Managing water resources in the American West can be challenging. Drought, aging infrastructure, and environmental requirements can strain existing resources. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and NRCS target funding to high priority water delivery agencies and on-farm irrigation improvements to better manage limited water resources under varying conditions.
NRCS can provide technical and financial assistance to eligible producers to install water use efficiency conservation practices on irrigated lands serviced by a water delivery agency where BOR WaterSMART funding was utilized to modernize existing infrastructure, follow this like for more information for FY20 WaterSMART boundaries.
The following sections include the applicable land uses, resource concerns, and conservation practices for the ranking pool.
Land Uses
The descriptions below are the general NRCS land use definitions - applications should fit within, but do not need to exactly match, these descriptions. Below are the applicable land uses for the ranking pool.
Crop: Land used primarily for the production and harvest of annual or perennial field, forage, food, fiber, horticultural, orchard, vineyard, or energy crops.
Pasture: Land composed of introduced or domesticated native forage species that is used primarily for the production of livestock. Pastures receive periodic renovation and cultural treatments, such as tillage, fertilization, mowing, weed control, and may be irrigated. Pastures are not in rotation with crops.
Farmstead: Land used for facilities and supporting infrastructure where farming, forestry, animal husbandry, and ranching activities are often initiated. This may include dwellings, equipment storage, plus farm input and output storage and handling facilities.
Associated Agricultural Lands: Land associated with farms and ranches that are not purposefully managed for food, forage, or fiber and are typically associated with nearby production or conservation lands. This could include incidental areas, such as odd areas, ditches and watercourses, riparian areas, field edges, seasonal and permanent wetlands, and other similar areas.
Irrigated: Where an operational irrigation system is present and managed to supply irrigation water.
Resource Concerns
The goal of conservation planning is to help each client attain sustainable use and sound management of soil, water, air, plant, animal, and energy resources, based on related human considerations (SWAPAE+H). Below is a list of priority resource concerns for the ranking pool.
For more information about EQIP, how to apply and program eligibility, interested applicants should contact a NRCS field office in the county which you own land or where you have an agricultural operation.
