The Chautauqua County Soil and Conservation District has received nearly a half a million dollars for three water quality conservation projects.

The money is part of a $16.2 million program statewide to support agricultural water quality conservation projects.

The county Soil and Water Conservation District received $455,946 for three projects. They include:

¯ $193,325 to work with two farms in the Conewango Creek Watershed to improve farms’ bunk silo waste management and treatment, install a roofed barnyard to allow for more efficient manure collection and storage, and to implement fencing, water supply, and animal trails for a livestock exclusion system;

¯ $206,150 to work with one farm in the Clymer Pond Watershed and Water District to reduce nutrient loading into local surface waters, improve manure management on the farm and protect the local aquifer and drinking water source from excessive nutrients; and

¯ $56,471 to work with three farms in the Lake Erie Watershed to install agrichemical handling and storage systems on each of the farms; significantly reduce risk of pollution entering tributaries of Lake Erie and improve efficiency of management and operations on the farms.

“New York is a leader in the fight to protect clean water, preserve agriculture for the future and combat climate change,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “From our aggressive clean energy plan to environmentally responsible farm practices, we are committed to supporting projects that will protect our natural resources and ensure a better future for the next generation. This program, which paved the way for many of our other on-farm environmental protection programs, continues to help our farmers use cost-effective methods to protect our waterways.”