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2004 Conservation Security Program (CSP)

General Program Information

CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The program is available in all 50 States, the Caribbean Area and the Pacific Basin area. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic location.



Blue Earth River Watershed

The Blue Earth River Watershed in south-central Minnesota and northern Iowa is one of 18 watersheds in the nation selected for the new Conservation Security Program (CSP) in 2004.
The Blue Earth Watershed includes parts of Martin, Faribault, Blue Earth, Freeborn, Jackson, Watonwan, and Cottonwood counties in Minnesota and Emmet, Kossuth and Winnebago counties in Iowa. The total watershed comprises approximately 1 million acres with almost 80% located in Minnesota.

The predominant land cover/use is cropland, with the major crops being corn and soybeans. The remaining acres are divided between pastureland, forest, developed land, water and other miscellaneous land.

Land Cover/Use
Land Use Iowa Acres Minnesota Acres Total Acres
Cropland 192,900 665,000 858,300
Pasture 1,300 22,800 24,100
Forest 0 31,300 31,300
Developed 5,600 37,400 43,000
Water 1,600 18,600 20,200
Other 8,200 28,100 36,300
Total 209,600 803,600 1,013,200


 

This document requires Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word

Informational Meeting Schedule

Adobe Acrobat DocumentBlue Earth Watershed Schedule of CSP Producer Meetings (57 KB)

Application Process

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentCSP Application Process Flowchart (177 KB)

Payment and Cost Lists

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentStewardship Rates and Payments for Cropland (Irrigated and Non-Irrigated) and Grazing Lands for FY 2004 Signup (36 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentNew Practice Cost List for FY 2004 Signup (51 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentEnhancement Payment List for FY 2004 Signup (92 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentDRAFT Blue Earth Watershed Cost List (41 KB)

Select Enhancement Jobsheets

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentAir (71 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentNutrient Management (159 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPest Management (48 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSoil Quality (60 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentWildlife (186)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentEnergy Audit and Recycling On Farm Lubricants (144 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRenewable Fuel and Energy Generation (222 KB) Adobe Acrobat DocumentOther (477 KB)

News Releases

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentBlue Earth River Watershed Selected for CSP 5/19/04 (117 KB)

Maps

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap showing the location of the Blue Earth River Watershed (492 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMap showing the location of the Blue Earth Watershed with Minnesota Public Land Survey (726 KB)

Detailed County Maps,  including section and township reference boundaries

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentBlue Earth County, MN (280 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentCottonwood and Watonwan Counties, MN (150 KB)Adobe Acrobat DocumentEmmet County, IA (200 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentFaribault County, MN (316 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentFreeborn County, MN (194 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentJackson County, MN (223 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentKossuth County, IA (192 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentMartin County, MN (376 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentWinnebago County, IA (194 KB)

Fact Sheets

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentCropland Fact Sheet (185 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentPastureland Fact Sheet (168 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentBlue Earth River Watershed Fact Sheet (53 KB)

Blue Earth Watershed Field Office Talking Points

 Blue Earth River Watershed Field Office Talking Points (28 KB)

Water Quality

 Adobe Acrobat DocumentNutrient Management Information (119 LB_
Adobe Acrobat DocumentWater Quality Requirements (43 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentWater Quality Checklist (47 KB)

National Information

Links to More Information About the Blue Earth Watershed

Program Contacts - Minnesota

Paul Flynn
State Resource Conservationist
Phone: 651-602-7870
Email: paul.flynn@mn.usda.gov

Robin Martinek
Agronomist
Phone: 651-602-7866
Email: robin.martinek@mn.usda.gov

 

Program Contacts - Iowa

Dennis Pate
Assistant State Conservationist (Technology)
Phone: 515-284-4769
Email: dennis.pate@ia.usda.gov

Tom O'Connor
Rural Development Forester
Phone: 515-323-2224
Email: tom.oconnor@ia.usda.gov