Learn about the information provided in conservation practice standards and supporting documents, such as overviews, worksheets, and network effects diagrams.
Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of Conservation Practices
NRCS is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to 32 national conservation practice standards as part of the Federal Register Notice posting with docket number NRCS-2026-0034. Comments should be submitted via regulations.gov or via mail by July 6, 2026.. See Federal Register notice.
The following links are to the proposed full text documents (PDF) for the conservation practice standards open for comment:
Proposed CPS
311 NHCP CPS Alley Cropping 2026 FR
315 NHCP CPS Herbaceous Weed Treatment 2026 FR
317 NHCP CPS Composting Facility 2026 FR
318 NHCP CPS Short Term Storage of Animal Waste and By-Products 2026 FR
319 NHCP CPS On-Farm Secondary Containment Facility 2026 FR
338 NHCP CPS Prescribed Burning 2026 FR
351 NHCP CPS Well Decommissioning 2026 FR
353 NHCP CPS Monitoring Well 2026 FR
372 NHCP CPS Combustion System Improvement 2026 FR
373 NHCP CPS Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and Surfaces 2026 FR
374 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Agricultural Operation 2026 FR
381 NHCP CPS Silvopasture 2026 FR
395 NHCP CPS Stream Habitat Improvement and Management 2026 FR
450 NHCP CPS Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Application 2026 FR
460 NHCP CPS Land Clearing 2026 FR
464 NHCP CPS Irrigation Land Leveling 2026 FR
490 NHCP CPS Tree-Shrub Site Preparation 2026 FR
513 NHCP CPS Annual Forages For Grazing Systems 2026 Fr
516 NHCP CPS Livestock Pipeline 2026 FR
555 NHCP CPS Rock Wall Terrace 2026 FR
557 NHCP CPS Row Arrangement 2026 FR
574 NHCP CPS Spring Development 2026 FR
575 NHCP CPS Trails and Walkways 2026 FR
591 NHCP CPS Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste 2026 FR
627 NHCP CPS Wastewater Treatment Milk House 2026 FR
629 NHCP CPS Waste Treatment 2026 FR
632 NHCP CPS Waste Separation Facility 2026 FR
640 NHCP CPS Waterspreading 2026 FR
642 NHCP CPS Water Well 2026 FR
654 NHCP CPS Road-Trail-Landing Closure and Treatment 2026 FR
670 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Lighting System 2026 FR
672 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Building Envelope 2026 FR
Redline
311 NHCP CPS Alley Cropping 2026 Redline
315 NHCP CPS Herbaceous Weed Treatment 2026 Redline
317 NHCP CPS Composting Facility 2026 Redline
318 NHCP CPS Short Term Storage of Animal Waste and By-Products 2026 Redline
319 NHCP CPS On-Farm Secondary Containment Facility 2026 Redline
338 NHCP CPS Prescribed Burning 2026 Redline
351 NHCP CPS Well Decommissioning 2026 Redline
353 NHCP CPS Monitoring Well 2026 Redline
372 NHCP CPS Combustion System Improvement 2026 Redline
373 NHCP CPS Dust Control on Unpaved Roads and Surfaces 2026 Redline
374 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Agricultural Operation 2026 Redline
381 NHCP CPS Silvopasture 2026 Redline
395 NHCP CPS Stream Habitat Improvement and Management 2026 Redline
450 NHCP CPS Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Application 2026 Redline
460 NHCP CPS Land Clearing 2026 Redline
464 NHCP CPS Irrigation Land Leveling 2026 Redline
490 NHCP CPS Tree-Shrub Site Preparation 2026 Redline
516 NHCP CPS Livestock Pipeline 2026 Redline
555 NHCP CPS Rock Wall Terrace 2026 Redline
557 NHCP CPS Row Arrangement 2026 Redline
574 NHCP CPS Spring Development 2026 Redline
575 NHCP CPS Trails and Walkways 2026 Redline
591 NHCP CPS Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste 2026 Redline
627 NHCP CPS Wastewater Treatment Milk House 2026 Redline
629 NHCP CPS Waste Treatment 2026 Redline
632 NHCP CPS Waste Separation Facility 2026 Redline
640 NHCP CPS Waterspreading 2026 Redline
642 NHCP CPS Water Well 2026 Redline
654 NHCP CPS Road-Trail-Landing Closure and Treatment 2026 Redline
670 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Lighting System 2026 Redline
672 NHCP CPS Energy Efficient Building Envelope 2026 Redline
Stakeholder Engagement on Draft Changes to Conservation Practice Standards
NRCS is updating our Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) to ensure the technical assistance we deliver is relevant, flexible, and truly addresses the resource concerns affecting producers’ operations. We are seeking input on draft revisions to 48 national CPS. Below you will find a list of the CPS and links to the redline documents. Submit comments via CPS Feedback by July 9, 2026.
This effort supports Chief Buckley’s priority to strengthen field engagement and put farmers first. The linked PDF documents are pre decisional and deliberative.
Stakeholder Redlines
The following linked documents (PDF) are pre-decisional and deliberative.
309 NHCP CPS Agrichemical Handling Facility 2026 Redline Stakeholder
314 NHCP CPS Brush Management 2026 Redline Stakeholder
325 NHCP CPS High Tunnel System 2026 Redline Stakeholder
330 NHCP CPS Contour Farming 2026 Redline Stakeholder
336 NHCP CPS Soil Carbon Amendment 2026 Redline Stakeholder
342 NHCP CPS Critical Area Planting 2026 Redline Stakeholder
348 NHCP CPS DAM Diversion 2026 Redline Stakeholder
350 NHCP CPS Sediment Basin 2026 Redline Stakeholder
360 NHCP CPS Waste Facility Closure 2026 Redline Stakeholder
371 NHCP CPS Air Filtration and Scrubbing 2026 Redline Stakeholder
380 NHCP CPS Windbreak-Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation 2026 Redline Stakeholder
382 NHCP CPS Fence 2026 Redline Stakeholder
391 NHCP CPS Riparian Forest Buffer 2026 Redline Stakeholder
397 NHCP CPS Aquaculture Pond 2026 Redline Stakeholder
400 NHCP CPS Bivalve Aquaculture Gear and Biofouling Control 2026 Redline Stakeholder
402 NHCP CPS Dam 2026 Redline Stakeholder
410 NHCP CPS Grade Stabilization Structure 2026 Redline Stakeholder
412 NHCP CPS Grassed Waterway 2026 Redline Stakeholder
420 NHCP CPS Wildlife Habitat Planting 2026 Redline Stakeholder
432 NHCP Dry Hydrant 2026 Redline Stakeholder
436 NHCP CPS Irrigation Reservior 2026 Redline Stakeholder
441 NHCP CPS Irrigation System Microirrigation 2026 Redline Stakeholder
442 NHCP CPS Sprinkler System 2026 Redline Stakeholder
462 NHCP CPS Precision Land Forming and Smoothing 2026 Redline Stakeholder
511 NHCP CPS Forage Harvest Management 2026 Redline Stakeholder
512 NHCP CPS Pasture and Hay Planting 2026 Redline Stakeholder
520 NHCP CPS Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Soil Treatment 2026 Redline Stakeholder
522 NHCP CPS Pond Sealing or Lining, Concrete 2026 Redline Redline Stakeholder
527 NHCP CPS Sinkhole Treatment 2026 Redline Stakeholder
558 NHCP CPS Roof Runoff Structure 2026 Redline Stakeholder
560 NHCP CPS Access Road 2026 Redline Stakeholder
561 NHCP CPS Heavy Use Area Protection 2026 Redline Stakeholder
570 NHCP CPS Stormwater Runoff Control 2026 Redline Stakeholder
580 NHCP CPS Streambank and Shoreline Protection 2026 Redline Stakeholder
584 NHCP CPS Channel Bed Stabilization 2026 Redline Stakeholder
588 NHCP CPS Cross Wind Ridges 2026 Redline Stakeholder
590 NHCP CPS Nutrient Management 2026 Redline Redline Stakeholder
595 NHCP CPS Pest Management Conservation System 2026 Redline Stakeholder
605 NHCP CPS Denitrifying Bioreactor 2026 Redline Stakeholder
607 NHCP CPS Surface Drain, Field Ditch 2026 Redline Stakeholder
610 NHCP CPS Saline and Sodic Soil Management 2026 Redline Stakeholder
634 NHCP CPS Waste Transfer 2026 Redline Stakeholder
636 NHCP CPS Water Harvesting Catchment 2026 Redline Stakeholder
641 NHCP CPS On Farm Recharge 2026 Redline Stakeholder
643 NHCP CPS Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities 2026 Redline Stakeholder
647 NHCP CPS Early Successional Habitat Development 2026 Redline Stakeholder
649 NHCP CPS Structures for Wildlife 2026 Redline Stakeholder
659 NHCP CPS Wetland Enhancement 2026 Redline Stakeholder
About Conservation Practice Standards and Supporting Documents
- Conservation Practice Standard
- Conservation Practice Overview
- Conservation Practice Physical Effects
- Conservation Practice Implementation Requirements
- Network Effects Diagrams
Conservation Practice Standard
The conservation practice standard contains information on why and where the practice is applied, and it sets forth the minimum planning criteria that must be met during the implementation of that practice in order for it to achieve its intended purpose(s).
The national conservation practice standards should not be used to plan, design, or install a conservation practice. You must have the conservation practice standard adapted and modified by the state in which you are working to insure that you meet all state and local criteria, which may be more restrictive than national criteria.
State conservation practice standards are available through the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). If no state conservation practice standard is available in the FOTG, you should contact the appropriate State Office or your local USDA Service Center.
Updated or new national conservation practice standards are released with National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP) notices. Access the NHCP notices in eDirectives.
Conservation Practice Overview
The conservation practice overview contains a photograph of the installed practice, plus a definition or description of the practice, where it is commonly used and a brief description of the conservation effects of this practice when it is properly applied.
Conservation Practice Physical Effects
The conservation practice physical effects (CPPE) document provides guidance on how the application of that practice will affect the resources (soil, water, air, plants, animals, energy, and human) and the resource concerns associated with each of those resources. The worksheet that is on the server reflects the best estimate of the effects, either positive or negative, of that practice on the resource concerns. Access the National CPPE tool for selecting conservation practices.
Conservation Practice Implementation Requirements
The conservation practice implementation requirements provide detailed guidance on the implementation of the practice and contain worksheets that can be used to document the practice plan and design for a specific site. National conservation practice implementation requirements are available for a limited number of practices.
Network Effects Diagrams
NRCS prepares network diagrams for practices, or related sets of practices which act together to achieve desired purposes. Network diagrams are flow charts of direct, indirect and cumulative effects resulting from implementation of the practices. Completed network diagrams are an overview of expert consensus on the direct, indirect and cumulative effects of installing proposed practice installation. They show the potential positive and negative outcomes of practice implementation, and are useful as a reference point for next steps, and as a communication tool with partners and the public.