The district will receive $503,430 to work with one farm in the Chautauqua Lake Watershed. The project will address agricultural nutrient runoff by providing manure storage and improved nutrient management and restore a riparian forest buffer to act as a filter for overland flow and enhance existing tree plantings.

Another $561,457 was awarded to work with one farm in the Allegany River/Findley Lake Watershed to reduce nutrient runoff from the farmstead and improve manure management and storage on the farm and address meeting goals in the Findley Lake TMDL.

A third $24,385 was awarded to the Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with one farm in the Slippery Rock Creek Watershed: a sub-watershed of Lake Erie. That project will provide for the proper storage and handling of agrichemicals, encourage safe storage and provide spill protection and implement more th an 100 acres of cover crops throughout the watershed to reduce soil compaction for improved water infiltration.

The three grants are part of a $14 million award to protect clean water across the state through the Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement and Control program.

“Our farmers, working with our soil and water districts, are proud of the work they do to leave the land better,” said Richard Ball, state agriculture commissioner. “The Ag Non-Point program provides them the resources they need to do this important work by protecting our water bodies, which in turn is helping the State to reach its climate goals and protect our natural resources, now and for future generations.”