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Wetlands on Muddy Creek in Cascade County, Montana

Cascade County

Cascade County in Central Montana has an area of 2,711 square miles and a population of 82,278. The Missouri River flows through the county from southwest to northeast, with the Great Falls of the Missouri located in north-central Cascade County. The city of Great Falls is one of the largest in Montana. The Little Belt Mountains in the southeast part of the county and the Big Belt Mountains in the southwest are higher in elevation and precipitation than the more northern portion of Cascade County.

Most of the land in Cascade County is privately owned. Prime farmland is limited. Range is the dominant land use at 60 percent, followed by dryland and irrigated crop/fallow/hay at 32 percent and commercial forest at eight percent. The NRCS office, located in Great Falls, offers voluntary technical and financial assistance to private landowners interested in natural resource conservation based on a focused approach using long range planning with local input.

Current Financial Assistance Opportunities for Cascade County Landowners​​

In addition to these local projects, producers may also apply for statewide programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program, national Environmental Quality Incentives Program initiatives, and conservation easement programs. For more information on these and other programs, see State Programs and Initiatives on the NRCS Montana webpage.

Cascade County Long Range Plan

NRCS in Montana uses a Focused Conservation strategy to address priority natural resource concerns across the state using Targeted Implementation Plans. It all begins with a long range plan. Each local NRCS field office develops a long range plan with input from landowners, partners, land managers, and others to identify and prioritize natural resource concerns in the county. Based on those plans, NRCS works with stakeholders to determine what conservation practices will be needed to address the resource concerns. Long range plans are updated to reflect the changing needs and objectives of the county’s natural resources.

Cascade County Long Range Plan 2023 (1.02 MB)

Find Your Local Service Center

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices.

Additional Information

Cascade County Local Working Group

The Cascade Conservation District is hosting a meeting to gather input from local stakeholders to help prioritize natural resource concerns and guide NRCS funding opportunities.

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Montana Focused Conservation

In Montana, NRCS uses a “Focused Conservation” strategy to guide its EQIP investments. Montana Focused Conservation begins with goals identified in local-level Long Range Plans. Based on those plans, NRCS develops Targeted Implementation Plans (TIPs) to guide on-the-ground implementation.

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What's Available in My Montana County?

Current local financial assistance opportunities in Montana, listed by county. In addition to the local opportunities, producers may also apply for statewide and national programs.

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Montana Programs and Application Dates

Program applications are accepted on a continual basis, however, NRCS establishes application dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. Applications received after the date will be automatically deferred to the next funding period.

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