By JULIE CARLEBG Independent NewsThe Wood Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are looking ahead to determine the most pressing conservation issues in Wood County. The local projects are meant to impact local waterways and watersheds, such as the Portage River and its tributaries, that are often secondary to the Maumee River as an Area of Concern (AOC). The agricultural community gets blamed for water quality issues more than it deserves, said Wood SWCD board member Marc Schaller. They are overwhelmed, and because of that we have flooding, which relates to more water quality issues, more pollution,” he said. She may be reached at the Wood Soil and Water Conservation Office at 419-354-5517 or melanieknapp@woodswcd.com.