The Future of the Watershed Approach—Rapid Watershed Assessments

Jan Surface

3rd National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration

July 23, 2009

NRCS Strategic Plan

Overarching Strategies

• Cooperative Conservation

• Watershed Approach• Watershed Approach

• Market-based Approach

Authority

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention

Act (P.L. 83-566) authorizes the Secretary

of Agriculture through the Natural of Agriculture through the Natural

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to

cooperate with other Federal, State, and

local agencies to plan and carry out work of

improvements for soil conservation and

other purposes

Three Programs under PL 83-566

• Watershed Surveys and Planning (Planning)

• Watershed Operations (Implementation)

• Watershed Rehabilitation (Repair)

Watershed Surveys and Planning Program

Addresses the following resource concerns:• Urban and rural community development

• Drought/water storage• Drought/water storage

• Erosion control

• Farmland protection

• Floodplain management

• Wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat

• Water quality

Investigation & Study Types

• P.L. 566 Watershed Plans

• Floodplain Management Studies• Floodplain Management Studies

• Flood Insurance Studies

• Cooperative River Basin Studies

• Watershed Inventory and Analyses

Appropriation ChartFiscal Year Appropriation

2001 $10,868,000

2002 $10,960,000

2003 $11,197,000

2004 $10,562,000

2005 $7,083,000

2006 $6,180,000

Watershed Surveys and Planning Program Appropriation

$10,000,000

$12,000,000

2006 $6,180,000

2007 $6,056,000

2008 $0

2009 $0

$0

$2,000,000

$4,000,000

$6,000,000

$8,000,000

$10,000,000

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Fiscal Year2010 President’s Budget: $0

Another Option for Watershed Planning

Rapid Watershed Assessments

Rapid Watershed Assessments

Provide a general picture

of resource concerns,

an estimate of the an estimate of the

conservation needs,

and an estimate of

funding needs as well

as potential sources of

funding.

Rapid Watershed Assessment Components

1. Watershed Resource ProfileResource Profile

2. Summary Assessment Matrix

RWA Watershed Resource ProfileTypical Elements in a Profile

•Physical Description

•Land Use Map

•Precipitation Map•Precipitation Map

•Common Resource Areas

•Resource Concerns

•Census and Social Data

•303d Impaired Waters

•Progress/Status

•References/Bibliography

RWA Summary Assessment MatrixContains:

• Current Conditions Table—detailing the current level of conservation in the watershed

• Future Conditions Table—identifying • Future Conditions Table—identifying appropriate suites of conservation practices needed to deal with the primary resource concerns for each major land use

• Summary Table—summarizing the various costs associated with the Resource Management System

WATERSHED NAME AND HUC NACHES, WA – 17030002 LANDUSE ACRES 4,854

LANDUSE TYPE Pasture, Irrigated TYPICAL UNIT SIZE 450

Assessment Information EST. PARTICIPATION 42%

Conservation Systems by Treatment Level

Bench-mark Future Conditions Resource Concerns

Total Units

Existing Units

New Treatment

UnitsTotal Units

Water Quantity

Water Quality

RMS System Rating -> 5 4

Irrigation System, Sprinkler (ac.) 442 437 1,878 0 1,878 4 1Irrigation System, Sprinkler (ac.) 442 437 1,878 0 1,878 4 1

Irrigation Water Conveyance, Pipeline (ft.) 430 1,079 4,638 0 4,638 5 0

Irrigation Water Management (ac.) 449 340 1,019 442 1,461 3 3

Nutrient Management (ac.) 590 340 1,019 442 1,461 0 5

Pasture & Hayland Planting (ac.) 512 146 553 73 626 2 2

Pest Management (ac.) 595 146 146 481 626 1 0

Pipeline (ft.) 516 216 928 0 928 3 0

Prescribed Grazing (ac.) 528 243 243 801 1,044 1 1

Pumping Plant (no.) 533 1 4 1 5 3 0

Residue Management, Seasonal (ac.) 344 146 146 481 626 1 -1

Water Well (no.) 642 1 1 4 5 2 0

Total Acreage at RMS Level 485 485 1602 2087

Number of RWAs funded by NHQ

FY Internal-

Nation

External-

Nation

Total

2006 87 47 1342006 87 47 134

2007 163 163

2008 110 110

Total 360 47 407

Rapid Watershed Assessment vs. PL-566 Planning

Rapid Watershed Assessment

– Rapid, Flexible

– Provides a platform for delivery of Farm Bill

PL-566 Planning

– Longer time to completion

– Must conform to Principles and Guidelines for Federal delivery of Farm Bill

programs

– Planning intensity is successive, based on resource need

– Provides a platform for Environmental Assessment

– Must conform to Principles and Guidelines for Federal funding

– Pre-determined level of planning intensity

– Typically requires Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement

Benefits of Rapid Watershed Assessment

1. Identifies resource needs and set priorities

2. Provides transparency to stakeholders

3. Provides useful information for all aspects of 3. Provides useful information for all aspects of

planning

4. Increases partner and stakeholder participation in

the planning process

5. Facilitates assessments of workload and costs

6. Provides a platform for Farm Bill delivery

• Setting Local Priorities for Farm Bill Programs 44%

• Prioritize Implementation of Conservation 68%

How are RWAs being used within each State?

Findings from 2006 Lessons Learned Questionnaire

• Prioritize Implementation of Conservation 68%

• Set Future Staffing Levels 20%

• Marketing Tool for Programs 44%

• Information Source for Grant Proposal 88%

• ID Partnerships to Leverage Funding 50%

• Platform for more extensive planning 76%

• NRCS 82% (Field 58%, Area 63%, State 79%, Multi-State 27%)

Who’s Using RWAs?

Findings from 2006 Lessons Learned Questionnaire

Multi-State 27%)

• Soil and Water Conservation Districts 68%

• State Technical Advisory Committee 18%

• Resource Conservation and Development 59%

• Local Work Groups 63%

• Federal Agencies 23%

• State Agencies 63%

• Non-profits 41%

Rapid Watershed Assessment Information on the Web

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/rwa/index.html

NRCS State RWA Info on the Web

• Arizona

• Colorado

• Delaware

• Idaho

• Pacific Islands

Area

• Pennsylvania

• South Carolina

• Michigan

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• Nebraska• Idaho

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Kansas

• Louisiana

• South Carolina

• Utah

• Virginia

• Washington

• Wisconsin

• Nebraska

• North Dakota

• Ohio

• Oklahoma

• Oregon

Questions/Comments

Contact Jan M. Surface

National Watershed PlannerNational Watershed Planner

202-690-3501

jan.surface@wdc.usda.gov