Highland FFA using conservation district grant on watershed project

This month, the English River and Davis Creek will get some identifying signage thanks to a partnership between the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Highland FFA chapter.

The signage is part of a $2,500 grant the Conservation District awarded to the Highland FFA last year.

“The signs for the creek crossing should come in this month,” Washington County Soil Commissioner Kate Giannini said. “We’re working with Washington County Secondary Roads and the Iowa Department of Transportation to place the signs.

The signs will be placed at crossings in the Vine Avenue and Riverside Road areas. The project is expected to conclude in spring 2022.

Giannini said that having the identifying signs in place will raise local awareness of the waterways.

“It creates more community awareness and an emotional connection for people in the community,” she said. “They can have an impact on their watershed.

“'We all live in a watershed, and it's important to create awareness and environmental educational programs that engage the next generation in topics that discuss Iowa's water resource challenges.”

Learning more about the watershed is another part of the program covered by the grant.

“They will work on a general watershed management curriculum,” Giannini said. “A watershed educational program will help increase students’ environmental awareness.”

Another facet of the grant program has the Highland FFA students working together to name a currently nameless tributary of the English River just east of Riverside.

“This is a great legacy project for students involved in it,” Giannini said.

She explained that naming the tributary is a long process.

“Once they come up with a name, it will have to be submitted to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names,” she said. “That could take a year or two.”