FY08 EQIP Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) - Oregon

About the EQIP/GSWC Program

The Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) portion of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides assistance to farmers to conserve ground and surface water in their agricultural operations.

Through EQIP/GSWC, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides assistance to producers to carry out eligible water conservation activities to improve groundwater and surface water conservation. Activities may include improving irrigation systems, enhancing irrigation efficiencies, converting to the production of less water intensive agricultural commodities, converting to dryland farming, improving the storage of water through such measures as water banking
and groundwater recharge, and mitigating the effects of drought. Activities must result in a net savings of groundwater or surface water resources in the agricultural operation of the producer.

EQIP/GSWC is authorized  through the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill). Funding for EQIP/GSWC comes from the Commodity Credit Corporation.

GSWC applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process, as are regular EQIP applications. Local offices periodically announce a cutoff date when applications are ranked for funding.

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Current Application Cut-Off Dates
 

There is no current cut-off date announced.  Applications are accepted on a continual basis and will be evaluated for funding at a later date.

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How GSWC Works

GSWC follows the same operating rules as EQIP, except GSWC limits eligible conservation practices to those that will result in a net savings of ground and surface water.  The objective of EQIP, optimize environmental benefits, is achieved through a process that begins with the definition of National priorities. The National priorities are:

• Reduction of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity, in impaired watersheds, consistent with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) where available, as well as reduction of groundwater contamination and conservation of ground and surface water resources;
• Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters, that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;
• Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land; and
• Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

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Technical and Financial Assistance

Technical Assistance:  NRCS provides conservation planning expertise to help applicants identify conservation measures suited for the land and land use. In addition, NRCS provides program participants with expertise for structural practice design and development of management strategies to address natural resource needs.

One-Time Practice Payments:  Program participants may receive a one-time practice payment to offset the costs of certain conservation practices, such as grassed waterways, filter strips, manure management facilities, capping abandoned wells, and other practices important to improving and maintaining the health of natural resources in the area.

Incentive Payments: In addition, incentive payments may be made through EQIP/GSWC to encourage land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, irrigation water management, and wildlife habitat management. These payments may be provided for up to three years.

Limited Resource Producers and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Those who qualify as limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for EQIP payments that are 30 percent above the actual contract amount. Click here for more information on limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers.

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Practice Payment List

The file below includes all practices and activities with the corresponding EQIP and GSWC payments for NRCS in Oregon. Some practices are applicable only in certain areas, based on local conservation priorities.

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FY 2008 Oregon EQIP Practice Payment List  (128 KB) -- New!  Updated October 19, 2007

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Eligibility

Land Eligibility:  Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture, private non-industrial forestland, and other working farm or ranch lands.

Applicant Eligibility:  To be eligible for the program applicants must:

• Be an agricultural producer engaged in livestock or agricultural production:
• Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill; Provide the Social Security number of all individuals who will benefit from the assistance;
• Meet the Adjusted Gross Income provision of the 2002 Farm Bill;
• Have an interest in the farming operation associated with the land being offered for EQIP/GSWC enrollment;
• Have control of the land for the term of the EQIP/GSWC contract; and
• Be within appropriate payment limitation requirements. (The 2002 Farm Bill limits the total amount of conservation program payments paid to an individual or entity to an aggregate of $450,000, directly or indirectly, for all contracts.)

For more detailed information on program eligibility, go to the NRCS Directives web page at: http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/  Under "Manuals," select "Title 440 Programs," then select "Part 515 Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Subpart F: Program Eligibility."

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Application Evaluation and Ranking

Priorities for EQIP/GSWC funding are established locally, based on locally identified natural resource needs consistent with state and national priorities. Local Work Groups convened by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) provide advice to NRCS about natural resource issues and priorities within their counties. EQIP applications are evaluated based on these county priorities and are then prioritized for funding.

Applications that best address local issues are prioritized for funding. Local issues, organized by basin, are provided through the links below:

Central Coast Upper Willamette Basin
Deschutes Basin
High Desert Basin
John Day / Umatilla Basin
Lower Willamette Basin
North Coast Basin
Snake River Basin
Southwest Oregon Basin

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Program Requirements

NRCS works with each program participant to develop an EQIP plan of operations. This plan becomes the basis of the agreement between NRCS and the participant. NRCS provides program payments to landowners through contracts that can have a minimum term of one year after implementation of the last scheduled practices and a maximum term of ten years. Participants must complete activities as outlined in the EQIP plan of operations in order to receive program payments.

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How to Apply

To apply for the EQIP/GSWC program, follow the application procedure for the regular EQIP program.

Applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process. Local decision makers periodically announce a cutoff date when applications will be ranked for funding. Cutoff dates may vary based on location.

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More Information

EQIP Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) Fact Sheet

NRCS National EQIP Website

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Contact

Local Contact:
Please contact the District Conservationist in the USDA Service Center nearest the location of your property.

Oregon EQIP Program Manager:
Bill White
Phone: (503) 414-3085
Email: bill.white@or.usda.gov

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Last Modified:  02/08/2008

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