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Shiawassee Conservation District Your Land, Your Water ~ Your Michigan 1900 S. Morrice Road ● Owosso, MI 48867 ● (989) 723-8263, Ext. 3 Spring 2019 Shiawassee Conservation District ANNUAL MEETING celebrating Thursday, February 21, 2019 Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner served at 6:00 p.m. D’Mar Banquet & Conference Center 1488 N. M-52, Owosso MI 48867 RSVP by February 12, 2019 Shiawassee Conservation District (989) 723-8263 x3 Kenneth Allen will be honored as the 2018 Conservation Farmer of the Year Featured Presentation by: Jeremy Peters Chief Executive Officer National Association of Conservation Districts The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is the nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 conservation districts. The association was founded on the philosophy that conservation decisions should be made at the local level with technical and funding assistance from federal, state and local governments, and the private sector. As the national voice for all conservation districts, NACD supports voluntary, incentive-driven natural resource conservation programs that benefit all citizens. If you need accommodations to participate in this event, please contact the Shiawassee Conservation District at (989) 723-8263, ext. 3 by February 12, 2019. USDA is an equal opportunity employer, provider, and lender. Reflections with a Homeowner Homeowners who participate in by the contractor that it did not seem One topic covered during the the Conservation District’s Septic to be in working order. I contacted the Home*A*Syst was your drinking System Assistance Program are Health Department who informed me water well. What did you find most provided an educational session that I fell in the area of the helpful in learning more about your through the Home*A*Syst program. Conservation District’s Septic System well? Environmental risks in and around the Assistance Program. I ended up having Because testing well water is the home are the focus of the an engineered mound septic system responsibility of the homeowner, it Home*A*Syst. The session is free and installed through the program. This was helpful to learn the types of tests confidential, and the homeowner spring I will be working to landscape to do to ensure my well water was learns many ways to be a better my mounded drain field with septic safe. After the Home*A*Syst, I had my environmental steward. system friendly grasses and well water tested for arsenic and Since the start of the Upper Maple wildflowers. coliform bacteria. Both tests came River Watershed Restoration Project What information did you find the back negative and I have peace of in 2017, the Conservation District has most useful during the Home*A*Syst? mind from knowing that the water is assisted 28 homeowners in the I learned that regular safe for me and my family. watershed with educational maintenance is the most important What did you find most interesting in information provided through the thing a homeowner can do to prevent hearing about the Shiawassee Home*A*Syst. We recently sat down a septic system from failing. I now Conservation District? with Debra Johnson of Owosso have a maintenance schedule, It was exciting to hear that there is Township to discuss her Home*A*Syst pumping the septic tank every three experience. an agency that works to help protect to five years, and I’m more careful natural resources here in Shiawassee Explain how you became involved about what I put down the drain. I County. In addition to the Septic with the Shiawassee Conservation also switched from using harsh System Assistance Program, I am District. cleaning chemicals to more septic especially interested in recycling and it I noticed an article in the system friendly cleaners. is great that the District offers an newspaper about the Conservation Do you have a better understanding Electronic Recycling program. District’s Septic System Assistance about septic systems functions after Homes located in the Maple River Program. I thought there may be discussing this topic in the Watershed may be eligible to trouble with my septic system Home*A*Syst? participate in the Conservation because of a gurgling sound in my Yes, before going through the District’s Septic System Assistance drains. There were also issues with Home*A*Syst, I was unsure how a Program. This program assists homes smells and ponding in the yard. I had septic system worked. I learned that with education and resources to the septic tank pumped and was told septic systems are replace a failing septic system. If you pretty technical and would like to learn more about the there are several program or schedule your components that work Home*A*Syst, contact the together to clean the Conservation District today! water. Learning how the The Septic System Assistance septic system works Program is a part of a larger effort by made me realize that the Conservation District to address my failing system might nonpoint source pollution in the Maple have been polluting the River Watershed. Funding for this water. I feel more program comes from a Conservation comfortable now District grant from the Michigan knowing how a septic Department of Environmental system functions and Quality’s Nonpoint Source Program by that my system is not Debra Johnson will begin to landscape her new the U.S. Environmental Protection contributing waste to Agency. mounded drain field with septic system friendly the watershed. grasses and wildflowers next year. 2 Using Soil to Determine Septic System Type If your sinks drain slowly, and your color. The soil is assessed to scraped to loosen soil compacted drain field is mushy, you may have a determine these properties in two from digging. The soil is pre-soaked failing septic system. A failing septic ways: soil evaluation and percolation for several hours to saturate, system is harmful to water quality and test. simulating conditions of a working the environment. Untreated A soil evaluation begins with a septic system. wastewater can contaminate surface simple soil probe or boring to gather After the ground settles, the pit is or groundwater and create hazardous soils at different depths. The boring filled with water to 6 inches above the conditions. Upon looking into a new gives the soil evaluator an idea of gravel. The drop in the water level is system, the question becomes, what what can be expected at the site. The measured after 30 minutes. This is type of onsite sewage disposal system evaluator looks at the soil texture to done several times and the results are will work for me? The answer lies in estimate permeability, soil structure calculated to determine the the soil and is determined by a and soil color changes, which indicate percolation rate, or the time it takes thorough on-site assessment. groundwater fluctuations. for the water to fall one inch. A site assessment involves The percolation “perc” test The local Health Department gathering information such as, involves excavating two to four evenly conducts the soil evaluation. The topography, separation distances, spaced holes within the proposed Health Department is usually assisted physical properties of the soil and drain field area. The holes are 2 to 3 by a licensed contractor to conduct water, and homeowner preferences. feet deep, or approximately the the perc test. The results of these The most important factor in typical depth of the absorption trench tests determine the drain field type determining if a septic system will in a drain field. A few inches of clean and size necessary to properly treat work on a site are the soil properties, gravel are placed in the bottom of the the wastewater. This is then used to including soil structure, texture, and hole and the sides of the hole are Continued on page 4 Right Tree, Right Place! Planting a tree can be both great the shade of well-established fence for the environment, and make your row trees is probably a bad idea, since property more beautiful. However not quaking aspen can’t grow in shady every type of tree should be planted conditions. Sugar maple, on the other on every site. Make sure the place you hand, is very shade tolerant, and want to plant your tree is suitable might be the perfect fit. Knowing before you plant it. something about shade tolerance can It is very important to determine help to ensure your tree will grow and the soil type of your planting location thrive. when considering which tree species Understanding site differences to plant. Some trees can thrive in soil and the special needs of your chosen that drains water slowly, but other tree can help resist diseases and insect trees need well-drained soil. Other infestations. A stressed tree is much less-obvious soil factors, such as pH or more likely to be attacked by insect soil nutrient levels, can also affect a pests and hinder its ability to fight off tree’s success. It can be a good idea to disease. This increases vulnerability to have your soil tested before you plant attacks by not just native insects, but a tree to see if you need to add any to some invasive species as well. Too fertilizers or other additives before much stress can even lead to its death. planting. You may find that you should The Shiawassee Conservation avoid planting certain tree species District can help you pick which trees there altogether. This white spruce was planted in are right for your property. Call poorly-drained soil, and in the shade You should also determine the 989-723-8263 ext. 3 for assistance. of fence row trees. Both factors likely shade tolerance of the tree you want contributed to its yellow, sickly to plant.

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