71st SWCS International Annual Conference July 24-27, 2016 Louisville, KY

1. Adding Water Storage to
NRCS Watershed
Rehabilitation Projects to
Boost Resiliency to
Climate Change
Jan Marie Surface
Watershed Planning Specialist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
National Water Management Center

2. The Watershed Program: Providing Multiple
Benefits to Communities for Over 65 Years
• Congress established the Watershed Program by enacting
the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Public Law 78-534) and the
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954
(Public Law 83-566).
• Under these authorizations, the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) has assisted watershed
project sponsors in the construction of more than 11,800
flood control dams in 1,300 watersheds in 47 States since
1948.
• These projects provide an estimated $2.2 billion in annual
benefits in reduced flooding and erosion damages,
recreation, water supplies and wildlife habitat.

4. Time Has Taken Its Toll on Dams
• Many dams today are in a far different setting than when
they were constructed.
o Population has increased;
o Residential and commercial development has
occurred upstream and downstream from the dams;
o Land uses have changed;
o Sediment pools have filled; and
o Concrete and metal components have deteriorated.

5. Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000
• The Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments of 2000 which
amended the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention
Act (Public Law 83-566) authorized NRCS to provide
technical and financial assistance to watershed project
sponsors in rehabilitating their aging dams.
• The purpose of rehabilitation is to extend the service life of
the dams and bring them into compliance with applicable
safety and performance standards or to decommission the
dams so they no longer pose a threat to life and property.
• NRCS provides technical assistance and 65 percent cost
share on approved rehabilitation projects. Funding for
projects comes from Congressional appropriations.
• The 2014 Farm Bill authorized $250 million for watershed
rehabilitation and Congress appropriated an additional $12
million for FY2015 and $10.4 million for FY2016.

6. New to Watershed Rehabilitation Program
Starting in FY 2014*
• NRCS may use funds to cost share a new water storage
purpose or to expand the current water storage
purpose
• Cost share rate will be the same 65% Federal 35% Sponsor
(up to 100% of the construction costs)
• Must justify need for additional water storage purpose
*Note: This new policy was established through a
memorandum dated July 15, 2014.

7. Eligible Water Storage Purposes
• Flood Prevention (Flood Damage Reduction)
• Watershed Protection
• Public Recreation
• Public Fish and Wildlife
• Agricultural Water Management
• Municipal and Industrial Water Supply
• Water Quality Management

8. Example Scenarios to Address Climate
Change Resiliency
• Adding storage to capture additional spring runoff
• Release water throughout the drier summer months to
maintain required baseflow for healthy fisheries habitat

9. Example Scenarios to Address Climate
Change Resiliency
• Adding additional storage for water supply (municipal or
industrial)
• In areas where ground water supply is being depleted or
current water supply does not meet the current or
anticipated water supply needs

10. Example Scenarios to Address Climate
Change Resiliency
• Adding storage to capture additional spring runoff
• Release water throughout the drier summer months for
irrigation
• Coupled with on-farm irrigation efficiency improvements

11. Watershed Rehabilitation Planning Process
is the Opportunity to Discuss Options to
Address Climate Change Resiliency
• Scoping Meetings
• Public Participation Meetings
• Alternatives Formulation
• Consultation and Coordination with other Federal, State,
and Tribal Agencies
• Locally led process
• Great opportunity to discuss climate change resiliency and
potential options for adding additional water storage or new
water storage purpose

12. Other Opportunities outside of Watershed
Rehabilitation
• Regional Conservation Partnership Program
• PL-566 authority is available in critical conservation areas for new
projects (watershed rehabilitation projects are not eligible)
• Announcement of Program Funding preproposals have already
been submitted for this year
• Another APF will occur in FY2017
Search for “Regional Conservation Partnership Program” for
additional information
Factsheets on RCPP PL-566 Authority
• Use of Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act
Authority in the Regional Conservation Partnership Program
• RCPP PL-566 Planning Requirements Fact Sheet

14. NRCS Contacts
Jesse Wilson
NRCS National Watershed Rehabilitation Program Manager
Jesse.Wilson@wdc.usda.gov
(202) 720-0189
Jan Marie Surface
Watershed Planning Specialist
NRCS National Water Management Center
Jan.Surface@ar.usda.gov
(501)210-8902
Maggie Rhodes
NRCS RCPP Team Leader
rcpp@wdc.usda.gov (shared team email)

15. Questions?