By: Patrick Troyer, Paulding SWCD
On August 6, there was a flurry of activity going on at Oakwood Community Park. What was this activity you ask? Why a pontoon ride down the Auglaize River of course! The Paulding Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) hosted the second installment of “Something to Chew On” programs with this program focused on getting residents acquainted with their water resources and the importance of keeping them healthy.
Prior to the boat ride, those who attended were introduced to water quality thanks to our Enviroscape Model on Non-Point Source Pollution where everyone could get a view of all the sources of pollution in all different parts of the landscape and how all of our activities have an impact on the quality of our water. It was then time for a boat ride down the river. Thank You goes out to the Tri-State Watershed Alliance for the use of their pontoon that took participants from the boat ramp in Oakwood to the Charloe Bridge (CR 138) and back for about an hour of fun on the water.
While on the boat, Paulding SWCD staff and farmer Brian Romeke were on hand to facilitate discussion on the many things that residents noticed on the river. Attendees learned that watersheds are areas of land that drain to a common location and that even though we don’t live directly by the stream, our water travels across the land eventually making it in the stream. Discussion also centered around ways to reduce water pollution and ensure the best water quality. Soil testing is one solution with producers taking a sample of their soil to assess the nutrient levels in their field and ensure they are adding the right amount of nutrients that both meet their crop needs but that are not too much. Another problem comes with cleaning chemicals such as car soaps. A solution to this would be to wash our cars and other vehicles on the grass instead of the driveway as the grass will trap the chemicals and filter them out of the water.
Following the boat ride, those who attended enjoyed a nice boxed lunch courtesy of the Cooper Country Store in Oakwood and some pie. It just is not a boat ride unless there is some pie! Thank you to all the residents who came out to become more aware of their water resources and enjoy a great day outdoors in Paulding County! Look for more great events from the Paulding SWCD by following out Facebook page or our website www.pauldingswcd.org.
