Drainage issues in Ohio are very common issues to have. Especially during spring months, Warren County can see a substantial amount of rainfall, and all that rain doesn’t disappear, it all goes somewhere. Many urban areas have stormwater structures on and around the road to transport the water to streams and rivers. Rural roads may have a ditch right next to the road to take the water away. Storm sewers and roadside ditches that convey water within the right-of-way are generally maintained by the county or municipalities. Private property however does not get the luxury of well-maintained stormwater infrastructure. In locations that have a high grade, such as a hill, the water can move off-site quickly downhill. Areas that have low grades are not necessarily able to transport the water as quickly, and without any structure to convey the water, may sit and pond in certain areas. This may be the case with your backyard. The water may have no good place to go, and so it sits in one area and causes ponding in the yard, making use of that part of the yard difficult. Fortunately, there are different ideas and solutions that may help with this type of drainage issue. In this article, we will look at one option specifically: native, water loving plants.
 
First let’s discuss why native, water loving plants are a good option to help drain some of the wet areas in a yard. For one obvious reason, the plants love water! These types of plants can absorb and hold onto extra water that is sitting around in an area. For the issue of standing water, this is great because the plants will be able to soak up some of that extra water. How much water will depend on the species and density of what is planted. Only planting one or two may soak up some water, while dedicating a large area to planting many plants may help soak up most of the wet spot entirely.
 
The other great benefit that water loving plants bring to wet areas is their deep root system. The native plants to this area of Ohio have nice and deep root systems. This means that the roots spread deeper into the ground than most other plant species. Why is this a benefit to water quality and infiltration? Plants with deep root systems are able to spread their roots down into the soil and cover a fairly large surface area. The action of the roots cutting through the soil creates pathways and large pores in the soil for water to flow down into. The deep root systems do an amazing job of creating infiltration into the ground. In normally wet areas of a yard for example, the plants and their root systems create paths into the ground that allow water to drain downward. This feature may be the best benefit and resource to use to help with a wet area in a yard.
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In general, native plants provide many environmental benefits other than just water infiltration. On top of the benefits to helping with the drainage of wet lying areas, native plants are an attractive plant for other native organisms that benefit the environment. The native plants contribute to the biodiversity of an area by providing food for other organisms, moving nutrients throughout the soil, and even providing shelter and habitat for other organisms. In conclusion, native plants absorb water, create pathways in the ground for infiltration, and are great for the biodiversity and creating a healthy environment. So, if there is a wet spot in the back corner of your yard that tends to puddle for a few days, planting natives might be a great option for you!
 
Listed below are links to websites that can be used to point you in the right direction to find the right native plant to get for your goals. For more information feel free to reach out to our office at (513) 695-1337.  
 
Plant Finder.org - https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/
Ohio Division of Natural Resources (ODNR) Native Plant Lists - ODNR Native Plant List
Ohio Native Plant Month.org - https://www.ohionativeplantmonth.org/

This past spring, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) released the H2Ohio program to counties outside of the Maumee Watershed and Western Lake Erie Basin. Originally made available in 2019, Governor Mike DeWine created H2Ohio as a statewide water quality initiative designed to address the various complex issues negatively impacting Ohio’s waterways. The H2Ohio program is designed to reduce nutrient runoff by ultimately incentivizing producers to implement best management practices on the land.

By providing financial incentives, H2Ohio allows eligible producers to enroll their acreage into a Voluntary Nutrient Management Plan (VNMP) and earn a $10/acre incentive for the development of their VNMP in 2024. Being that this is a two-year program, in 2025 and 2026, producers can earn incentives of $10/acre or $15/acre for implementing the VNMP on their land.
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In Warren County, we were initially given an acreage cap of 5,000 acres to be enrolled in H2Ohio. With a large amount of interest from producers in the county, we exceeded that initial cap. Due to the large interest in H2Ohio, ODA allowed for an expansion which increased our total allowed acres. In all, Warren County SWCD helped sign up 14,647.7 acres to 16 different producers. Currently, Warren SWCD has been working alongside agricultural retailers such as Sunrise and Nutrien, as well as private retailers, to assist in the creation of the Voluntary Nutrient Management Plans. Voluntary Nutrient Management Finalized plans are due in December and we look forward to assisting Warren County producers in implementing H2Ohio on their land in 2025 and 2026.
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For 2025 and beyond, we hope for additional opportunities within H2Ohio that will be available to current and future producers of the program.  If you missed the sign-up period for H2Ohio, please contact our office to discuss eligibility for future H2Ohio opportunities and to get on our wait list.
 
Emilie Fisher
District Technician
Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District
(513) 695-2556
[email protected]

The most wonderful season has finally returned- Fall! Which means our leaves are starting to do just that!  Instead of  bagging your leaves and tossing them in the trash, simply leave them!

"Leaving the leaves and other plant debris doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your yard to the wilderness. The leaves don’t need to be left exactly where they fall. You can rake them into garden beds, around tree bases, or into other designated areas. Too many leaves can kill grass, but in soil they can suppress weeds, retain moisture, and boost nutrition." Xerces Society

Avoid shredding leaves with a mower. Raking or blowing (electric) are alternatives that will keep leaves whole for the best cover and protect the insects and eggs already living there.
If you decide you need to mow and mulch the leaves to clean up the debris in spring, make sure you wait until late in the season so as not to destroy all the life you’ve worked to protect. 
Then when you do, you will see the benefits of leaf mulch, like:

• Fertilize your lawn.
• Improve soil quality.
• Suppress weeds.
• Prevent topsoil erosion.
• Provide habitat and food to micro-organisms, pollinators, and other small critters.

 
Let’s say you’ve mulched as many leaves as you could into the lawn, but you still have more… now what? Use your leaves (shredded or whole) as an ingredient in your compost pile! Composting is a simple way to recycle household/kitchen/yard waste into a nutrient-rich and biologically stable soil amendment. The four main ingredients to a compost pile are: carbon-rich materials (i.e. your leaves), nitrogen-rich materials (like grass clippings, coffee grounds, tea bags, and fruit/veg scraps), water, and air. The goal is to maintain a 30:1 ratio of Carbon and Nitrogen. In other words, you’ll need a lot of leaves to mix in with your household scraps.

​Fall is a great time with great weather to be had, and we like to spend our precious time enjoying it. So when your yard is full of leaves and you think of reaching for the rake, leave it be! 

Additional Resources
 
USDA- Leave the Leaves
PennState Extension- Composting Leaves Guide

A horse, on average, can weigh nearly 1,000 pounds and can defecate roughly 13 times a day. This roughly equates to about 50 pounds of wet manure a day – including urine. The bedding that is gathered in the animal waste, also contributes to the weight. The bedding can increase the total volume to 2-3 feet of waste per day.

Per one ton of manure, the nutrients that can be found include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – with bedding having the potential to also affect the nutrient reading. If not managed properly, manure runoff can cause pollution with the potential to negatively impact local waterbody sources.

​Manure Storage
Keeping animal waste as dry as possible results in less waste that must be transported elsewhere. Consider a NRCS Conservation Practice for a waste storage facility which will help prevent runoff and is also helpful for winter storage, since Ohio does not allow manure spreading on frozen or snow-covered ground. For large facilities, cost-share options may be available.
Manure Composting:
Composting utilizes an accelerated decomposition process that uses the organisms and bacteria found growing in the soil that helps break down manure. The process requires proper oxygen and moisture levels, as well as proper feedstock mixture, to ensure proper microbial activity. The composting piles must be turned to ensure proper aeration and the final product of composting is a crumbly and has a low odor and resembles topsoil.
Also, consider the Ohio Livestock Manure Management Guide written by OSU Extension: https://agcrops.osu.edu/sites/agcrops/files/imce/fertility/bulletin_604.pdf.

ODA & Agricultural Pollution Abatement
The Ohio Department of Agriculture administers a set of laws and rules that outline how manure storage and application should be properly handled arounder waters of the state. If you or you operation handle manure and are not sure you if you comply, these rules and regulations can be found in Section 901:13-1 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
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Contact a technician at Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District at (513) 695-1337 or Warren County Extension at (513) 695-1311 if you have questions.

Pet Waste Management
 
Does your pet poop? Of course he does! Do you always pick it up? We hope you do! This month, we talk about how pet waste negatively impacts the quality of our public health/local waters and what you can do to help.
 
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, pet waste is a leading source of nutrient and bacteria pollution in urban streams and waterways. Scruffy might be cute and cuddly but his poop spreads zoonotic diseases (transmissible to humans) with ingredients like E. Coli, Giardia, Salmonella, Roundworms, Tapeworms, and more. When it rains, pet waste contaminates storm water which eventually makes its way to your local creek or lake. Considering that more than half of Ohio’s residents get their drinking water from surface water sources, it’s important to keep our water as clean as possible. Have you ever noticed your neighborhood pond or retention basin filled with algae? Decomposing pet waste also pollutes water with excess nutrients, causing algae to bloom out of control and harm other aquatic life.
 
Some communities in Warren County have pet waste management ordinances. For example, the City of Lebanon considers a violation of §505.08 Removal of Dog Excrement (Ord. 6569) a minor misdemeanor and can fine up to $150.
 
Can pet waste be used as fertilizer?
 
Dog poo in its raw form is NOT a fertilizer. Due to a high-protein diet, dog poop is acidic and will kill your lawn and plants. However, a 2005 study by the USDA and Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District found that dog waste from healthy individuals is a safe mulch or soil additive for landscaping (NOT for human consumption) when composted properly. The process involves mixing waste with carbon-rich materials, paying attention to air flow and moisture, and maintaining a temperature of at least 145°F for several days. Please note- “Cats may carry parasites that are harmful to human fetuses. We do not recommend adding cat waste or cat litter to your compost.”
 
Pro-Tips

• Repurpose plastic shopping bags or newspaper sleeves for poo bags.
• Hire a pet waste pick up service.
• Install an in-ground pet waste digester.
• For HOAs and residential communities:
  • Install and maintain pet waste station(s).
  • Utilize a DNA-testing waste management program.

Thanks for being a responsible pet owner!