The John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District (JMSWCD) aims to provide leadership, technical assistance, and education to citizens in Fauquier County, Virginia on soil stewardship and water quality protection. Key functions include administering the Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program and providing conservation assistance and education. JMSWCD receives state, federal, and grant funding and prioritizes projects in high-ranking watersheds. Examples of funded best management practices include stream fencing, riparian buffers, and cover crops. JMSWCD also runs local water quality programs and stream monitoring.

1. John Marshall Soil and Water
Conservation District

2. The mission of the John Marshall Soil and Water
Conservation District is to provide leadership, technical
assistance, and education to the citizens of Fauquier County
in proper soil stewardship and water quality protection to
ensure the wise use of the county’s natural resources.
Primary functions of JMSWCD include implementation of the
Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program, and providing
technical assistance in the design and establishment of
conservation practices, and conservation education to
youth and adult audiences.
Mission

3. Key Funding Sources
 Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF)
 10% State Surplus Funds or Appropriations Act
 Virginia Natural Resources Commitment Fund (VNRCF)
 Subfund of WQIF established in 2008
 Where VACS dollars are placed for Cost-Share & Technical
Assistance (TA) to SWCDs after reserve deposit and
earmarks (such as CREP and DOF funding) are taken out of
WQIF
 Real Estate Recordation Fees
 $10 from each real estate sale
 Funds deposited into VNRCF
 JMSWCD receives funding from federal and other grants for
(small) watershed restoration and environmental education
programs from EPA, VADEQ & community partners.

4. Funding Distribution
 District funding allocations are
determined by the hydrologic unit ranking
process.
 Watersheds ranked: 20% High, 30% medium,
and 50% low
 Funding distribution: 50% to high, 30% to
medium, and 20% to low.
 The High, Medium and Low acreage in a SWCD
as compared to that of the total drainage basin
helps determine the funding distribution to each
SWCD

5. FY2024 Cost-Share Program
The FY2024 Program Year runs from July 1, 2023, to June 30,
2024. JMSWCD received $4.8M in cost-share funding for
FY2024.
JMSWCD continuously takes applications. These applications
are brought before the Board once a month.

6. Examples: Best Management
Practices (BMPs)
 Cropland conversion to permanent cover-
pasture or hay
 Tree planting on erodible land
 Planting of a cover crop
 NMP writing
 Permanent Vegetative Cover on Critical Areas
 Sod Waterways
 Stream Exclusion with Grazing Land
Management

7. Fencing Streams From Livestock
stream
bank
10 ft 35 ft
Melissa Allen, John Marshall SWCD

8. Establishing Riparian Buffers
Hugh Kenny, The Piedmont Environmental Council

9. Installing Alternate Water Sources
Melissa Allen, John Marshall SWCD

10. Hardened Stream Crossing
Melissa Allen, John Marshall SWCD

11. Cover Crop
Melissa Allen, John Marshall SWCD

12. Other JMSWCD Programs
and Activities
Partners include:
NRCS, Adjoining SWCDs, Fauquier Co.,
Virginia Cooperative Extension,
Virginia Department of Forestry,
Piedmont Environmental Council,
Friends of the Rappahannock,
Goose Creek Association and
many other friends in conservation.

13. Local TMDL Grant Programs:
• Goal of Removing Streams from Impaired Waters List
• Funding provided by EPA and VA DEQ
• Funded activities designed to address specific impairments
• Often have agricultural and residential BMP installation,
education, outreach and increased stream monitoring
TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load)

14. Virginia Conservation
Assistance Program (VCAP)
Kelsi Steele, John Marshall SWCD

15. Stream monitoring for macroinvertebrates,
nutrients, E. coli data reported through
VADEQ citizen monitoring network
Kelsi Steele and Steve Jones, John Marshall SWCD

16. Tree Plantings
Kelsi Steele, John Marshall SWCD

17. Fauquier County Landowners
Contact: JMSWCD
98 Alexandria Pike, Suite 33
Warrenton, VA 20186
540-422-8490
www.johnmarshallswcd.com
AG Technical Staff: Melissa Allen, Kris Jarvis,
Steve Jones, and Sammie Alexander