USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana announced it is accepting proposals to designate new priority watersheds for the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) and National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) through June 15.
Known as “America’s River,” the Mississippi River is North America’s largest river, flowing over 2,300 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. The watershed not only provides drinking water, food, industrial opportunities and recreation for more than 18 million people, it also hosts a globally significant migratory flyway and is home to more than 325 bird species. Through MRBI, NRCS and its partners work with producers and landowners to implement voluntary conservation practices that improve water quality, restore wetlands, enhance wildlife habitat and sustain agricultural profitability in the Mississippi River Basin. New priority watershed proposals should address these resource concerns and align with state nutrient loss reduction strategies.
NWQI is a joint initiative between NRCS and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address agricultural sources of water pollution, specifically nutrients, sediment and pathogens in priority watersheds, with a special component for source water protection. This strategic approach leverages funds and provides streamlined assistance to help individual agricultural producers take needed actions in impaired watersheds. New priority watershed proposals can be located anywhere in Indiana and should address these resource concerns. NWQI also includes source water protection for ground and surface waters that may not face water pollution challenges that would otherwise make them eligible for NWQI.
“We see a positive impact across the state when we partner with producers to deliver conservation practices in critical watersheds,” said Indiana NRCS State Conservationist Damarys Mortenson. “These focused partnerships allow us to maximize the delivery of our conservation efforts and achieve greater improvements to water quality, which benefits the participating producers, the public and our state’s natural resources.”
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Categories: Indiana, General