2007 Environmental Quality Incentive
Program
Southwest Area Ground and Surface Water Conservation
Introduction:
The Southwest Area GSWC includes the irrigated acreage in the Lower Rio
Grande, Las Uvas, Lower Mimbres and Animas Valley aquifers. This area
includes Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna and Sierra counties. (NRCS Field Offices
in Las Cruces, Lordsburg, Deming and T or C are involved). Reduction
of irrigation water from aquifers is the focus in the Southwest Area. The purpose of the GSWC to provide cost
share and incentive payments to producers with irrigated cropland that will result in a net
water reduction on each agricultural operation.
Priority Resource Concerns:
The primary resource concern identified in the GSWC Area is water
quantity on irrigated cropland. Conservation
practices identified in the ranking criteria tool will be used to address
this concern.
Funding Considerations:
Funding will be limited to those aquifers identified in
the introduction section above. All funding will be allocated to the irrigated
cropland
acreage, where a net total water reduction can be demonstrated as a result of
the installation of an improved irrigation system and/or through improved
irrigation water management in conjunction with residue management. The
primary consideration will address the reduction in total on-farm use of water.
Therefore, conversion from a surface to sprinkler, surface to micro-irrigation,
or sprinkler to micro irrigation systems will receive consideration.
Funding will be used for cost share practices and
incentive payments. It is anticipated that applications will exceed available
funds.
Cost Docket:
The cost docket is based on decisions made at the Local
Work Group meetings in the individual offices. Each Field Office will use
the Southwest Area cost docket.
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and
eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and
practice component costs.
Eligible Practices:
Eligible practices are those that have a direct impact on
helping a participant to reduce, and document the reduction, of water for
irrigation. Emphasis will be on micro-drip irrigation (441), sprinkler
irrigation system-LEPA (442) and irrigation water management (449).
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and
eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and
practice component costs.
Cost Share Rates, Incentive Payments, and Caps:
Cost share rates were determined to be 50% for all
practices.
Benchmark water use conditions (ac-in/ac) for the
agricultural operation will be calculated based on pump flow, hours pumped over
the prior irrigation season(s) as provided by the applicant. Acre-inches
in the treated condition will be calculated using the FIRS model.
Estimates provided by the applicant will not be accepted as sufficient data to
quantify benchmark water usage.
An incentive of $10.00/ acre for practice 449, Irrigation
Water Management (IWM) will be available for applications selected for funding
in the Las Cruces F.O. The IWM incentive payment will be available for up
to three years .
Please refer to the links for the cost docket and
eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and
practice component costs.
Ranking Criteria:
All Field Offices where the GSWC is available will use
the same ranking criteria. Local issues have been incorporated into the
new ranking tool.
Please refer to the ranking criteria links to view the
final approved criteria.
Timelines, Evaluation Periods:
All applications and any supporting documentation must be
submitted by November 3, 2006.
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