NRCS Water Quality Policy

NRCS assists people, including groups and units of government, through local conservation districts to achieve objectives for sustained use of soil, water, and related resources. NRCS advocates the wise use of America’s soil and water resources on both public and private lands. NRCS encourages the use and treatment of these natural resources within their capability and according to their needs. This principle applies to the quality of our water resources as well as the quality of our soil resources.

NRCS provides assistance through local conservation districts to help with nonpoint source control efforts. This assistance includes: technical advice to landowners and land users with the installation of resource management systems (including soil and water conservation practices); training people to plan, install, maintain, and assess resource management systems; and, in some cases, cost-sharing funds to help install conservation practices.

NRCS provides assistance for water quality protection consistent with the National Program for Soil and Water Conservation, which adopted "Improved Water Quality" and

"Improved Water Management" as two of its six long-term conservation objectives and with Departmental Regulation (9500-7) USDA Nonpoint Source Water Quality Policy.