Conservation Security Program (CSP)

Watersheds Selected for 2005 Conservation Security Program (CSP)

CSP is a voluntary program available nationwide to all agricultural producers within selected high priority watersheds.  Signups for participation in the program will be rotated between watersheds on an annual basis.  The New Mexico watersheds selected for participation in 2005 include land within the Mimbres watershed in southwest New Mexico, the Upper Pecos, Arroyo del Macho and Gallo Arroyo watersheds in southeast New Mexico, and the Carrizo, Ute, and Taiban watersheds in eastern New Mexico.  Also selected for 2005 is  the Palo Dura watershed in the Texas panhandle which crosses over into eastern New Mexico and the San Bernardino Valley watershed in Arizona which crosses over into the New Mexico boot heel.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the Tramperos -  Punta de Agua watershed which was a 2004 CSP pilot watershed in eastern New Mexico and the Texas panhandle will also be included for participation in 2005.

Counties in Selected Watersheds Mimbres – Dona Ana, Luna, Sierra, Grant, (Mexico)  Upper Pecos - Quay, DeBaca, Chaves, Guadalupe, Roosevelt, Torrance, Lincoln Arroyo Del Macho – Lincoln, Chaves, DeBaca Gallo Arroyo – Lincoln, Chaves, Torrance Carrizo – Union Colfax, Dallam (Texas), Hartley (Texas) Ute – Colfax, San Miguel, Union, Harding Taiban – Quay, Roosevelt, Guadalupe, Curry, DeBaca Palo Dura - Curry, Deaf Smith (Texas), Oldham (Texas), Potter (Texas) San Bernardino Valley - Hidalgo (Arizona) Tramperos (Punta de Agua) - Union, Harding, Quay,  Dallam (Texas), Hartley (Texas), Oldham (Texas)

To receive technical assistance, a landowner or manager may contact the local NRCS or conservation district office.  To apply for the program, NRCS will ask potential participants to complete the self-assessment to determine if their operations meet the standards of the program and qualify for program participation. By going through the workbook, producers will get a good idea about whether they are eligible for CSP at this time.

The program provides three tiers of participation that differ in contract length and total payments according to the amount of treatment and the portion of the agricultural operation being offered.  Using the benchmark inventory and other application material, NRCS will determine if the applicant meets the tier’s minimum criteria. 

• For Tier I, the producer must have addressed soil quality and water quality for eligible land uses on part of the agricultural operation prior to application.
• For Tier II, the producer must have addressed soil quality and water quality for eligible land uses on the entire agricultural operation prior to application and agree to address the locally significant resource concern of water quantity by the end of the contract period.
• For Tier III, the producer must have addressed all resource concerns to a resource management system level for all eligible land uses on the entire agricultural operation and adequately treat riparian zones before application into the program.

The following documents require Microsoft Word,   Microsoft Excel,  or Adobe Acrobat.

CSP Benchmark Condition Inventory - Instruction (1,072 KB) CSP Benchmark Condition Inventory - Workbook (263 KB) CSP Costlists - for Toolkit & Protracts (available from FOTG-Section 1, Cost Data) CSP Limited Resource Farmers (30 KB) CSP Questionnaire (36 KB) CSP Delineation of an Agricultural Operation (300 KB) CSP NM Press Release (45 KB)

Program Contact - New Mexico State Office

Leah B. Ricke
Resource Conservationist - Programs
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: (505)761-4444
Fax: (505)761-4462
Email: leah.ricke@nm.usda.gov