Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced a January 15 batching deadline for the first round of 2026 funding for several key conservation programs. Producers interested in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) should contact their local NRCS office to apply.
Snow Reports
Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms
Keep an eye out for HCBs this year.
The unseasonably warm temps mean we start having blooms and advisories earlier in the year. We also saw water bodies still affected late into the fall and winter. Remember, blooms can irritate healthy adults, but can actually prove to be deadly in small children and elderly. Dogs and livestock also can get sick or die from ingesting the toxins.
HCBs happen when excessive nutrients in the water allow the blue-green algae to thrive and multiply at excessive rates. While some of this is naturally occurring, in watershed with agricultural lands, it is often traced back to excessive nutrient application, poor manure management, and excessive soil erosion.
DEQ only investigates reports on public water bodies, but HCBs can occur in any waterbody with little to no current, including stock water ponds. Since it typically takes 12-24 hours before livestock become sick, ranchers might not realize the water is causing the issue. Dogs are particularly susceptible to poisoning by ingesting water or licking their fur.
DEQ updates their HCB map daily. Make sure to check before you decide to recreate in a potentially affected area.
The unseasonably warm temps mean we start having blooms and advisories earlier in the year. We also saw water bodies still affected late into the fall and winter. Remember, blooms can irritate healthy adults, but can actually prove to be deadly in small children and elderly. Dogs and livestock also can get sick or die from ingesting the toxins.
HCBs happen when excessive nutrients in the water allow the blue-green algae to thrive and multiply at excessive rates. While some of this is naturally occurring, in watershed with agricultural lands, it is often traced back to excessive nutrient application, poor manure management, and excessive soil erosion.
DEQ only investigates reports on public water bodies, but HCBs can occur in any waterbody with little to no current, including stock water ponds. Since it typically takes 12-24 hours before livestock become sick, ranchers might not realize the water is causing the issue. Dogs are particularly susceptible to poisoning by ingesting water or licking their fur.
DEQ updates their HCB map daily. Make sure to check before you decide to recreate in a potentially affected area.
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Symptoms in people:
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Symptoms in dogs:
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Farm Service Agency Updates
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In the September 2025 Newsletter Find updates on
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