, a
perennial plant with small pink flowers, hides the embankment surface preventing early detection of cracks and ero-
sion and provides a habitat for burrowing animals. Embankments, areas adjacent to spillway structures, vegetated
channels, and other areas associated with a dam require continual maintenance of the vegetal cover. Removal of
improper vegetation is necessary for the proper maintenance of a dam, dike or levee. All embankment slopes and
vegetated earth spillways should be mowed at least twice a year. Reasons for proper maintenance of the vegetal cover
include unobstructed viewing during inspections, maintenance of a non-erodible surface, discouragement of burrow-
ing animal habitation and aesthetics.

Common methods for control of vegetation include the use of weed trimmers or power brush-cutters and mowers.
Chemical spraying to kill small trees and brush is acceptable if precautions are taken to protect the local
environment. Some chemical spraying may require proper training prior to application.
Education News
by Gwen Roth, Education Specialist

Odegard/Diebel Memorial Scholarships

District
It is once againHas Winners,
time to award Winners
the Odegard/Diebel Memorialand More
Scholarships. EachWinners!!!
fall the District awards two $250.00
The District
grants to teachers
held a who
Poster
request
Contestfunding
this spring
to educate
entitled,
themselves
‘The Livingor Soil’.
their students
The following
on conservation
students won issues.
the District
Some contest
possible
and wereprojects
sent on include
to the Area
Landcontest.
Lab development,
A few of ourteacher
Area winners
workshop wentcosts,
on totraining
the State
on competition.
conservationWe issues,
will keep
classroom
you
projects promoting
updated on their results!!
conservation.
Congratulations
Please be to creative!
all! Applications must be received in the District office by Thursday,
September 30, 2004.
Guidelines 1stnd place K-2 category: Jilliam Kavinsky - Fairview German Elementary School
1. Proposals will 2 beplace K-2 category:
reviewed Bradford basis
on a competitive Williams - North
by the Soil Avondale
and WaterMontessori School
Conservation District.
2. Project funds must be spent within one year. Receipts must be submitted to the District office for the total
grant amount 1stbefore
place 3-5
the category:
District willBrittay Eppens
reimburse the-participant.
North Avondale Montessori School
nd
2 place 3-5 category: Zoe Widmer
3. Grant money must be used to accomplish the goals of the - Little Flower Schoolapplication.
approved
4. Strong consideration will be given to groups that apply other monies to achieve their goals (i.e.
1st place
donations, other 6-8 PTA
grants, category: Jenniferschool
involvement, Elmorefunds).
- Loveland Middle School
2nd place 6-8
5. You will be contacted category:
concerning theShea Tarvin
status - Whitewater
of your request orValley Elementary
to provide additional details, as
appropriate.
6. Please submit 1st only
placeone
9-12 category:
proposal perDanielle
school. Miller - Mother
Teachers of Mercy
are eligible to High School
receive one grant every five years.
Teachers must2nd place
teach 9-12 category: County
in a Hamilton Sarah Hauck
school.- Mother of Mercy High School
Please call the office (513-772-7645) for a copy of the 1-page grant application, which can be faxed or mailed to you.

What a Summer!
This summer sure seemed to fly by. Before we know it, school will be back in session. We are going to schedule
UPCOMING
school programsWORKSHOPS
a little different this year. Michelle Balz (Education Assistant) and I will begin scheduling school pro-
Worms,onWorms
grams Monday, andAugust
More Worms!
23 for all areas of Hamilton County except Forest Park, Springdale, Reading, Harrison and
Loveland. Those five areas we will begin scheduling programs beginning on Monday, August 30. We will still have
The Hamilton
plenty County
of available timeSWCD along
slots for with the
all those whoHamilton County
want a class Department
program. of Environmental
Remember, we have toServices
limit theand the Archdio-
number of pro-
cese
gramsoftoCincinnati
three per are sponsoring
teacher several
per school vermicomposting workshops. If you have ever wanted to know about
year.
worms or how they decompose material, this workshop is for you. All participants will receive a classroom worm bin
complete with some bedding and worms, Mary Applehof’s book, Worms Eat My Garbage and activities to do with
your students. The dates have not been officially set, but if you are interested in attending a short (3-4 hour) work-
Odegard/Diebel Memorial Scholarships
shop, please call Gwen at the District office and get your name on the workshop mailing list. A small fee may be as-
It is oncewith
sociated again
thetime to award the Odegard/Diebel Memorial Scholarships. Each fall the District awards two $250.00
workshop.
grants to teachers who request funding to educate themselves or their students on conservation issues. Some
possible projects include Land Lab development, teacher workshop costs, training on conservation issues, classroom
projects promoting conservation. Please be creative! Applications must be received in the District office by Thursday,
September 30, 2004.

Guidelines
1. Proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis by the Soil and Water Conservation District.
2. Project funds must be spent within one year. Receipts must be submitted to the District office for the total
grant amount before the District will reimburse the participant.
3. Grant money must be used to accomplish the goals of the approved application.
4. Strong consideration will be given to groups that apply other monies to achieve their goals (i.e.
donations, other grants, PTA involvement, school funds).
5. You will be contacted concerning the status of your request or to provide additional details, as
appropriate.
6. Please submit only one proposal per school. Teachers are eligible to receive one grant every five years.
Teachers must teach in a school located within Hamilton County.
Please call the office (513-772-7645) for a copy of the 1-page grant application, which can be faxed or mailed to you.
New Brochure: We are in the process of developing a new education brochure describing all the programs
we offer. We will have all of the programs correlated to the new State Science Standards. I hope to have the brochure
completed and ready for the beginning of the school year. When the brochure is done, I will send a copy to you.

Upcoming Workshops
Worms, Worms and More Worms!
The Hamilton County SWCD along with the Hamilton County Department of Environmental
Services and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati are sponsoring several vermicomposting work-
shops. If you have ever wanted to know about worms or how they decompose material, this
workshop is for you. All participants will receive a classroom worm bin complete with some
bedding and worms, Mary Applehof’s book, Worms Eat My Garbage and activities to do with
your students. The dates have not been officially set, but if you are interested in attending a
short (3-4 hour) workshop, please call Gwen at the District office and get your name on the
workshop mailing list. A small fee may be associated with the workshop.

Project WET Educators Workshop

Hamilton County SWCD and the Greenacres Foundation will be sponsoring a Project WET Educators Workshop on
Monday, November 8, 2004. It will be held at the Greenacres Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. Registration is FREE to Hamilton County teachers and $30.00 to all others. One hour of graduate credit is
available from the UC Center for Economic Education at a discount—$164.00.

All educators (K-12) are welcome. The deadline to register is October 15, 2004. Call Anne Lyon at the Greenacres
Foundation 513-891-4227 or alyon@green-acres.org to get more information or to register.

Volunteers for Water Quality

By Michelle Balz, Education Assistant

Are you looking for a way to volunteer in the community while benefit-
ing the local environment? The Hamilton County Storm Water District
(HCSWD) is currently organizing storm drain labeling events in commu-
nities throughout Hamilton County. School groups, boy and girl scouts,
and neighborhood organizations are all welcome to participate.
Storm drain labeling is fun and easy for all ages. HCSWD will provide an
educational program, labels and the labeling supplies; all you have to pro-
vide are volunteers. Most events last less than two hours but the labels
will help prevent dumping for several decades!
Why label your storm drains? Most storm drains in Hamilton County do
not lead to a treatment plant but instead outlet directly into streams and
rivers. When hazardous substances such as motor oil or paint are dumped down that drain or washed from
lawns and driveways they end up polluting nearby rivers and streams.
If you are interested in having a storm drain labeling event in your neighborhood please contact Michelle
Balz at 772-SOIL or through email at michelle.balz@hamilton-co.org.
Conservation & Urban Development Issues
Sediment Basin Maintenance
by Dan Taphorn
Maintenance of sediment basins is becoming an issue on many new construction sites. It is imperative that sediment basins
are maintained (accumulated sediment removed) once the design capacity has been reduced by 40% as their effectiveness is di-
minished. This maintenance is even more critical on sites where the storm water detention basin has been retrofitted with a slow
release riser pipe as this also substantially reduces the designed protections provided by the storm water detention facility. The
District along with the Hamilton County Department of Public Works is working to resolve these issues and we are requesting
active participation from the Development Community.

The District will no longer approve the retrofitting of storm water detention basins unless approval is first obtained from the
Public Works Department. All retrofitted detention basins and sediment basins must be designed to a volume of 67 cu/yd’s per
acre of watershed draining to the basin or meet the Counties storm water requirements; which ever is greater. The volume must
be measured from below the crest elevation of the outlet. To allow for adequate storm water storage the retrofitted detention ba-
sins will now be required to be oversized by 40% to allow for the accumulation of sediment to minimize the impact to the storm
water capacity, this practice will be allowed only after approval is obtained from Public Works. We will be requiring separate
sediment basins wherever practical. For additional information on design criteria please refer to Chapter 4 of the Rainwater and
Land Development Manual.

Engineers, developers and contractors need to play an active role in resolving these issues as well.
• Engineers need to look for alternatives methods to increase sediment basin storage capacity such as over-sizing sediment
basins and retrofitted storm water basins to allow for additional storage, dividing the sites into smaller watersheds and
constructing additional sediment basins, this can make maintenance easier.
• Engineers need to indicate on the plans and with a marker (survey stakes, marks on the control structure) in the field
indicating the elevation when maintenance needs to be performed.
• Developers need to be more proactive in stabilizing idle areas and sweeping streets. It is far less expensive to stabilize
the site with vegetation than to have to continually perform maintenance on the basins.
• Developers should also hold off selling or building on several of the lots around the basin to allow for easier access
when maintenance needs to be performed.
• Contractors need to make maintenance a higher priority and plan on performing this work during the summer months
when conditions are most optimal.
• Contractors should also work with the developer and look into constructing temporary access roads and hold up on con-
struction of the concrete channels in the basins until later in the project.

If maintenance is not being performed in a timely manner the District will be requesting that the Building Department with-
hold the issuance of Building Permits and/or Certificates of Occupancy for these sites. The District will then forward these sites
to the Hamilton County Prosecutors Office and the Ohio EPA for enforcement. As always the District would prefer to work with
the Development Community to resolve these issues in a proactive manner rather than seeking enforcement but we will not hesi-
tate using enforcement measures when necessary.

By working together to resolve these issues we can demonstrate responsible efforts by

the development community to comply with the law, save time and money and minimize
the impact to neighboring property owners and the environment. The District looks for-
ward to every ones cooperation and active participation in resolving these issues. Should
you have any suggestions or comments on this matter please feel free to contact the Dis-
trict Office at 772-7645 and ask for Dan Taphorn.
 Welcome Aboard
Nathan (Nate) Sturm joined the District in April as an Earthwork Technician. Nate
previously served as the Coordinator for the Northern Kentucky Solid Waste Management
Area. His responsibilities included keeping the three counties of Northern Kentucky in
compliance with state and federal regulations. He was also responsible for organizing edu-
cational programs, stream cleanups and overseeing events like Tire Amnesty where they
collected over 270, 000 tires from staging areas in each county.
His primary responsibilities with the District will be working with the developers
and contractors to ensure compliance with the Hamilton County Earthwork Regulations and
the NPDES Permits. In the short time that Nate has been with the District he has made
many contacts within the Development Community and has worked hard to strengthen rela-
tionships already in place at the District. He resides in Loveland with his wife and their 2-
year-old daughter .

Southwest Ohio Sediment & Erosion Control Expo Update

The Second Annual Southwest Ohio Sediment & Erosion Control Expo on June 3, 2004, at the Warren County Career Cen-
ter was a Huge Success. The Expo was sponsored by the Butler, Green, Hamilton, Madison, & Warren County SWCD’s, along
with Dick Reese, Heavy Equipment and Site Construction Technology program of the Warren County Career Center. Speakers
included:
• Joe Allen, President of Nathaniel Development Company
• Dan Donaldson, Administrator of the Lake SWCD
• Chris Cotton, Storm Water Coordinator of OEPA
• John Matthews, Urban Storm Water Specialist of ODNR, Division of SWC
• Alex Marks, Filtrexx Corporation
We had over 150 participants in the workshop, which consisted of classroom presentations, outside field demonstrations,
including silt fence installation competition, hydro seeding, and examples of BMPs for erosion & sediment control. Numerous
vendors and suppliers set up displays. Stay tuned for information on the 2005 Expo.

_______________________________

Computer Recycling Program Offered

With 250 million computers in the United States on the road to oblivion by next year,
several movements abound to keep the devices - and the mercury, lead and other harm-
ful chemicals inside them - from being scrapped in landfills.

Office Depot stores recently announced a free in-store electronics recycling program that
will run through Sept. 6.

The Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services has offered computer recycling since 2002.

Individuals and companies from Northern Kentucky and surrounding Ohio counties also are welcome to
drop off old computers at the agency's next recycling event scheduled for Aug. 26-28 at the Hamilton
County Fairgrounds.

Information about how to package materials for recycling can be found at Web site <http://
www.hcdoes.org/sw/2004compregister.htm>.
Board of Supervisors
Thomas W. Reininger, Chairman
Upcoming Events…………..
Patrick Arnette, Vice-Chairman
Joseph Allen, Secretary
Steve Sandfort, Treasurer August 4 thru 8, 2004 - Hamilton County Fair. Come and visit some
Timothy Boehmer, Program Chairman of our staff at the fair at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Carthage, OH.
Call our office if you would like more information.
District Staff
Holly Utrata-Halcomb, Administrator
Barbara Connole, Adm. Assistant
September 13 - Hamilton County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. It be-
Dan Taphorn, Urban Conservationist gins at 6:00 p.m. at the The Farm in Delhi Township. Contact 831-5870 for
Chey Alberto, Urban Technician reservations.
Nate Sturm, Urban Technician
Gwen Roth, Education Specialist September 23 - Hamilton County SWCD Annual Meeting. 6:00 p.m.
Michelle Baltz, Education Assistant (voting begins at 5:00 p.m.) at Mill Race Lodge (Winton Woods). Call the
Brian Bohl, Stream Specialist
Mohammad Islam, Geotechnical Eng.
District office at 772-7645 for more information and to make reservations.
Willie Potter, Design Technician
October 16, 2004 - Horse Pasture and Manure Management Seminar:
NRCS The tentative date is Saturday, October 16, 2004. Call the District office at
John Williams, D.C. 513-772-7645 or e-mail Holly at www.holly.utrata-halcomb@hamilton-
George Cummings, D.C.
co.org to receive a brochure or to register.
_______________
November 8, 2004 - Project WET Educator Workshop. Hands on
All District programs are offered on a training at the Greenacres Foundation. Registration FREE to Hamilton
nondiscriminatory basis without regard County teachers. All others $30.00. Call Anne Lyon at 891-4227 for
to race, color, national origin, religion, registration form.
sex, age, marital status or handicap.

Cincinnati, OH
Permit No. 3556 Cincinnati, Ohio 45246-3411
PAID 29 Triangle Park Drive, Suite 2901
U.S. Postage Conservation District
Non-Profit Organization Hamilton County Soil and Water