News Release
Regional Conservation Partnership Program Working for North Dakota
Contact:
Tanya Koch, 701.530.2096
tanya.koch@nd.usda.gov
Bismarck, ND, June 10, 2016–USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Red River Retention Authority (RRRA) provide funds for watershed planning for agricultural lands through local Water Resource Districts through a new Farm Bill program named Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
In 2014, the RRRA was a successful applicant to RCPP receiving approximately 12 million dollars to assist in their goal of reducing flooding for agricultural lands in the Red River Basin. RCPP is a new, comprehensive and flexible program that uses partnerships to stretch and multiply conservation investments and reach conservation goals on a regional or watershed scale.
The RRRA focus is on water quantity, water quality, and wildlife habitat for lands in the Red River Basin for both North Dakota and Minnesota. They have a goal to reduce flooding in the basin by 20 percent and hope to create 1 million acre-feet of flood water retention.
Funds from NRCS’ RCPP program will add value to the State and local partners responsible for managing water. The following watershed sponsors and their corresponding watershed projects signed cooperative agreements with NRCS in North Dakota:
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Cass County Joint WRD - Rush River Watershed
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Cass County Joint WRD - Swan Creek Watershed
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Cass County Joint WRD - Upper Maple River Watershed
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Park River Joint WRD - North Branch Park River Watershed
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Pembina County WRD - Tongue River Watershed
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Richland County WRD - North Branch Antelope Creek Watershed
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Sargent County WRD - Shortfoot Creek Watershed
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Forest River Joint WRD - Forest River Watershed
“There are many efforts in the Red River Valley to control or manage water for a variety of purposes. RCPP funds are intended to help reduce flood damages to agricultural lands and rural infrastructure through local partners and locally identified resource concerns. In addition to the funding, RRRA, WRD and NRCS are bringing technical expertise to work with landowners and community members for a safe, sustainable future to agriculture” states Mary Podoll, State Conservationist for USDA-NRCS.
“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is providing a great opportunity for the local watershed residents to plan and implement flood damage reduction projects that address their local needs” says Gary Thompson, Co-Chairman of the Red River Retention Authority. Thompson also stated that by utilizing the RCPP watershed planning process water resource districts are better able to address many of the environmental compliance and permitting issues associated with large water resource projects.
RCPP has great potential to assist Tribes, State and local organizations to address natural resource concerns for soil, water quality, energy, irrigation, tree plantings for a variety of resource needs, streambank erosion, animal waste management, and other ag-related stewardship. Partners are the key to success in obtaining financial and technical assistance funds; producers and land owners are the key to success for a healthy watershed. For more information on RCPP and other stewardship programs visit our website at www.nd.nrcs.usda.gov.
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