Funds available to farmers, ranchers for projects to conserve water and reduce nutrients to Silver Springs

Projects must be located primarily within the boundaries of the Silver Springs springshed.

~Application deadline is Sept. 14~

PALATKA, Fla., Aug. 29, 2018 — The St. Johns River Water Management District is accepting applications through Sept. 14, 2018, from farmers and ranchers interested in seeking funding through the Agricultural Cost-share Program for agricultural projects that promote water conservation and reduction of nutrient runoff in the Silver Springs springshed.

The program aims to engage farmers, growers and ranchers in the Silver Springs springshed in implementing agricultural best management practices (BMPs) that result in more efficient water use and reduce agricultural nutrient runoff while assuring the sustainability of agriculture in the region.

Through the program, eligible projects may receive up to 75 percent of cooperative funding, not to exceed $500,000, toward engineering, design, construction and implementation of projects to improve water efficiencies and protect natural systems.

Eligible projects may include irrigation system retrofits, conversion from overhead irrigation to micro-irrigation and fertigation, soil moisture sensor technology, tailwater recovery and reuse, precision agriculture equipment and more.

For more information about district cost-share programs, visit www.sjrwmd.com/localgovernments/funding/#silver-springs.