Environment
Agricultural Watershed Nonpoint Source Restoration logic model
A 38-square-mile creek watershed is on the state's 303(d) impaired waters list for E. coli and sediment. Most of the load comes from unfenced pasture streambanks and eroding row-crop fields upstream of a public drinking water intake.
Inputs
- Conservation district staff and a watershed coordinator
- EPA-accepted nine-element watershed-based plan
- Landowner cost-share funds and technical design support
- Volunteer water quality monitoring network and an accredited lab
Activities
- Enroll landowners in priority subwatersheds identified in the watershed plan
- Install livestock exclusion fencing, alternative water sources and riparian buffers
- Establish cover crops and grassed waterways on priority fields
- Sample E. coli and total suspended solids at 8 fixed stations
Outputs
- 14.6 miles of streambank fenced
- 212 acres of riparian buffer planted
- 3,100 acres of cover crops established each year
- 41 landowner contracts executed
- 192 water samples collected and analyzed per year
Short-term outcomes
- Estimated sediment load reduced by 2,400 tons per year based on load models
- Landowners adopt practices beyond the cost-shared acres
Intermediate outcomes
- E. coli geometric mean at downstream stations falls by 40%
- Turbidity at the drinking water intake declines during storm events
Long-term impact
- Creek removed from the 303(d) list for E. coli
- Lower treatment costs for the downstream water utility
Indicators and data sources
| Indicator | Source | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| E. coli geometric mean and total suspended solids | Monitoring results uploaded to EPA Water Quality Exchange (WQX) | Monthly during recreation season |
| Estimated nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment load reductions | EPA Pollutant Load Estimation Tool (PLET) or the state-approved model | Annual |
| Practices installed by type and extent | Conservation district contract records and state GRTS reporting | Semi-annual |
| Streamflow during sampling events | USGS stream gauge data | Continuous |
Assumptions
- Landowner enrollment holds as commodity prices change
- Practices are maintained after cost-share contracts end
Programs this model suits
- EPA Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source grants through the state environmental agency
- USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation regional watershed programs
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