three years to the project. In the Louisiana
quality problem, or a citizens' group may provide
project, annual turnover of the SCS soil scientist
hired specifically to help implement the
made
After a successful two-year initial funding period,
it difficult to track BMP implementation and main-
firm budget can be allocated and guaranteed for
tain consistency.
the duration of the project as long as satisfactory
progress continues on the project.
Problem
Water quality monitoring cannot be left as an after-
Project Technical Support
thought in an effective
source project
To provide technical support for the project's first
Monitoring must be used to identify specific pol-
two or three years, a minimum core project staff
lutants (and their variability) responsible for the im-
must be created using individuals from the cooperat-
pairment or threat to designated use.
problem
ing agencies. Core project staff will be responsible
identification monitoring serves to help the project
for project activities and required to work cooper-
team
sources and response charac-
atively with the project manager. Core project staff
teristics of the affected water resource. The
and the lead administrative agencies will have pri-
projects have vividly illustrated that clear identifica-
mary authority over project technical activities but
tion of the source of the water quality problem and
will also seek input from other agency staff, farm
acceptance of this information by the public and
operators, and local groups. Final technical decisions
producers are crucial to project success.
need not require a consensus of local coordinating
In Iowa, heavy sediment and a blanket of corn
committee members as long as decisions are consis-
stalks covering a recreational lake surrounded by
tent with program guidance and recommendations
farmland helped make the problem and its source
from the national technical support group.
especially clear. RCWP projects in Utah, Vermont,
Because they will be accountable for project
Florida, Idaho, Nebraska, Oregon, and Pennsylvania
progress, the core project staff will have a great in-
also had ample visual and analytical evidence of
vestment in the project. Agencies must establish a
problems in the receiving waters. In Massachusetts,
mechanism for accountability and credit for good
however, where both intensive dairy farming on
The minimum core project
small acreages and booming residential devel-
should consist of a land treatment planner, and an
opment were taking place adjacent to an estuary con-
specialist. In the Alabama RCWP project where
taining important shellfish resources, the source of
over 100 percent of the critical area was treated with
the problem needed to be more clearly documented
an extension agent was instrumental in en-
to generate community support for project activities.
couraging producer participation.
South Dakota's project required several intense
A full-time planner will be needed to help
monitoring programs to gain a thorough under-
develop farm plans, assist in BMP installation, help
standing of the water quality problem and its causes
farm operators maintain practices, and track land
because of complex interactions between the surface
treatment. Other core project staff positions beyond
and groundwater sources feeding the target lakes.
the minimum (e.g., an engineer, a water quality
Refinement of problem definition may occur as
monitoring specialist, and an agronomist) may be
the result of new information obtained from water
needed.
quality monitoring or modeling. Monitoring provides
When an adequate level of technical capability is
a way to track BMP effectiveness and progress
not available at the project level, outside help should
toward water quality goals. Feedback on project ef-
be employed to assist the project. Core project staff
fectiveness provided by monitoring is important to
at the local level will enjoy greater freedom of com-
land treatment personnel and farm operators. For ex-
munication and have a larger team of experts for
ample, Vermont's RCWP project was able to reduce
technical support, compared to the limited com-
bacterial contamination enough to reopen public
munication that happens when technical assistance
beaches for swimming. This accomplishment was
must be sought through line agency procedures. In
heavily promoted in the news media, which gave the
the Idaho RCWP project, ARS provided valuable re-
participating farmers pride and an investment in
search and recommendations regarding the develop
source control and their project.
ment and evaluation of conventional and new
Project Plan of Work and Time Frame
particularly conservation
and no-tillage.
Because staff turnover can be problematic, in-
The plan of work is a written strategy used to or-
centives should be provided to encourage core
ganize agencies, project staff, and interested parties
project staff to make a minimum commitment of
for
implementation. An effective plan is
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