American Farmland Trust Names New Watershed Coordinator

American Farmland Trust announced Larry Werries, former Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, will be the Watershed Coordinator for a new outreach program to farmers designed to reduce sediments and nutrient runoff in the Lake Mauvaise Terre Watershed in Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois.

“The Lake Mauvaise Terre Watershed is considered an impaired watershed under the federal Clean Water Act and Lake Mauvaise Terre, which serves as a backup water supply for the City of Jacksonville, has had its capacity significantly reduced by sediment from the watershed,” said Michael Baise, Midwest Director, AFT. “The City is undertaking a dredging project to remove sediment from the reservoir, however, preventative measures need to be taken to reduce sediment going into the lake and protect the City’s investment.

“The new farmer outreach program in the Lake Mauvaise Terre Watershed is designed to increase farmer and landowner awareness of farm conservation practices and how they can reduce nutrient and sediment to the lake,” said Baise. “We want to work with landowners to get more practices installed to improve water quality and prevent the kind of problem Jacksonville is dealing with now.”

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Press Release, April 10, 2014