The Source Water Collaborative is pleased to announce its latest Learning Exchange, Source Water Protection through Conservation Funding. This module features case stories from drinking water industry and conservation leaders who have capitalized on resources provided through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to target source water concerns through voluntary local conservation partnerships. Through the RCPP program, NRCS brings together expertise and local knowledge of farmers, conservation and farm organizations, and state and local agencies to provide financial and technical support to farmers to install and maintain conservation measures in priority natural resources areas. Since RCPP’s creation under the 2014 Farm Bill, USDA has partnered with a range of public and private sector actors to invest over $1 billion in conservation projects. The RCPP program represents an important and under-utilized opportunity to establish cross-sector collaborations that support sustainable land use practices and help protect drinking water supplies from harmful runoff.
The Learning Exchange showcases a number of case studies and information resources aimed at supporting groups considering submitting an RCPP application, including examples of successful proposals, links to application guides, an interactive map with details of RCPP-supported source water protection partnerships, a webinar featuring Jimmy Bramblett, USDA NRCS’ Deputy Chief of Programs, and a presentation from Iowa’s Middle Cedar Rapids Partnership.
- Visit the Learning Exchange web page to access these resources
- Register here for the January 11th 1:30-3:00pm Eastern webinar, Conservation Funding & Drinking Water Utilities: Partnering for Success
We look forward to your participation in this Learning Exchange. Please reach out to info@sourcewatercollaborative.org if you have additional resources, stories, or examples to share or if you would like to receive emails from the Collaborative about upcoming events and news.