  Vision: Productive Lands—Healthy Environment   Mission: Helping People Help the Land   Guiding Principles Service Technical Excellence Partnerships

Mission: Helping People Help the Land  Conservation Planning  Identifying Resources Concerns (SWAPA) Soil Erosion Soil Erosion Water Quality and Water Quantity Water Quality and Water Quantity Animal Health Animal Health Plant Health Plant Health Air Quality Air Quality  Choosing Practices that will address Resource Concerns

Cost-Share Programs  Using Cost-Share to implement a conservation plan  Participation Is Voluntary  Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP  Started as a cost-share program with 1996 Farm Bill  Used to provide funding to address environmental problems Erosion control Erosion control Water quality and quantity Water quality and quantity

Partners, & Programs  Northwest Florida Mobile Irrigation Lab Established Nov 2004 Established Nov 2004 Performs initial evaluation of irrigation systems and calculates the Potential Water Savings (PWS) Performs initial evaluation of irrigation systems and calculates the Potential Water Savings (PWS) Performs follow-up evaluations and calculates Actual Water Savings (AWS) Performs follow-up evaluations and calculates Actual Water Savings (AWS)

 Water savings in the Blue Springs Basin PWS 889 MILLION gallons on 80 initial evaluations PWS 889 MILLION gallons on 80 initial evaluations AWS 474 MILLION gallons on 56 follow-up evaluations AWS 474 MILLION gallons on 56 follow-up evaluations Partners, & Programs

 EQIP Cost-share available for improvement of existing irrigation system’s efficiency (water savings or reduced consumption) Cost-share available for improvement of existing irrigation system’s efficiency (water savings or reduced consumption) Cost-share available to implement practices that improve water quality Cost-share available to implement practices that improve water quality In 2009 NCRS developed a special fund called the Springs Initiative. In 2009 NCRS developed a special fund called the Springs Initiative. Partners, & Programs

 15 contracts (= farmers that have voluntarily decided to improve irrigation efficiency) in 2009 in the Blue Springs Basin  >$444, 800 obligated  >$280,000 paid to retrofit existing systems to improve irrigation efficiency  Irrigation Water Management on >4,000 ac Partners, & Programs

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