J A N UA RY 2 0 1 2
VOLUME
S I X T Y - EI G H T
ISSUE
ONE
W A R R EN C OU N TY S W C D
32 0 E . S I L V E R S T R E ET
L E BA N O N , O H 45 0 36
All NRCS/SWCD Programs and
services are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without
regard to race, color, national
origin, gender, religion, age,
disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation and marital or family
status.
( 51 3) 6 9 5-1 3 37
W W W . W A RR E N S W CD . C OM
Phone: 513-695-1337
Fax: 513-695-2923
Website: www.warrenswcd.com
320 East Silver Street
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
No matter where you live in the Ohio Valley, your daily observations of the frequent epi­
sodes of heavy rainfall may have led you to believe that 2011 was one of the wettest years in your memory. You wouldn't be wrong. What started back in February as a wet and snowy end to the 2010‐2011 winter season, took off in earnest in the spring with record April rainfall. A fairly active summer with frequent thunderstorm clusters maintained the above normal rainfall for portions of BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Bruce Goodwin
the area. Autumn did its fair share, and in a virtual repeat to April, the end Shirley Lutmer
of the year ( November through early December) brought a new round of Tom Spellmire
record setting storm systems. Mark Steiner
Vince Uetrecht
All told, 2011 ASSOCIATE SUPERVISORS
Robert & Marian Chace
will go down as the Larry Mohrfield
wettest year on re‐
John Tkatschenko
cord for numerous locations centered DISTRICT STAFF
on the Ohio River. (513) 695-1337
Caitlin Botschner
In fact, precipitation Molly Conley
has been so extreme Nathan
Currin
that the state record Don Norman
for Ohio was unoffi‐
Amy Pond
cially broken for Dawn Stiles
yearly precipitation Jeff Thomas
at several sites in NATURAL RESOURCES
southwest Ohio. CONSERVATION
SERVICE
According to the Kings Mill weather station, the total precipitation for 2011 (513) 695-2531
was 60.75 inches. This is now the second wettest year on record. The wet‐
Steve Hall
test year was in 1926 with 64.33 inches of rain! John Lafferty
Beth Lessick
WARREN COUNTY SOIL &
W ATER C ONSERVATION
DISTRICT
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Cincinnati, OHIO
PERMIT NO. 4403
As Warren S.W.C.D. prepares to kick off its’ Annual Tree Seedling Sale, I thought it would be good to consider drainage characteristics of soils as residents begin to think about spring tree
planting. It’s well known that water is essential for plant
Description
growth. It’s slightly less considered that too much water is not
a good environment for most types of trees. Often, we are
puzzled by the decline and death of plants, when in fact they
Arborvitae “Green Giant” are receiving too much of a “good thing”(moisture). The inter- Bald Cypress
nal drainage characteristics of soils are a much bigger factor in
Blue Spruce
plant health than is how much rain we receive in any given
season. Root suffocation, root disease and eventual root death Jack Pine
are the result of a tree requiring a better drained location,
Norway Spruce
when placed in very-poorly drained soils.
Beech “American Beech”
If you plant a tree requiring moderately-well-drained, to welldrained soils in somewhat-poorly-drained soils, it may not die,
but instead show a chronic decline associated with some root
loss. These particular symptoms can range from leafyellowing, defoliation, dwarfed foliage, scorching or branch die
-back. When a tree is weakened by these symptoms, it will be
more susceptible to attack from insects and disease. We may
look at the result and not connect it to a weakening of the tree
from an overabundance of water in the first place.
Size
5
6-12”
3
3’
10
6-12"
10
6-12”
10
6-12”
3
18”
Black Walnut
5
2’
Buckeye “The Ohio”
3
12”
Bur Oak
3
2’
Butternut “White Walnut”
3
18”
Honeylocust “Thornless”
5
2’
Oak “Swamp White”
5
18”
PawPaw
5
12"
American Hornbeam
5
18"
Northern Red Oak
5
12"
3
12"
5
12"
3
3’
3
3’
5
3’
5
12"
5
12"
3
1-2'
5
18"
5
2’
3
12”
5
18"
5
2'
5
18"
5
12"
5
18"
5
12"
Hazelnut “American Filbert”
A soil which is amenable to most species of tree growth, will be
either a moderately-well, or well-drained soil. While there are Dogwood “White Flowering”
a few species of trees (ie: willow, cottonwood, red maple, bald Dwarf Red Buckeye
cypress ) which will thrive in very wet soils, most don’t like it. Pee Gee Hydrangea
Typically, the main cause of over moisture in soil, is due to a
Eastern Redbud
very high percentage of clay (finer textured) content, resulting
in a condition of smaller pore spaces for oxygen. There may be Red Flowering Quince
Common Witchhazel
other man-caused factors which can come into play, such as
compaction, poor surface grading, or underground pipe/sump Pink Weigela
outlets.
Spice Bush
D.E.N.
1. Keep calm and think out a solution. # per
Pkt.
We may not think of the fact that soils contain oxygen and that
Hickory “Shagbark”
some oxygen content is necessary for natural, healthy root deChinkapin Oak
velopment to occur. Tree roots absorb oxygen from the soil
and expel carbon-dioxide in the normal process of respiration. Sweet Gum
Without this normal exchange of gases, carbon-dioxide will
Sycamore
build up and with oxygen less available, the roots and conseTulip Tree
quently the tree, will die. A good soil, one termed welldrained, will have about half of its’ volume in actual soil solids, Northern Catalpa
while the other half will contain air spaces, under normal rain- Sassafras
fall conditions.
Chestnut “American Hybrid”
When one looks around carefully in undisturbed areas, you will
discover that nature/God does a great job of putting the right
tree in the right soil, where it can thrive. Most of the time, you
will find the main criteria for where a particular tree grows, is
soil moisture. I suppose the best we can do, is to consider the
moisture level and drainage characteristics of our own soils
before we start plopping trees into the ground. The Warren
County Soil and Water Conservation District is available to assist in determining which trees may be most suitable on the
land where you live. You may also contact the local office of
the Ohio Division of Forestry in Lebanon @ 513-932-6836, to
gain insight and get questions answered on tree selection and
care.
What should you do if a companion falls through thin ice? Rutt & Strut (Wild Game Food Plot)
5lb
Wildflower Seeds
1oz
Hanging Bird Feeder
Each
Hanging Corner Feeder
Each
Eastern Bluebird Nest Box
Each
Hanging Wren Box
Each
Hexagon Butterfly House
Each
Three Chamber Bat House
Each
Marking Flags (lime green)
50
Price per
packet
$ 7.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 7.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 2. Don't run up to the hole. You'll probably break through and then there will be two victims. 3. Use some item on shore to throw or extend to the victim to pull them out of the water such as jumper cables or skis, or push a boat ahead of you. 4. If you can't rescue the victim immediately, call 911. It's amazing how many people carry cellphones. 5. Get medical assistance for the victim. People who are subjected to cold water immersion but seem fine after being rescued can suffer a potentially fatal condition called "after drop" that may occur when cold blood that is pooled in the body's extremities starts to circulate again as the victim starts to re‐warm. What if YOU fall in? $ 9.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 9.00 $ 9.00 $ 9.00 Try not to panic. Instead, remain calm and turn toward the direction you came from. Place your hands and arms on the unbroken surface of the ice (here's where ice picks would come in handy.) Work forward on the ice by kicking your feet. If the ice breaks, maintain your position and slide forward again. Once you are laying on the ice, don't stand. Instead, roll away from the hole. That spreads out your weight until you are on solid ice. This sounds much easier than it is to do in real‐
ity. The best advice is don't put yourself into needless danger by venturing out too soon or too late in the season. No angler, no matter how much of a fishing enthusiast, would want to die for a crappie. $ 8.00 $ 7.00 $ 8.00 $ 7.00 $ 7.00 $ 9.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 7.00 $ 8.00 $ 9.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 9.00 $ 8.00 $ 8.00 $ 9.00 $ 16.00 $ 5.00 $ 27.00 $ 27.00 $ 22.00 Soil Test Kits (regular $15.oo) - (regular plus organic $20.oo)
Pond / Cistern Filters - $45.oo
Conservation Breakfast (compliments of WCSWCD Board of Supervisors) each February
Tree Seedling Sale in Spring ( see website )
Pond Clinics
Education
Agriculture Assistance / Drainage
Urban Storm Water
Bull Hog by Fecon Rental ($40.oo per hour) to approved skid steer operators
$ 18.00 $ 33.00 $ 40.00 $ 10.00 “Mission Statement”
Warren County SWCD mission is to promote wise stewardship of our natural resources through cooperative partnerships, educational programs and technical assistance in land and water management.
Winter Pond/Lake Safety Winterization for Conservation
By: Molly Conley, Natural Resource Engineer A particularly relevant part of conservation this time of year is winterization. By winterizing homes and other buildings we can significantly reduce our energy consumption which benefits the planet and our pocketbooks. Continue
The following information is a compilation of information reading for some suggestions on how you might winterize your home.
taken from the ODNR Division of Watercraft and various other sources. Reduce Drafts
Ice Thickness
Caulking and weather-stripping can be used where building materials meet to reduce drafts and leakage. Also, draft
Ohio's north shore sees more ice fishing and across‐water snowmobiling, but the following tips are useful for anyone who plays on water when it is frozen. Whether you ice fish on Lake Erie or skate on your pond, here are a few ice safety tips that winter sports enthusiasts should keep in mind before venturing out on frozen water. snakes are an easy way to diminish drafts underneath your doors and they come in many shapes and sizes
( r olled up bath towels, premade ones from hardware stores, or recycled neckties stuffed with sand or cat litter ) .
Plastic window insulation is another great way to reduce drafts and only costs a few dollars.
Remember the thicknesses below are merely guidelines for new clear solid ice and that many factors other than thickness can cause ice to be unsafe. There is no such thing as 100% safe ice! Ice should be inspected each time you go out on the pond. Auger or drill holes through and chip ice every 10 feet. If the ice is chunky, then it has high density and is stronger. If the ice is flaky this is an indication that the ice is low in density and is weak. Safe ice should be clear with a blue/clear color. Change Furnace Filters and Tune it up
season is a simple and inexpensive way to cut down on energy consumption
Cleaning or replacing your furnace filters monthly during the heating
General Ice Thickness Guidelines: and costs. Additionally, a periodic tune up for your furnace reduces energy use and
For New, Clear Ice Only helps keep it running long into the future. Many companies offer comfort packages that include
a visit in the fall and one in the spring to check your furnace and air conditioning systems.
 2" or less ‐ STAY OFF 
4" ‐ Ice fishing, ice skating or other activities on foot 
5" ‐ Snowmobile or ATV 
8" ‐ 12" ‐ Car or small pickup 
12" ‐ 15" ‐ Medium truck Fan Direction Matters
Set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise during the winter so that the warm air trapped near your ceiling will be circulated down to your living space.
Crank it Down a Notch
Additional bits of information… 
Never walk or drive on cloudy ice Turning down your water heater to 120 degrees, rather than the standard 140 degrees, can reduce your water

Only go on clear, thick ice heating costs by 6 to 10 percent. Similarly, lowering your thermostat during the heating season can save you 1 to 3

Spring ice is NEVER safe 
percent for every degree you lower it. A programmable thermostat is a great way to help you in this endeavor. Are
The thickness of ice is never consistent ‐ it will be flat on top, but not on the bottom 
Snow on ice acts as an insulator ‐ it makes ice warmer and weaker you too sensitive to the cold for a lower temperature? Grab a sweater for 2 to 4 degrees of added warmth!

Extreme cold snaps will weaken the ice 
Ice formed over running water (rivers & streams) is more dangerous than ice formed over stand‐
ing water (lakes & ponds) 
With all these easy ideas just think of the money you can save and the contribution you can make to our local conservation efforts.
Adapted from www.thedailygreen.com
Noisy ice doesn't necessarily mean unsafe ice. It's just the layer of ice shifting and moving on top of the water.