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Watershed Rehabilitation Program

This program contains Recovery Act funding.
Watershed Rehabilitation; PL-566 Watershed Program
Number: 10.916
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Office: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Program Information 

Program Number/Title (010):
10.916 Watershed Rehabilitation Program
Popular Name (020):
(Watershed Rehabilitation; PL-566 Watershed Program)
Federal Agency (030):
Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture
Authorization (040):
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5; Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act, , Public Law 83-566, 68 Stat. 666.
Objectives (050):
To provide technical and financial assistance to rehabilitate dams originally constructed with assistance of USDA Watershed Programs. Rehabilitation must extend the life of the dam and meet applicable safety and performance standards. Priority is given to dams that could result in loss of life if the dam should fail.
Types of Assistance (060):
ADVISORY SERVICES AND COUNSELING
Uses and Use Restrictions (070):
Technical assistance is provided in planning, designing, and implementing watershed rehabilitation works of improvement. Financial assistance is provided for sharing costs of measures for watershed rehabilitation projects. Watershed rehabilitation projects may include reconstruction or decommissioning of the dam and relocation or flood proofing of downstream property. Technical assistance is provided in planning, designing, and implementing watershed rehabilitation works of improvement. Financial assistance is provided for sharing costs of measures for watershed rehabilitation projects. Watershed rehabilitation projects may include reconstruction or decommissioning of the dam and relocation or flood proofing of downstream property.
Eligibility Requirements (080)
Applicant Eligibility (081):
Sponsoring local organizations for existing watershed projects that include dams that were originally constructed with assistance from one of the following water resource programs: Public Law 78-534, Section 13 of the Flood Control Act of 1944; Public Law 156-67, the pilot watershed program authorized under the heading Flood Prevention of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act of 1954; Public Law 83-566, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954; and Subtitle H of Title XV of the Agriculture and Flood Act of 1981, commonly known as the Resource Conservation and Development Program.
Beneficiary Eligibility (082):
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 become a sponsoring local organization for a watershed rehabilitation project.
Credentials/Documentation (083):
Applications must designate the proposed dam to be rehabilitated, be properly signed and attested to by all sponsoring local organizations of the existing watershed, and set forth the need for the proposed project. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application and Award Process (090)
Preapplication Coordination (091):
Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this program. An environmental impact assessment is required for this program. 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 Procedures (092):
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. 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 assessments or an Environmental impact statement are required for all projects. 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.
Award Procedure (093):
Applications are evaluated by analyzing the condition of the dam and consequences of failure of the dam. The State Dam Safety Agency is also consulted for input. Details of the procedure are available from the State Offices of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Deadlines (094):
Not Applicable.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time (095):
Receipt of the application is acknowledged as soon as it is determined to be valid.
Appeals (096):
Not Applicable.
Renewals (097):
Not Applicable.
Assistance Consideration (100)
Formula and Matching Requirements (101):
Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
This program has no matching requirements. Federal funds may be available for 65 percent of the total rehabilitation project cost, but shall not exceed 100 percent of the actual construction cost incurred. The total rehabilitation project cost includes land acquisition, easements, construction, and non-federal technical assistance and project administration. The cost of technical assistance provided by the natural Resources Conservation Service is not considered as part of the total rehabilitation project cost. The sponsoring local organizations shall be responsible for the cost of all water, mineral, and other resource rights, and cost of permits which are not part of the total rehabilitation project cost. Costs associated with adding new purposes to the watershed rehabilitation project may be cost-shared according to provisions of the Watershed Projection and Flood Prevention Act.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance (102):
Continues until all works of improvement are installed or their installation is terminated by mutual agreement. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.
Post Assistance Requirements (110)
Reports (111):
Annual operation and maintenance inspection and report. Cash reports are not applicable. Annual operation and maintenance inspection and report. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Annual operation and maintenance inspection and report.
Audits (112):
Not Applicable.
Records (113):
Records of operation and maintenance activities are maintained for the life of the project.
Financial Information (120)
Obligations (122):
(Salaries) FY 11 $0; FY 12 est $0; and FY 13 est $0. (Salaries) FY 11 $15,066,552; FY 12 est $11,281,200; and FY 13 Estimate Not Available. (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 11 $9,661,300; FY 12 est $15,557,200; and FY 13 Estimate Not Available. (Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 11 $0; FY 12 est $0; and FY 13 est $0
Range and Average of Financial Assistance (123):
$0 to $6,451,000; $770,000 average per state.
Program Accomplishments (130):
Not Applicable.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature (140):
Policy for implementation of this program is contained in the National Watershed Manual and NRCS General Manual. Program fact sheets, case studies, and guidelines are available from NRCS State Offices and can also be accessed through the NRCS website (www.nrcs.usda.gov).
Information Contacts (150)
Regional or Local Office (151) :
See Regional Agency Offices. For list of NRCS State offices with telephone numbers and addresses, see Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office (152):
Idle Chavez Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service
14th and Independence Ave., SW.
Room 6015-S
P.O. Box 2890, Washington, District of Columbia 20013 Email: Idle.Chavez@wdc.usda.gov Phone: (202)720-1510
Website Address (153):
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.
Related Programs (160):
10.904 Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention; 12.104 Flood Plain Management Services
Examples of Funded Projects (170):
Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2012: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2013: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals (180):
(1) The existing watershed project must meet the requirements of the law; (2) operation and maintenance of the existing dam must be current; (3) the local sponsors must agree to carry out the watershed project including acquiring land rights, permits, local cost-share, and operating and maintaining the rehabilitated dam for the life of the project; (4) the project has environmental, economic and social benefits that exceed the costs for a favorable benefit-cost ratio.