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Progress Update #12

In February, farmers and ranchers in existing Hydrologic Unit Areas, Water Quality Demonstration Projects, and 1991 Water Quality Special Projects began signing up for technical assistance through Water Quality Incentive Projects (WQIP).
 * First WQIP Signups Held in February

Before the signups began, the three U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies cooperating to carry out the new program, ASCS, ES and SCS, held five joint teleconferences between national program leaders and state and local water quality project managers to answer questions on WQIP.

Funded through ASCS’s Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP), WQIP is part of the Water Quality Incentive Program authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990. The goal is source reduction of agricultural pollutants by use of environmentally and economically sound management practices.

WQIP incentive payment will be for integrated crop management and other management practices such as waste utilization, contour farming, conservation tillage, nutrient management, and similar cultural practices. Although they may be a part of the Water Quality Resource Management Plan, structural practices such as terraces, waterways, animal waste storage facilities, irrigation systems, ponds, and other similar practices, will not be eligible for WQIP incentive payments. However, they could be cost shared with regular ACP funds or other cost share programs.

For more information, contact Dan Smith, Soil Conservation Service, at (202) 720-3524, Mike Linsenbigler, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, at (202) 690-0224, or Francis Thicke, Extension Service, at (202) 720-5369.

Three multiagency committees recently heard the University of Nebraska’s assessment of the organization and implementation of USDA’s eight FY 1990–94 water quality demonstration projects. Findings and recommendations from the assessment by Kay Rockwell and De Lynn Hay, et al. have already been used to improve the Water Quality Demonstration Projects initiated in FY 90 and FY 91.
 * Water Quality Projects Assessed

The complete report was sent to State Extension Directors, State Administrators of the Soil Conservation and Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services, and to the 74 nonpoint hydrologic units across the Unites States. For further information, or additional copies of the report, contact Claude Bennett, Extension Service, USDA, at 202-690-4550.

Atrazine, a corn herbicide that is widely used in the Upper Midwest, has come under careful review over the past 3 months. USDA’s Working Group on Water Quality Policy Advisory Committee requested a review of both policy and programs that relate to the herbicide.
 * USDA Looks Anew At Atrazine; USGS, EPA Complete Team Review

This action was prompted by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) interim report by Donald Goolsby, entitled “Distribution of Selected Herbicides and Nitrate in the Mississippi River and Its Major Tributaries, April Through June 1991.” Goolsby reported his findings in a public briefing held at USDA, November 20, 1991.

Atrazine was detected in all 146 samples collected in April, May, and June 1991, with median concentrations ranging from 0.29 parts per billion (ppb) to 3.2 ppb. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) was exceeded at five of the eight sampling sites: White River, IN; Illinois River, IL; Platte River, NE; Missouri River at Hermann, MO; and the Mississippi River at Thebes, MO.

Following the presentation, the Policy Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Corps of Engineers, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and USDA agencies including the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), Cooperative State Research Service (CSRS), Economic Research Service (ERS), Extension Service (ES), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), established two work groups, one to review policy questions, and a second to review technical issues presented by the USGS findings.

These work groups reported their initial findings at a February 4 Policy Advisory Committee meeting. Additional review is underway to consider what further steps should be taken to programmatically address this matter.