A Derecho can't keep us from showing you our Marshall County Wetland
The silver lining to the June 29 derecho was the much-needed rain it brought with it. The wetland was nearly dry, but two weeks later was once again filled with water and working hard at removing nitrates and phosphorus. Photo taken June 13, 2023.
Henry, IL – If you missed the June 29, 2023, field event held near Henry to see and learn about a Smart Wetland, you have another chance to see it. Due to the derecho that hit Marshall County, the Marshall-Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District (M-P SWCD)and the Wetlands Initiative (TWI) had to cancel the evening session of the field event. Therefore, we have rescheduled the evening event for 4 to 7 pm on Thursday, August 17, 2023.
Visitors can visit the ag tile-treatment wetland and talk with the farmer, Rex Newton, and the wetland designer, Jill Kostel. In addition, a series of displays will explain how TWI develops an ag-tile treatment wetland, how wetlands remove nitrogen and phosphorus, and how effective Smart Wetlands are at removing nitrate from ag-tile drainage water. Finally, there will be the opportunity to enjoy the pollinator habitat surrounding the wetland. We also plan on some of our ag and conservation partners joining us.
Smart Wetlands are precisely located and custom-designed constructed wetlands to fit within today’s farming operation and tile-drainage system to remove nutrients. This wetland was constructed in September 2021 and is now fully operational. M.K. Farm Drainage Specialists built the 1.83-acre wetland at McCuskey Farms under the direction of the M-P SWCD and TWI through their Smart Wetlands program. Martin McCuskey owns the land, and Rex Newton farms it.
The Smart Wetland site is located west of Henry, IL, near the intersection of Marshall County Road 500 East and County Road 1400 North, along the Scholes Branch Creek. Additional information about the field day, including a location map, is available at: https://www.smartwetlands.farm/smartwetland5.
This event is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under agreement number 2022-38640-37486 through the North Central Region SARE program under project number LNC22-465. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agricutlure.