United States Department of Agriculture
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Watershed Surveys and Planning

  • Sponsoring local organizations can request that watershed project plans be authorized for Federal Watershed Operations funding assistance. 
  • Watershed plans involving Federal contributions in excess of $5,000,000 for contribution, or construction of any single structure having a capacity in excess of 2,500 acre feet, require Congressional approval. 
  • Other plans can be authorized for Federal funding by the Chief of NRCS. 
  • After approval, technical and financial assistance can be provided for installation of works of improvement specified in the plans, subject to annual appropriations, through Watershed Operations.

Watershed Operations

Watershed Operations assistance may be provided in authorized watershed projects to install conservation practices and project measures (works of improvement) throughout the watershed project area.  The planned works of improvement are described in watershed project plans and are normally scheduled to be installed over multiple years.  All works of improvement, including floodwater retarding dams and reservoirs, are owned and operated by the sponsoring local organizations and participating individuals.

Eligibility criteria for authorized watershed projects include:

  • Public sponsorship
  • Watershed projects up to 250,000 acres
  • Benefits that are directly related to agriculture, including rural communities, that are at least 20 percent of the total benefits of the project

Watershed Operations provides technical and financial assistance in authorized watershed projects which have public sponsors who:

  • Conduct public meetings to assure local involvement
  • Obtain all land and water rights and permits required for the installation of works of improvement
  • Provide local share of funds to install works of improvement
  • Operate and maintain works of improvement

Watershed Operations funds that may be available for watershed projects are subject to the following:

  • Annual Congressional appropriations
  • State and national resource priorities
  • Acquisition of land and water rights, permits
  • Local funding established for specific project measures
  • Completion of structural, agronomic, and vegetative designs for project measures
  • NRCS and the project sponsor approval of an Operation and Maintenance Agreement involving the measures to be installed

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