Ground and Surface Water Conservation Provisions Archive

FY 2004 North Carolina Ground and Surface Water Conservation Concerns Supplement

 

 Application qualifications are as follows:

• Only land that has been irrigated with clean water two of the last five years prior to submitting application is eligible.
• Conservation measures applied through EQIP must result in a net water savings to operating unit.

 Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis for this program.  The first batching period will end July 15, 2004.  Application should be made at the local NRCS field office.  You can find a list of all NRCS field offices at “NRCS Field Offices” under the “Contacts” tab on this website.

 North Carolina EQIP Ground and Surface Water Program priorities:

1. To decrease groundwater withdrawal of agricultural irrigation systems by converting to more efficient irrigation systems and developing and following an Irrigation Water Management Plan.
2. To conserve surface water by increasing the efficiencies of irrigation systems through modifications and the implementation of an Irrigation Water Management Plan.

 EQIP Ground and Surface Water Provisions for North Carolina:

• To be eligible for cost share, existing system must be functional.
• Technical Service Provider (TSP) or consultant will evaluate system, design the system modification, checkout, and certify proper installation.
• TSP or consultant will develop all Irrigation Water Management plans.
• All applicants must agree to practice Residue Management and other erosion control practices as needed as a condition of funding.  Erosion must be kept at or below T for the duration of the contract.
• All participants in the EQIP Ground and Surface Water Program must implement an Irrigation Water Management Plan (IWMP).  As part of the IWMP participants will be required to install a flowmeter, tensiometers**, and rain sensors if they do not already have them.  Endgun shut offs may also be required depending on the type of system.
• Applicants can receive funding for Long Term No-Till as part of the Ground and Surface Water Program.  This practice must be used in conjunction with an Irrigation Water Management Plan and not as a stand alone practice.  If the applicant has already adopted Long Term No-Till or has reached his/her $15,000 cap, then they are not eligible for this practice.

**Participants are required to use tensiometers or use some other approved method of soil moisture determination.

 Packages eligible for cost share or incentive payment:

• Option I - Applicants can receive an incentive to develop and follow an Irrigation Water Management plan (IWM) written by a TSP or consultant.  This incentive can be received independent of modifying irrigation systems.  Applicants will also receive cost share for flow meters, tensiometers, rain sensors, endgun shutoffs and optional control panels as needed to implement the IWM plan.
• Option II - Applicants can receive cost share for modifying a center pivot or linear move irrigation system from overhead sprinklers to a low pressure, drop or other water saving system. They will develop and follow an Irrigation Water Management plan for which they will receive an incentive payment.  Applicant will receive cost share for flow meters, tensiometers, rain sensors, endgun shutoffs, control panels and booster pumps.
• Option III - Applicants can receive cost share for modifying a traveler irrigation system to save water.  They will develop and follow an Irrigation Water Management plan for which they will receive an incentive payment.  Applicants will receive cost share for adding a flowmeter, tensiometers, rain sensor, and optional control panel.

 

Practice Code	Practice Name	Cost Share	Payment Type	% Rate
442	Conversion from Overhead to Low Pressure System	$4/Lin Ft	AM	50%
442	Conversion from Overhead to Drop System	$5/Lin Ft	AM	50%
442	Conversion from Low Pressure to Drop System	$2/Lin Ft	AM	50%
449	Irrigation Water Management	$10/Ac	FR
449	Rain Sensors	$300/Ea	AM	50%
449	Flowmeter	$1000/Ea	AM	50%
449	Tensiometer	$100/Ea	AM	50%
449	Control Panel	$3000/Ea	AM	50%
449	Endgun Shutoff	$800/Ea	AM	50%
533	Booster Pump	$1000/Ea	AM	50%
778	Long Term No-Till (if not adopted or cap not exceeded)	$125/Ac	FR

  Irrigation Water Management Plan Requirements

IWM plans are developed to assist producer in determining and controlling the rate, amount and timing of irrigation water for desired plant growth, to minimize erosion, protect water quality and save water.  They are developed for an individual irrigation system with technical assistance from a TSP or consultant.  Parts of an IWM plan include:

• How to determine the amount of water required for each irrigation event. 
• Determining available water holding capacity of field, soil water depletion, and irrigation efficiency.
• Time required for soil type to absorb water.
• Determining frequency of irrigation based on volume, evapotranspiration, and precipitation.
• How to adjust application rates for variable conditions.
• Recognizing and controlling erosion.
• Eliminating irrigation runoff
• Evaluating uniformity of water application
• Record Keeping and system operation and maintenance

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