SENECA
COUNTY SOIL AND WATER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT
12 NORTH PARK STREET,
ACADEMY SQUARE BUILDING
SENECA FALLS, NY 13148
Phone (315) 568-4366 Fax (315) 568-2414
AVAILABLE SERVICES
AGRICULTURAL VALUE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
DRAINAGE RECOMMENDATION
TREE PLANTER
Office Contact: Jim Malyj,
District Technician
The Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District has available a tree planter, for rent at low cost, to the residents of Seneca County. The tree planter will attach to any small to mid-size tractor with a 3-point hitch. The District Tree Planter can greatly improve the efficiency of which landowners in Seneca County can plant trees for either Christmas tree production or conservation purposes. The District will deliver the tree planter anywhere in Seneca County for a small fee and train the landowner in the safe and proper use of the tree planter.
AGRICULTURAL VALUE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
(Soil Group Worksheet)
Office Contact: Call office
for an appointment
Provided by the New York State
Office of Real Property Services
www.orps.state.ny.us
What is the Agricultural Value
Assessment Program?
The agricultural value
assessment program is one of the components of the Agricultural
Districts Law (Agriculture and Markets Law, Art, 25AA). This
law was enacted in 1971 to provide a means of preserving farmland.
To this end, the agricultural value assessment program provides a
partial exemption from real property taxation for eligible farmland.
How
is eligibility determined?
Eligibility is determined by the assessor or board of assessors with
whom the application is filed.
Does farmland automatically receive an agricultural assessment?
No. Landowners must
file an application (form RP-305 or RP-305-r) with the
assessor to receive an agricultural assessment for their parcels.
Landowners must apply annually for an agricultural assessment, and
the farmland must satisfy certain gross sales and acreage
eligibility requirements.
What is the application procedure?
The landowner's first
step in applying for an agricultural assessment is to go to the
county Soil and Water Conservation District office. There, all
farmland to be enrolled in the program will be classified by soil
productivity. A district technician plots each farm tax parcel
of the farm on a soil map, and calculates the acreage in each soil
group. The landowner should work with the technician to
outline woodland areas and ineligible areas. The landowner may
exclude any area from the program and this area should be clearly
defined and marked on the map. The technician records the
information on a "Soil Group Worksheet" (Form ADP-1). The
landowner, in turn, transfers this soil information to the
"Application for an Agricultural Assessment" (form RP-305),
available from the assessor's office and indicates any farm woodland
on the parcel. The landowner submits the completed RP-305)
application form along with copies of the completed APD-1 soil group
worksheet and the soil map to the assessor by taxable status date.
In most towns, taxable status date is March 1, but it is advisable
to confirm this with the assessor. Landowners must file an
application each year with the local assessor. After the
initial application, a short form application (RP-305-r) may
be used if there have between no changes since the previous year's
application.
Remember:
1. Only an owner of property can apply.
2. An application form must be filed for each separately
assessed parcel.
3. The applications must be filed annually with the assessor
on or before taxable status date.
A.E.M.
Office Contact: Jim Malyj,
District Technician
Website:
http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/SoilWater/aem/index.html
Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) is a voluntary, incentive-based program that helps farmers operate environmentally sound and economically viable businesses.
The AEM program coordinates agricultural and environmental conservation agencies and programs, as well as private sector consultants, to provide one-stop shopping for services. All agricultural counties in New York State are conducting AEM programs, and participation has grown to include over 9,000 farms.
Farmers utilize AEM to address water quality concerns originating from agricultural activities by:
assessing environmental concerns associated with their farming operations
documenting current stewardship
developing environmental farm plans
implementing environmentally sound practices to address identified concerns
complying with state and federal environmental regulations
Local management of AEM program activities allows consideration of site specific agricultural practices, local environmental concerns, and individual business objectives.
How Does AEM Work?
Using AEM's 5-tiered approach, farmers work with local AEM resource professionals to develop and implement comprehensive, site-specific farm plans:
A short questionnaire identifies current farm activities, future plans and potential environmental concerns.
AEM worksheets document current environmental stewardship while identifying and prioritizing environmental concerns.
A plan is developed providing solutions to environmental concerns identified in Tiers 1 and 2. Plans are designed with a farm's mission, goals, and objectives in mind.
Agricultural agencies and consultants provide farms with technical, educational and financial assistance to implement Best Management Practices (BMP's).
Ongoing evaluations ensure that AEM helps protect both the environment and the viability of farm businesses.
Website: http://www.grazeny.com/
The GRAZE NY Program was developed in 1995 with the assistance of Congressman James Walsh. Six counties in New York State were given the opportunity to provide technical assistance about Prescribed Grazing to interested livestock producers.
County Soil and Water Conservation Districts continue to focus their efforts on informing producers about the benefits associated with Prescribed Grazing. This is accomplished through pasture training workshops, informational farm tours, on-site farm visits and personal contacts with interested producers.
Prescribed Grazing - is defined as the controlled harvest of vegetation with grazing or browsing animals managed with the intent to achieve a planned objective(s).
AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL
Office Contact: Jim Malyj,
District Technician
The District implements a mechanical aquatic plant control program using harvesters. This has proven to be an effective method for the control of excessive plant growth. The Program helps to regain some of the lost resource uses that have occurred from nonpoint nutrient and sediment pollution. Harvesting is conducted on Cayuga and Seneca Lakes and the canal.
Since 1995, the Sullivan Trail RC&D Council has been providing either directly or indirectly technical and/or financial assistance to volunteer fire departments within its six county region, regarding the installation of dry hydrants usually located adjacent to a pond, lake, or stream that can allow for easy access to water for the purpose of fighting fires in rural areas. Contact Seneca County SWCD for assistance.
Benefits associated with dry hydrants include:
easy access to water
quicker response time
reduced fire insurance premiums
Subsurface drainage is the installation and maintenance of a conduit, such as tile, pipe or tubing, installed beneath the ground surface which collects and/or conveys drainage water. A subsurface drain may serve one or more of the following purposes:
Intercept and prevent water movement into a wet area.
Remove or reduce surface runoff.
Serve as an outlet for other subsurface drains.
Collect groundwater for beneficial uses.
Remove water from around buildings, roads, airports, playfields and other physical improvements.
A successful subsurface drainage system requires an adequate outlet -- most commonly used is an open ditch. An agricultural field with a subsurface drainage system enables the producer to work the fields earlier in the spring and allows harvest later in the fall. A very cost effective conservation practice.
The District works with landowners and contractors to help insure proper installation and management of subsurface drainage systems.
The Seneca County Soil and Water Conservation District will assist the residents of Seneca County who would like a pond on their property. The District will first do a preliminary study, consisting of determining drainage area and checking the soil types in that area for pond suitability. This will then be followed by the District supervising the digging of test pits that will determine the feasibility of pond construction at that location. The District can then design the pond to fit the landowners' needs, whether it be for fishing, fire protection, irrigation, swimming, wildlife habitat or farm use. The district will then supervise the actual construction and provide seeding recommendations to stabilize the soil in the construction area. The District can also assist landowners that have problems with existing ponds.
Nonpoint source pollution is carried by melting snow or rain, that moves over the land to nearby streams which empties into the receiving lake. As this runoff moves across the land surface, whether it is a golf course, shopping center parking lot or an agricultural field, it carries with it material that can pollute the water. The various types of land use and associated activities which contribute to pollution of the lakes and streams include: Urban Storm Water Runoff; Land Clearing for Construction; Agriculture, Woodland Harvest Operations; Streambank Disturbance Natural/Manmade; Road Ditch Erosion; Septic Leach Field Failure.
The District provides technical assistance to landowners for proper installation of Best Management Practices (BMP's) on their land.
Nonpoint Source controls are
everyone's responsibility -
Federal, State, and Local Governments, local groups and
organizations,
as well as individuals, farmers, foresters, and construction companies.
The District has been involved in reviewing housing development areas such as new subdivisions and construction sites. We are contacted by the County Health Department or developer to review the proposed site. A field inspection is made by our staff and a report is developed for that specific area. The report encourages uniformity through standards in applying erosion control techniques and helps developer4s and planners to make maximum use of potential development sites by proper management of its natural resources.
SENECA COUNTY CULVERT INVENTORY
The Seneca County Culvert Inventory is a program that has developed over a period of years. The Culvert Inventory consists of all drainage culverts installed under the 680.5 miles of State, County and Township roads, as well as, railroads in Seneca County. Areas that are excluded include the Seneca Army Depot, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Lake State Park, Sampson State Park, Willard Psychiatric Center, the NYS Thruway and areas within incorporated villages. The Culvert Inventory contains information specific to each culvert, including location in relation to intersecting roads, size of the culvert in inches, type of pipe used, length of the culvert in feet and the elevation of both inverts (lowest parts) and the center line of the road based on USGS datum. This information will be updated periodically.
The Culvert Inventory is a valuable tool to local highway departments, planning and zoning boards, surveyors, contractors and engineering firms. A copy of the Culvert Inventory is made available to the NYS Department of Transportation, the Seneca County Highway Department and all town highway departments in Seneca County. They are available for a fee to others. The data is assembled and published by township.
SENECA COUNTY
SOIL SURVEY
OFFICE CONTACT: ANY OFFICE PERSONNEL
Website: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/
The Seneca County Soil Survey is available at this office. The soil survey contains information that can be applied in managing farms and woodlands; in selecting sites for roads, ponds, buildings and in judging the suitability of tracts of land for housing, farming, industry, and recreation. The soil survey is compiled by the Soil Conservation Service, USDA. It is a great tool for farmers, builders, foresters, game managers and sportsmen, community planners, engineers and newcomers in Seneca County.
