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10.906 WATERSHED SURVEYS AND PLANNING

(Small Watershed Program; PL-566; Watershed Surveys andPlanning)

FEDERAL AGENCY

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AUTHORIZATION

Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public Law 83-566, 68 Stat. 666, as amended: Public Law 84-1018, 70 Stat. 1088; Public Law 85-624, 72 Stat. 563; Public Law 85-865, 72 Stat. 1605; Public Law 86-468, 74 Stat. 131, 132; Public Law 86-545, 74 Stat. 254; Public Law 87-170, 75 Stat. 408; Public Law 87-703, 76 Stat. 608; Public Law 89-337, 79 Stat. 1300; Public Law 90-361, 82 Stat. 250; Public Law 97-98, 95 Stat. 1213; Public Law 99-662, 100 Stat. 4196; Public Law 101-624, 104 Stat. 3359.

OBJECTIVES

To provide planning assistance to Federal, State, and local agencies for the development of coordinated water and related land resources programs in watersheds and river basins. Priority will be given to studies which: (1) Contribute to achieving the National Conservation Program high priority objectives; (2) have a high likelihood of being implemented; (3) will be implemented with no or relatively little Federal assistance; (4) have State and local assistance in the study; and (5) are of short duration (2 to 4 years) and (6) low cost. Special priority is given to the objective of setting priorities in helping to solve problems of upstream rural community flooding, water quality improvement coming from agricultural nonpoint sources, wetland preservation and drought management for agriculture and rural communities. Special emphasis is given to assisting communities which desire to adopt floodplain management regulations to meet the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program and State agencies in developing a strategic water resource plan.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE

Provision of Specialized Services; Advisory Services and Counseling.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS

Technical assistance is provided to sponsoring organizations for planning activities to help solve water and related land resources problems. It is available through disciplines such as engineering, economics, social sciences, agronomy, range management, forestry, biology, hydrology, archaeology, landscape architecture, waste management, recreation, etc.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicant Eligibility

Any local or State water resource agency or other Federal agency concerned with water and related land resource development, counties, municipalities, town or township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization or nonprofit organization. USDA participation is based on a cooperative effort with a sponsoring organization(s). State and local agencies are expected to participate in the studies and to fund their own activities. This program is also available in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Any local or State water resource agency or other Federal agency concerned with water and related land resource development that can benefit from the development of alternative plans and recommendations.

Credentials/Documentation

Requests for assistance must designate the proposed study area, describe the basic planning and/or study objective, and indicate joint participation and be signed and attested to by all applicants.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS

Preapplication Coordination

None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

Application materials and information are available in all NRCS offices. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. The letter of request addressed to the appropriate State Conservationist of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Award Procedure

Not applicable.

Deadlines

None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Receipt of request is acknowledged when received by the State Conservationist.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Not applicable.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS

Formula and Matching Requirements

Each cooperating agency is to fund its own participation. The extent of participation and funding are to be defined in a plan of work that establishes the basis for the study effort.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The length of the study is defined in the plan of work. It is subject to some modification, depending on the availability of funds to each of the cooperating agencies. Federal assistance for planning is provided as rapidly as possible depending on availability of funds and personnel resources. Sponsors are encouraged to focus their studies on a limited number of critical problems of special concern nationally, such as flood damage reduction, erosion control, water conservation, preservation of wetlands, and water quality improvement. Short duration, low cost studies that support ongoing State and local programs are encouraged.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

Reports

Interim reports may be prepared during the study. Final reports are prepared at the completion of each study. Post study assistance may be provided through the operations phase of this program (see program no. 10.904).

Audits

Not applicable.

Records

Not applicable.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Account Identification

12-1066-0-1-301.

Obligations

(Salaries and expenses) FY 04 $9,802,916; FY 05 est $7,026,336; and FY 06 est $5,141,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Not applicable.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

USDA has cooperated with local, State, and concerned Federal agencies in the preparation and updating of State water resource plans and other water, land, and related studies for floodplain management and flood prevention. There have been over 1,660 watershed plans and 550 flood insurance studies, 602 floodplain management studies (detailed studies), 461 cooperative river basin studies (broad based studies), and 171 resource plans completed under this program since it was authorized in 1954.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE

Regulations for the program are found in 7 CFR 621 and 622. Guidelines and policy is contained in the National Watersheds Manual (NWSM), National Basin and Area Planning Manual (NRBM), and NRCS General Manual (GM) 150-Basin and Area Planning, Part 401. Literature available through the NRCS include "What the Natural Resources Conservation Service Does," SCS-CI-3; "Local- State-Federal Watershed Projects," SCS-CI-4; "Multiple-Purpose Watershed Projects," PA-575.

INFORMATION CONTACTS

Regional or Local Office

For list of NRCS State offices with telephone numbers and addresses, see Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office

Watersheds and Wetlands Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. Telephone: (202) 720-3534.

Web Site Address

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS

(1) New York City Watershed Cooperative River Basin Study to assess agriculturally related non-point source pollution affecting the quality of water for 1/2 of New York's population. The State of New York will analyze the data collected and develop a comprehensive protection plan with strategies for addressing the water quality concerns; (2) in New Castle Counties Delaware, the Central Pencader flood plain management study was initiated to guide land use, zoning, and subdivision decisions to develop sound flood plain and storm water management practices. The local government will use the flood hazard analysis and flood plain information to direct major development activities in a responsible manner; (3) State strategic water management plan for N. D. has been instrumental in organizing a State water quality task force for prioritizing and addressing natural resource problems and opportunities on a watershed basis.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS

Not applicable.