Resources
Documents & Websites
University of Illinois Extension: “Buffing Up” Water Quality
This saturated buffer fact sheet outlines the benefits of this practice and lists several considerations and requirements of installment.
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ADMC Controlled Drainage Fact Sheet
This ADMC webpage provides information on controlled drainage, also referred to as drainage water management, including considerations for installation and financial impacts.
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NRCS Soil Health Fact Sheets
NRCS Soil Health Fact Sheets provide information on soil health for all growers – from the general basics to the specific details.
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NRCS Soil Health
Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes.
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NRCS Bioreactor Video
In the summer of 2017, the Peoria County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Illinois Farm Bureau teamed up with a forward-thinking landowner to plan, design, and install a relatively new conservation drainage practice so that folks could see what the denitrifying bioreactor looks like and how it’s built. Check out this video and see if it’s something that would fit on your land!
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Illinois Soil Water Conservation District Directory
Soil and Water Conservation Districts work to protect Illinois’ fertile soils and water resources through strategic conservation efforts. Use this directory to find contact information for your local SWCD office.
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TNC Illinois Climate Assesment
TNC’s statewide climate assessment brought together the expertise of more than 40 scientists and technical experts to explain the most up-to-date information on how climate change is expected to affect Illinois.
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NOAA Illinois State Climate Summary
The 2022 versions of NOAA State Climate Summaries represent a new and improved summary for each state that provides more up-to-date information on observed changes in climate, including both long-term trends and extreme weather events relevant to that state.
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AFT’s CaRPE Tool
The Carbon Reduction Potential Evaluation Tool™, or CaRPE Tool, is a web-based interactive tool that allows users to quickly visualize and quantify greenhouse gas, or GHG, emission reductions resulting from the implementation of a suite of cropland and grazing land conservation management practices.
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AFT Combatting Climate Change on US Cropland
This report focuses on the significant potential of no-till and cover crop practices to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions for a net reduction in GHG emissions. This report summarizes the current state of the science surrounding these practices and their impact on SOC and GHG emissions, including important limitations of our current understanding. Additionally, the authors outline an achievable path toward harnessing the sequestration potential of U.S. soils.
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