NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION
SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AUTHORIZATION:
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public
Law 83-566, 68 Stat. 666, as amended; Public Law 84-1018, 70 Stat. 1088;
Public Law 85-624, 72 Stat. 563; Public Law 85-865, 72 Stat. 1605; Public Law
86-468, 74 Stat. 131, 132; Public Law 86-545, 74 Stat. 254; Public Law 87-170,
75 Stat. 408; Public Law 87-703, 76 Stat. 608; Public Law 89-337, 79 Stat.
1300; Public Law 90-361, 82 Stat. 250; Public Law 92-419, 86 Stat. 667; Public
Law 95-113, 91 Stat. 913; Public Law 97-98, 95 Stat. 1213; Public Law 99-662,
100 Stat. 4196; Public Law 101-624, 104 Stat. 3359.
To provide technical and financial assistance in
carrying out works of improvement to protect, develop, and utilize the land
and water resources in small watersheds.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Advisory Services and Counseling. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Technical assistance is provided in designing, and
installing watershed works of improvement. Financial assistance is provided
for sharing costs of measures for watershed protection, flood prevention,
agricultural water management, sedimentation control, public water based fish,
wildlife, recreation; and in extending long term credit to help local
interests with their share of the costs. Watershed area must not exceed
250,000 acres. Capacity of a single structure is limited to 25,000 acre-feet
of total capacity and 12,500 acre-feet of floodwater detention capacity.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Any
State agency, county or groups of counties, municipality, town or township,
soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood control
district, Indian tribe or tribal organization, or any other nonprofit agency
with authority under State law to carry out, maintain, and operate watershed
works of improvement may apply for assistance. This program is available in
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands and
the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Any State agency, county or groups of counties, municipality, town or
township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood
control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization, or any other nonprofit
agency with authority under State law to carry out, maintain, and operate
watershed works of improvement may apply for assistance. This program is
available in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands, and the
Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.
Credentials/Documentation:
Applications must designate the proposed project area, be properly signed and
attested to by all applicants, and set forth the need for the proposed
project. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for
State and local governments.
Pre-application Coordination:
The standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and
required by OMB Circular No. A-102, must be used for this program.
Environmental assessments or an Environmental impact statements are required
for all projects. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372,
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should
consult the office or official designated as the Single Point of Contact in
his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be
followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for
review.
Application Procedure:
Application forms and information are available in all NRCS offices and from
designated State agencies. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB
Circular No. A-110.
Award Procedure: Details of
the procedure are available from the State and field offices of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
Deadlines: None.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Receipt of the application is acknowledged as soon as it is determined to be
valid.
Appeals: Not applicable.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
Technical and financial assistance under which program funds provide certain
prescribed services and costs and a percentage of other costs on the basis of
a contract vary according to purpose of the works of improvement. For example,
for construction costs under the Act, program funds provide 100 percent for
flood prevention; up to 50 percent of agricultural water management, public
recreation and fish and wildlife purposes; and none of the costs for certain
other nonagricultural water management purposes. All of the applicants'
installation costs are eligible for program loans. Reimbursable advances are
available for preservation of sites and future municipal water supply.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Continues until all works of improvement are installed or their installation
is terminated by mutual agreement.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Annual operation and
maintenance inspection and report.
Audits: In accordance with
the provisions of 7 CFR Part 3052, "Audits of States, Local Governments,
and Non-Profit Organizations," which implement OMB Circular No. A-133
(Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and
Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial
assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that
expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal
audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 7 CFR 3052.
Records: Records of
operation and maintenance activities are maintained for the life of the
project.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
Watershed and flood prevention operations, 12-1072-0-1-301.
Obligations: (Grants
watershed and flood prevention operations) FY 01 $60,467,153; FY 02 est
$52,277,195; and FY 03 est $0. (Salaries and expenses, watershed and flood
prevention operations) FY 01 $39,551,371; FY 02 est $43,412,661; and FY 03 est
$0.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
(per State) $0 to $2,164,000; Average: $650,000.
In fiscal year 2000, 6 projects were approved for
operations. A total of 518 projects in construction. Projects installed as
planned under the program totaled 918. In fiscal year 2002, it is estimated
that 8 projects will be approved for operations, 512 projects will be in
construction, and 931 projects will be installed as planned under the program.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
"What is a Watershed," PA-420; "Flood
Plain Management - Why We Need It," PA-1276; "Multiple- Purpose
Watershed Projects," PA-575; and "Small Watershed Projects,"
PA- 1354.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: For
list of NRCS State offices with telephone numbers and addresses, see Appendix
IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office:
Watersheds and Wetlands Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. Telephone:
(202) 720-3534.
Web Site Address: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
To date, Federal assistance for installation has been
authorized on 1,651 watershed projects. This program provides technical and
financial assistance to State agencies and units of local government in
solving problems caused by flooding, erosion and sediment damage,
conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water, including the
development of multipurpose facilities for such uses as recreation,
improvement of fish and wild-life habitat, irrigation, and water supply to
municipal and industrial users.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
1) The watershed must meet the requirements of the law;
2) an approved watershed plan has been prepared; 3) the local sponsors should
indicate willingness to carry out a watershed project; 4) the project has
environmental, economic and social benefits that exceed the costs for a
favorable benefit-cost ratio; and 5) no critical environmental issues exist.
