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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE

10.904:  Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention

Popular Name:  Small Watershed Program; PL-566 Operations Phase

Objectives:  To provide technical and financial assistance in carrying out works of improvement to protect, develop, and utilize the land and water resources in small watersheds.

PROGRAM AND AWARD FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS


10.904 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Any State agency, county or groups of counties, municipality, town or township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization, or any other nonprofit agency with authority under State law to carry out, maintain, and operate watershed works of improvement may apply for assistance. This program is available in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Any State agency, county or groups of counties, municipality, town or township, soil and water conservation district, flood prevention or flood control district, Indian tribe or tribal organization, or any other nonprofit agency with authority under State law to carry out, maintain, and operate watershed works of improvement may apply for assistance. This program is available in Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands.

Credentials/Documentation:  Applications must designate the proposed project area, be properly signed and attested to by all applicants, and set forth the need for the proposed project. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.

10.904 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  The standard application forms, as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102, must be used for this program. Environmental impact statements required for many Public Law 83-566 projects approved for operations after January 1, 1970, which, on the basis of environmental evaluations, are determined to be major Federal actions significantly affecting the environment. In projects approved before January 1, 1970, need for environmental impact statements are decided on case-by-case basis; those with channel modification generally require statements. Environmental assessments are required for all other projects. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the Single Point of Contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:  Application forms and information are available in all NRCS offices and from designated State agencies. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure:  Details of the procedure are available from the State and field offices of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Deadlines:  None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Receipt of the application is acknowledged as soon as it is determined to be valid.

Appeals:  Not applicable.

Renewals:  Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  1) The watershed must meet the requirements of the law; 2) an approved watershed plan has been prepared; 3) the local sponsors should indicate willingness to carry out a watershed project; 4) the project has environmental, economic and social benefits that exceed the costs for a favorable benefit-cost ratio; and 5) no critical environmental issues exist.

Examples of Funded Projects:  To date, Federal assistance for installation has been authorized on 1,627 watershed projects. This program provides technical and financial assistance to State agencies and units of local government in solving problems caused by flooding, erosion and sediment damage, conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water, including the development of multipurpose facilities for such uses as recreation, improvement of fish and wild-life habitat, irrigation, and water supply to municipal and industrial users.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  (per State) $0 to $2,164,000; $650,000.

10.904 RELATED PROGRAMS:

  • 10.664 Cooperative Forestry Assistance;
  • 10.902 Soil and Water Conservation;
  • 10.903 Soil Survey;
  • 10.905 Plant Materials for Conservation;
  • 10.906 Watershed Surveys and Planning;
  • 10.907 Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting;
  • 12.104 Flood Plain Management Services.

10.904 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, 10 projects were approved for operations. A total of 522 projects in construction. Projects installed as planned under the program totaled 898. In fiscal year 2000, it is estimated that 13 projects will be approved for operations, 520 projects will be in construction, and 908 projects will be installed as planned under the program.

10.904 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, (DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE )

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants; Advisory Services and Counseling.

Obligations:  (Grants watershed and flood prevention operations) FY 99 $46,311,789; FY 00 est $41,368,676; and FY 01 est $31,989,000. (Salaries and expenses, watershed and flood prevention operations) FY 99 $40,271,790; FY 00 est $43,387,312; and FY 01 est $38,715,000.

Budget Account Number:  Watershed and flood prevention operations, 12-1072-0-1-301.

Authorization:  Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public Law 83-566, 68 Stat. 666, as amended; Public Law 84-1018, 70 Stat. 1088; Public Law 85-624, 72 Stat. 563; Public Law 85-865, 72 Stat. 1605; Public Law 86-468, 74 Stat. 131, 132; Public Law 86-545, 74 Stat. 254; Public Law 87-170, 75 Stat. 408; Public Law 87-703, 76 Stat. 608; Public Law 89-337, 79 Stat. 1300; Public Law 90-361, 82 Stat. 250; Public Law 92-419, 86 Stat. 667; Public Law 95-113, 91 Stat. 913; Public Law 97-98, 95 Stat. 1213; Public Law 99-662, 100 Stat. 4196; Public Law 101-624, 104 Stat. 3359.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  "What is a Watershed," PA-420; "Flood Plain Management - Why We Need It," PA-1276; "Multiple-Purpose Watershed Projects," PA-575; and "Small Watershed Projects," PA-1354.

10.904 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  For list of NRCS State offices with phone numbers and addresses, see Appendix IV of the Catalog.

Headquarters Office:  Deputy Chief for Programs, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. Phone: (202) 720-4527. Use the same number for FTS. (Home Page)

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

10.904 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Technical and financial assistance under which program funds provide certain prescribed services and costs and a percentage of other costs on the basis of a contract vary according to purpose of the works of improvement. For example, for construction costs under the Act, program funds may pay 100 percent for flood prevention; up to 50 percent of agricultural water management, public recreation and fish and wildlife purposes; and none of the costs for certain other nonagricultural water management purposes. All of the applicants' installation costs are eligible for program loans. Reimbursable advances are available for preservation of sites and future municipal water supply.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Continues until all works of improvement are installed or their installation is terminated by mutual agreement.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Technical assistance is provided in designing, and installing watershed works of improvement. Financial assistance is provided for sharing costs of measures for watershed protection, flood prevention, agricultural water management, sedimentation control, public water based fish, wildlife, recreation; and in extending long term credit to help local interests with their share of the costs. Watershed area must not exceed 250,000 acres. Capacity of a single structure is limited to 25,000 acre-feet of total capacity and 12,500 acre-feet of floodwater detention capacity.

10.904 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Annual operation and maintenance inspection and report.

Audits:  In accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR Part 3052, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," which implement OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 7 CFR 3052.

Records:  Records of operation and maintenance activities are maintained for the life of the project.

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Last Updated, November, 2000             Comments or Questions?           ©Grant Community.com 2000, All Rights Reserved