The USDA Working Group on Water Resources is composed of representatives from USDA agencies involved with various water issues. The group fosters communication and collaboration among USDA agencies and other organizations on water-related topics.

Water Quality: A Report of Progress
Describes the department's efforts and accomplishments since 1990 in reducing agricultural nonpoint-source pollution; published September 1997.

Agriculture and the Environment: Information on and Characteristics of Selected Watershed Projects (PDF | 435 KB)
A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that examined the effects of agricultural production on water quality; focus is on lessons learned from nine innovative, successful watershed projects that reduced pollution. (Letter Report, 06/30/95, GAO/RCED-95-218)

Communication and Adoption Evaluation of USDA Water Quality Demonstration Projects
An executive summary of a report that evaluates eight USDA Water Quality Demonstration Projects initiated in 1990. The evaluation rates the projects' early performance in accelerating producer adoption of designated best management practices. Recommendations are given to improve workings at both the state project level and the USDA national program level. [Published Oct 1997]

Management Systems Evaluation Areas
Brief MSEA project reports from the USDA Working Group on Water Quality's Waterfax series.

1. Iowa Management System Evaluation Area
   (Treynor, Walnut Creek, and Nashua sites)
2. Minnesota Management System Evaluation Area
   (Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and North Dakota sites)
3. Mississippi Management System Evaluation Area
   (Greenwood sites)
4. Missouri Management System Evaluation Area
   (Goodwater Creek)
5. Nebraska Management System Evaluation Area
   (Shelton site)
6. North Carolina Management System Evaluation Area
   (Kenansville site)
7. Ohio Management System Evaluation Area
   (Hoytville, Wooster, and Piketon sites)