Vision: Productive Lands—Healthy Environment Mission: Helping People Help the Land Guiding Principles

Service Technical Excellence Partnerships

Mission: Helping People Help the Land

Conservation PlanningConservation Planning Identifying Resources Concerns (SWAPA)Identifying Resources Concerns (SWAPA)

Soil ErosionSoil Erosion Water Quality and Water QuantityWater Quality and Water Quantity Animal HealthAnimal Health Plant HealthPlant Health Air QualityAir Quality

Choosing Practices that will address Choosing Practices that will address Resource ConcernsResource Concerns

Cost-Share ProgramsCost-Share Programs

Using Cost-Share to implement a conservation planUsing Cost-Share to implement a conservation plan

Participation Is VoluntaryParticipation Is Voluntary

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIPEQIP

Started as a cost-share program with 1996 Started as a cost-share program with 1996 Farm BillFarm Bill

Used to provide funding to address Used to provide funding to address environmental problemsenvironmental problems Erosion control Erosion control Water quality and quantityWater quality and quantity

PartnersPartners, , & Programs& Programs

Northwest Florida Mobile Irrigation LabNorthwest Florida Mobile Irrigation Lab Established Nov 2004Established Nov 2004 Performs initial evaluation of irrigation Performs initial evaluation of irrigation

systems and calculates the Potential Water systems and calculates the Potential Water Savings (PWS)Savings (PWS)

Performs follow-up evaluations and calculates Performs follow-up evaluations and calculates Actual Water Savings (AWS)Actual Water Savings (AWS)

Water savings in the Blue Springs BasinWater savings in the Blue Springs Basin PWS 889 MILLION gallons on 80 initial PWS 889 MILLION gallons on 80 initial

evaluationsevaluations

AWS 474 MILLION gallons on 56 follow-up AWS 474 MILLION gallons on 56 follow-up evaluationsevaluations

PartnersPartners, , && ProgramsPrograms

EQIPEQIP Cost-share available for improvement of Cost-share available for improvement of

existingexisting irrigation system’s efficiency (water irrigation system’s efficiency (water savings or reduced consumption)savings or reduced consumption)

Cost-share available to implement practices Cost-share available to implement practices that improve water qualitythat improve water quality

In 2009 NCRS developed a special fund In 2009 NCRS developed a special fund called the Springs Initiative. called the Springs Initiative.

Partners,Partners, & & ProgramsPrograms

15 contracts (= farmers that have voluntarily 15 contracts (= farmers that have voluntarily decided to improve irrigation efficiency) in 2009 decided to improve irrigation efficiency) in 2009 in the Blue Springs Basinin the Blue Springs Basin

>$444,>$444, 800 obligated 800 obligated >$280,000 paid to retrofit existing systems >$280,000 paid to retrofit existing systems

to improve irrigation efficiencyto improve irrigation efficiency Irrigation Water Management on >4,000 acIrrigation Water Management on >4,000 ac

Partners,Partners, & & ProgramsPrograms

BEFORE

AFTER

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?