Daily Archives: January 20, 2013

Ogallala Aquifer Initiative

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) inKansas will provide approximately $1.5 million to conserve the water in the Ogallala Aquifer through the Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI).  Applications are accepted on a continuous basis; however, to be considered for fiscal year 2013 funds, the application cutoff date is February 15, 2013.  The NRCS will fund this initiative through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

            “Water quantity is a high priority resource concern under EQIP in Kansas,” said Eric B. Banks, State Conservationist for NRCS.  “Agriculture producers have the opportunity with the additional funding to implement water-saving practices.  This allows them to implement conservation practices such as irrigation water management, crop rotations, and replacing inefficient gravity irrigation systems.”

            Much of the High Plains region relies on the Ogallala for water but the water in the Ogallala Aquifer is diminishing because of widespread irrigation use in the High Plains states.

            The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast, yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States.  It is one of the world’s largest aquifers and covers an area in portions of eight states:  ColoradoKansasNebraskaNew Mexico,OklahomaSouth DakotaWyoming, and Texas.

Financial assistance is available through the OAI for producers considering converting from irrigated cropland to dryland cropland, as well as assistance for more efficient irrigation systems and management.  All participants must meet EQIP eligibility requirements.  In Kansas, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers will receive a higher payment rate for conservation practices related to OAI.

            Sign-up Information

To sign an application for OAI stop by your local USDA Service Center and visit with the NRCS staff.  For more information about OAI and other natural resources conservation programs, please contact your local NRCS office or conservation district office.  The office is located at your local USDAService Center (listed in the telephone book under United States Government or on the internet atoffices.usda.gov).  More information is also available on the Kansas Web site at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov

Lesser Prairie-chicken Initiative Works to Improve Lesser Habitat

Signup through February 15, 2013

Eric B. Banks, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kansas, announced an application period cutoff date for participation in a multi-state initiative designed to improve the lesser prairie-chicken (LEPC) habitat.   Applications are accepted on a continuous basis; however, to be considered for fiscal year 2013 funds, the application cutoff date is February 15, 2013.  The Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative (LPCI) promotes the overall health of grazing lands and the long-term sustainability of ranching operations in ColoradoKansasNew MexicoOklahoma, and Texas

            “Over the past three years, the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative has succeeded in improving and increasing lesser prairie-chicken habitat acres in all five states,” said Banks. 

            Kansas received an allocation for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Initiative for fiscal year 2013 of $3 million.  This initiative offers financial assistance for implementing necessary conservation practices for lesser prairie-chicken habitat and development of efficient grazing management systems,” said Banks.

            Funds through this initiative provides producers an opportunity to improve the LEPC habitat while promoting the overall health of grazing lands and the long-term sustainability of Kansas ranching.

            Expired or expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields in permanent cover that may benefit LEPC habitat may also be eligible for funding.

            The LPCI is available in 36 Kansas counties:  Barber, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, and Wichita. 

            Interested agriculture producers must meet eligibility requirements to qualify.  The unique circumstances and concerns of interested historically underserved ranchers are also addressed by offering a higher payment rate for them.

For more information visit the Kansas NRCS web page atwww.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/lpci/index.html  or contact your local USDA Service Center (listed in the telephone book under United States Government or on the internet at offices.usda.gov). 

NRCS and Three Groundwater Management Districts

NRCS and Three Groundwater Management Districts Partner through Agricultural Water Enhancement Program

Application Cutoff Date February 15, 2013

Eric B. Banks, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kansas, announced that irrigators in the three project areas have until February 15, 2013, to apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) at their local NRCS office. This program is available in southwest and southcentral Kansasin three designated priority areas to irrigators who are eligible to conserve water and improve water quality on agricultural working lands through AWEP.  Through this program, the USDA  and conservation partners work together to efficiently use additional resources and services.

“Through AWEP, NRCS is working hard with our Groundwater District Management partners to support efforts to protect and preserve our water resources in Kansas,” said Banks. 

Producers in the project areas have until February 15, 2013, to apply for this program at their local NRCS office.

Project areas shown on a map at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/awep include the following ground water management districts (GMDs):

Equus Beds GMD No. 2 was funded for a five-year period beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2010.  NRCS and GMD No. 2 will address inefficient water use on irrigated land and aquifer overdraft through installation of more efficient irrigation systems and irrigation water management.  The eligible area includes the entire GMD No. 2.

Big Bend GMD No. 5 was funded for a five-year period beginning in FY 2010.  NRCS and GMD No. 5 will address inefficient water use with financial assistance to remove end guns and convert those acres to non-irrigated. The project area is in the Rattlesnake Creek Subbasin.

Southwest Kansas GMD No. 3 was funded for a five-year period beginning in FY 2011.  NRCS and the GMD 3 will address water quantity resource concerns converting irrigated cropland to dryland cropland acres and reducing irrigation water use.  The eligible areas are located in parts of Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kearny, Meade, Morton, Seward, Stanton, and StevensCounties.

AWEP agreements provide assistance to producers following the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) regulations. All participants must meet EQIP eligibility requirements.

In Kansas, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers will receive a higher payment rate for conservation practices related to AWEP.

In FY 2012, the NRCS obligated over $3.8 million in the AWEP project areas.

            For more information about AWEP and natural resources conservation programs, please contact your local NRCS office or conservation district office.  The office is located at your localUSDA Service Center (listed in the telephone book under United States Government or on the internet at offices.usda.gov). More information is also available on the Kansas Web site atwww.ks.nrcs.usda.gov