Mississippi River Basin Initiative
In order to improve the health
of the Mississippi River Basin, including water quality and wildlife habitat,
the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service recently offered the Mississippi
River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). Through this Initiative, NRCS and its partners will help producers in selected watersheds in
the Mississippi River Basin voluntarily implement conservation practices and
systems that avoid, control, and trap nutrient runoff; improve wildlife habitat;
and maintain agricultural productivity.
This USDA-NRCS Initiative is
currently available in all subwatersheds in the UBWC watershed and is an
important part of the watershed action plan.
More information about this
United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
program is available at
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/mrbi/mrbi_overview.html
Conservation Effects Assessment Project
This
USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) project in the Upper Big Walnut Creek
watershed is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of
conservation practices and programs and develop the science base for managing
the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. Conservation Effects
Assessment Project (CEAP) findings will be used to guide USDA conservation
policy and program development and help conservationists, farmers and ranchers
make more informed conservation decisions. For more information about the
national and regional CEAP Program go to
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/ceap/
In the Upper Big
Walnut Creek watershed the CEAP Project plays a very active and supportive role
in watershed planning by conducting ecological and conservation practice
assessments, monitoring water quality, and contributing professional expertise
and experience to watershed partners and stakeholders. For more
information on the USDA-ARS Soil Drainage Research Unit plans and activities in
the watershed go to
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=36-04-00-00