We deliver conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world.
The NRCS Watershed Programs aim to provide technical and financial support to local government agencies, tribal organizations, and other eligible sponsors for the implementation of conservation practices addressing watershed resource concerns. This initiative underscores the significance of watersheds in supporting community sustainability and environmental health, emphasizing the interconnectedness of land-water systems. The Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), part of this initiative, offers help to communities facing imminent threats to life and property due to natural disasters without needing a formal disaster declaration. EWP program assistance includes debris removal, streambank reshaping and protection, drainage facility repair, vegetative cover establishment on eroded lands, levee and structure repairs, and the purchase of floodplain easements. Projects must demonstrate that they mitigate threats to life and property and adhere to economic, environmental, and social soundness alongside engineering standards. Recovery projects and floodplain easement options further highlight the program's commitment to locally-led, sustainable solutions for watershed rehabilitation and conservation.