WCTSA Nutrient Management Planning Shared Services
This proposal will fund technical assistance for nutrient management planning to accelerate water quality improvements with the 12-county West Central Technical Service Area (WCTSA). A needs assessment identified an estimated 156 certified nutrient management plans that will be needed over a 3 year period. Of the 71 SWCD employees in the WCTSA, only 1 SWCD staff member is dedicated to nutrient management planning. To meet technical assistance needs, this grant will fund a Regional Planning Specialist (RPS) to address local resource concerns.
This proposal will fund technical assistance for nutrient management planning to accelerate water quality improvements with the 12-county West Central Technical Service Area (WCTSA). A needs assessment of the WCTSA identified an estimated 156 CNMPs that will be needed over a 3 year period. Of the 71 SWCD employees in the WCTSA, only 1 SWCD staff member is dedicated to nutrient management planning. Currently, there are approximately 1,450 miles of impaired stream and 132 impaired water bodies (covering 86,660 acres) in the WCTSA. This proposal will address this impairment by providing technical assistance for Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs). A CNMP contains records of the current activities on a livestock operation, an evaluation of the existing environmental risks, and proposals to reduce the risk of negative impacts to the environment. A nutrient management plan is part of a CNMP. A completed CNMP will accelerate waste storage facility and feedlot BMPs by making farmers eligible for federal funding for implementation and the lack of technical assistance for CNMPs has slowed progress for implementation. This accelerated technical assistance will improve water quality through the implementation of BMPs.
To accelerate this process, this grant will fund a Regional Planning Specialist (RPS) to address local resource concerns. The new position will be incorporated into the existing successful WCTSA conservation delivery partnership, which includes dedicated WCTSA engineering staff, local SWCD technical assistance, and NRCS partners.
A CNMP and waste storage project would result in a significant reduction of phosphorus, nitrogen, and bacteria to these impaired waters and protect those waters that are not impaired.
The RPS will work to eliminate the backlog and SWCD staff will receive training to ensure that a similar bottleneck does not return in future years doe to the need for accelerated technical assistance for CNMPs.
Annie Felix-Gerth
(c) $3,325,000 the first year and $4,275,000 the second year are for accelerated implementation, including local resource protection and enhancement grants and statewide program enhancements of supplements for technical assistance, citizen and community outreach, compliance, and training and certification.
-Estimated 156 CNMPs/Feedlot Projects and CNMPs
-3,120 pounds of phosphorus per year
-10,140 pounds of nitrogen per year
-Eliminate backlog of farmers waiting for CNMP
The grant funds funded working with 150 producers, 48 Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans were approved.
LOCAL LEVERAGED FUNDS