Right, Dave McCoy, Chautauqua County watershed coordinator, and Rob Halbohm, Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District water quality technician, discuss two agricultural projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed that need extensions on occupancy tax funding. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

MAYVILLE — Two agricultural projects in the Chautauqua Lake watershed that have been awarded occupancy tax funding need extended, again.

On Wednesday, Dave McCoy, Chautauqua County watershed coordinator, and Rob Halbohm, Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District water quality technician, discussed the two projects with the Chautauqua County Legislature Planning and Economic Development Committee. Both projects are taking place on farms, with one located in the town of North Harmony and the other in the town of Ellery.

Halbohm said both projects originally received occupancy tax funding in 2018, was extended into 2019 and will need another extension into 2020. He said the second extension of county occupancy tax funding for both projects is being asked for to align with state Agricultural Nonpoint Source Abatement & Control Grant Program financing that goes through 2020.

The project in North Harmony received $40,000 from the county in occupancy tax funding while receiving $289,563 from the state. The farm is a beef and calf operation with 116 animals.

Halbohm said this project consist of three major components. The first is for a livestock heavy use area runoff management system, which consist of a composted bedded pack barn with a roof runoff management system. The barn will result in the elimination of an outdoor barnyard during the winter months and enable the farm to store all manure produced when the livestock are not on the pasture. Composted manure will be spread during the growing season when the risk of runoff is low.

The second major component is the silage leachate control and treatment system, which is a concrete pad that is a vegetated treatment area to contain and treat runoff from the feed storage pad. Feed is currently stored on a gravel pad with no runoff controls.

The third major component is the access control system, which will fence livestock out of a woodlot that contains a headwater tributary of Prendergast Creek.

The project in Ellery received $39,888 from the county occupancy tax funding while receiving $38,868 from the state. The farm is a horse and therapeutic riding lesson operation with 13 animals.

Halbohm said this project consist of four major components. The first is a prescribed rotational grazing system, which is a subdivision of pasture into smaller paddocks and the addition of stock water troughs to improve vegetative cover.

The second component is the erosion control system, which is a surface water diversion and culvert to exclude water from the barnyard.

The third feature of the project is the water storage and transfer system, which is a roofed manure storage shed for the winter. Manure to be exported to landscapers or utilized on the farm according to the nutrient management plan.

The fourth component is the livestock heavy use area runoff management system, which is a roofed barnyard to eliminate outside livestock access during the winter months.

Chautauqua County Legislator Pierre Chagnon, R-Bemus Point, said he has no problem given the projects the occupancy tax extension, but would like a letter from both farm owners pledging that they will finish the projects. He said both projects are worthwhile, but the legislature needs some type of promise that the projects will be completed.