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 97-98, 95 Stat. 1213; Public
Law 99-662, 100 Stat. 4196; Public Law 101-624, 104 Stat. 3359.
To provide planning assistance to Federal, State, and
local agencies for the development of coordinated water and related land
resources programs in watersheds and river basins. Priority will be given to
studies which: (1) Contribute to achieving the National Conservation Program
high priority objectives; (2) have a high likelihood of being implemented; (3)
will be implemented with no or relatively little Federal assistance; (4) have
State and local assistance in the study; and (5) are of short duration (2 to 4
years) and (6) low cost. Special priority is given to the objective of setting
priorities in helping to solve problems of upstream rural community flooding,
water quality improvement coming from agricultural nonpoint sources, wetland
preservation and drought management for agriculture and rural communities.
Special emphasis is given to assisting communities which desire to adopt
floodplain management regulations to meet the requirements of the National
Flood Insurance Program and State agencies in developing a strategic water
resource plan.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Provision of Specialized Services. Place Cursor Here for Definition
Advisory Services and Counseling. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Technical assistance is provided to sponsoring
organizations for planning activities to help solve water and related land
resources problems. It is available through disciplines such as engineering,
economics, social sciences, agronomy, range management, forestry, biology,
hydrology, archaeology, landscape architecture, waste management, recreation,
etc.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Any
local or State water resource agency or other Federal agency concerned with
water and related land resource development, counties, municipalities, town or
township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood
control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization or nonprofit
organization. USDA participation is based on a cooperative effort with a
sponsoring organization(s). State and local agencies are expected to
participate in the studies and to fund their own activities. This program is
also available in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the
Mariana Islands and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Any local or State water resource agency or other Federal agency concerned
with water and related land resource development that can benefit from the
development of alternative plans and recommendations.
Credentials/Documentation:
Requests for assistance must designate the proposed study area, describe the
basic planning and/or study objective, and indicate joint participation and be
signed and attested to by all applicants.
Pre-application Coordination:
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
Application materials and information are available in all NRCS offices. This
program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. The letter of
request addressed to the appropriate State Conservationist of the Natural
Resources Conservation Service.
Award Procedure: Not
applicable.
Deadlines: None.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
Receipt of request is acknowledged when received by the State Conservationist.
Appeals: Not applicable.
Renewals: Not applicable.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
Each cooperating agency is to fund its own participation. The extent of
participation and funding are to be defined in a plan of work that establishes
the basis for the study effort.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
The length of the study is defined in the plan of work. It is subject to some
modification, depending on the availability of funds to each of the
cooperating agencies. Federal assistance for planning is provided as rapidly
as possible depending on availability of funds and personnel resources.
Sponsors are encouraged to focus their studies on a limited number of critical
problems of special concern nationally, such as flood damage reduction,
erosion control, water conservation, preservation of wetlands, and water
quality improvement. Short duration, low cost studies that support ongoing
State and local programs are encouraged.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Interim reports may
be prepared during the study. Final reports are prepared at the completion of
each study. Post study assistance may be provided through the operations phase
of this program (see program no. 10.904).
Audits: Not applicable.
Records: Not applicable.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
12-1066-0-1-301.
Obligations: (Salaries and
expenses) FY 01 $10,774,067; FY 02 est $10,960,000; and FY 03 est $0.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
Not applicable.
USDA has cooperated with local, State, and concerned
Federal agencies in the preparation and updating of State water resource plans
and other water, land, and related studies for floodplain management and flood
prevention. There have been over 1,660 watershed plans and 550 flood insurance
studies, 602 floodplain management studies (detailed studies), 461 cooperative
river basin studies (broad based studies), and 171 resource plans completed
under this program since it was authorized in 1954.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Regulations for the program are found in 7 CFR 621 and
622. Guidelines and policy is contained in the National Watersheds Manual (NWSM),
National Basin and Area Planning Manual (NRBM), and NRCS General Manual (GM)
150-Basin and Area Planning, Part 401. Literature available through the NRCS
include "What the Natural Resources Conservation Service Does,"
SCS-CI-3; "Local- State-Federal Watershed Projects," SCS-CI-4;
"Multiple-Purpose Watershed Projects," PA-575.
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:
(1) New York City Watershed Cooperative River Basin
Study to assess agriculturally related non-point source pollution affecting
the quality of water for 1/2 of New York's population. The State of New York
will analyze the data collected and develop a comprehensive protection plan
with strategies for addressing the water quality concerns; (2) in New Castle
Counties Delaware, the Central Pencader flood plain management study was
initiated to guide land use, zoning, and subdivision decisions to develop
sound flood plain and storm water management practices. The local government
will use the flood hazard analysis and flood plain information to direct major
development activities in a responsible manner; (3) State strategic water
management plan for N. D. has been instrumental in organizing a State water
quality task force for prioritizing and addressing natural resource problems
and opportunities on a watershed basis.
