FACT SHEET

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

Page 1

March 2011

 Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program - Colorado Republican River

Overview

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a federal-state cooperative 

conservation program that addresses targeted 

agricultural-related environmental concerns. 

CREP participants voluntarily enroll in 14- 

to 15-year Conservation Reserve Program 

(CRP) contracts with the United States 

Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm 

Service Agency (FSA). Participants receive 

financial incentives to remove cropland and 

marginal pastureland from agricultural production. Converting enrolled land to native 

grasses, trees and other applicable vegetation 

improves soil retention and water, air and 

wildlife habitat quality. CRP and CREP are 

authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985, 

as amended.

The Colorado Republican River CREP 

targets the enrollment of 35,000 acres in the 

Republican River Basin to reduce irrigation water use and contaminants. The CREP 

agreement is a partnership between farmers, 

ranchers, FSA, the State of Colorado and the 

Republican River Water Conservation District (RRWCD) Water Activity Enterprise. In 

addition to CREP and non-federal payments, 

the RRWCD will offer an incentive payment 

to permanently retire irrigation water use for 

CREP-enrolled irrigated cropland.

Benefits

Enrolling up to 35,000 acres of eligible cropland will reduce irrigation water consumption 

by 5 percent. The CREP will decrease agricultural chemicals and sediments entering the 

Republican River Basin and Ogallala Aquifer. 

Reducing water use and contaminants will 

conserve water, energy and 374,000 tons 

of soil annually. The CREP will improve 

wildlife habitat for declining fish species and 

other wildlife through plantings of native 

grasses, riparian buffers and other permanent 

covers.

Goals

The goals of the Colorado Republican River 

CREP are to:

• Enroll 35,000 acres of land into the 

CREP to establish native grasses, riparian buffers and wildlife habitat and to 

restore wetlands; 

• Reduce by 5 percent Republican River 

and Ogallala Aquifer irrigation water 

used for agricultural purposes; 

• Achieve 30,000 to 35,000 acre-foot 

annual groundwater savings through the 

retirement of landowners’ permanent 

water rights; 

• Reduce 374,000 tons of soil erosion 

annually; 

• Reduce 2,900 tons of fertilizer and 

pesticide application annually; 

• Restore and enhance at least 30 miles 

of riparian habitat and 500 acres of 

degraded wetlands; 

• Ensure adequate stream flow that will 

accommodate targeted fish species, 

including the stonecat, suckermouth 

minnow, brassy minnow and plains 

minnow; 

• Enroll up to 1,000 acres of riparian 

buffers and wetlands to restore stream 

and wetland hydraulic and geomorphic 

characteristics to meet the habitat needs 

of targeted fish species; 

• Reduce by 5 percent from 2004 levels 

the number of groundwater wells containing nitrogen levels above Environmental Protection Agency standards; 

• Reduce 2.1 million kilowatt hours of 

electricity use by decreasing groundwater pumping; and 

• Help farmers and ranchers address 

wildlife issues and meet state and local 

water quantity and quality requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

Landowners can offer eligible cropland and 

marginal pastureland in all or portions of the 

northeast Colorado counties of Kit Carson, 

Logan, Phillips, Sedgwick and Yuma.

To be eligible, irrigated cropland must:

• Have been irrigated at no less than 

1⁄2-acre-foot per acre for 4 out of the 6 

years from 1996-2001; 

• Have been irrigated with at least 

1⁄2-acre-foot per acre for the planting 

of an irrigated annual crop within 24 

months prior to offer submission; 

• Be physically and legally capable of 

being irrigated in a normal manner at 

the time of the offer, or also eligible if 

enrolled in the 2006 Republican River 

Water Conservation District Water 

Activity Enterprise One Year Lease 

Program.

Additionally, all irrigated cropland associated 

with one or more wells or surface water 

sources offered for CREP must be combined 

as a manageable unit to facilitate water rights/

use management. Enrollments that would 

require a prorated reduction of irrigated water 

rights are ineligible.

Producers must meet RRWCD Water Activity 

Enterprise requirements and submit a “Colorado Republican River Water Conservation 

District Water Activity Enterprise Agreement.” This agreement certifies that the 

producer will permanently cease applying 

irrigation water on all irrigated cropland acres 

accepted into CREP. For all irrigated CREPenrolled cropland, producers must secure 

either a “Request to Cancel a Well Permit 

for Groundwater Irrigation,” contract or an 

“Application to Reduce Permitted Acres and 

Authorized Annual Appropriation for Surface 

Water Irrigation” contract through the Colorado Ground Water Commission.

Participants can apply no more than 1⁄2-acrefoot of irrigation water to enrolled irrigated 

land during the first 12 months of a CREP 

contract, but only if/when necessary to establish the approved vegetative conservation 

cover. Otherwise, no irrigation water may 

be applied to the land at any time during the 

term of the CREP contract except as further 

agreed to by FSA.

To be eligible, non-irrigated (dryland) cropland must be a center-pivot corner enrolled 

with the adjacent irrigated center-pivot 

cropland area. No more than 5,000 acres of 

eligible non-irrigated cropland corners may 

be enrolled.

Additionally, cropland must meet cropping 

history criteria and be physically and legally 

capable of being cropped in a normal manner. Marginal pastureland along streams, 

watercourses and certain upland areas is also 

eligible for enrollment.

A producer who has acreage under an existing CRP contract or an approved offer with 

a contract pending is ineligible for CREP on 

that acreage until that contract expires. Other 

requirements may also apply. Interested 

producers should contact their local FSA 

office for specific information regarding their 

eligibility for CREP.

Sign-up and Contract Duration

The CREP sign-up began June 12, 2006, 

and will continue until enrollment goals 

are attained, or there is no longer statutory 

authority for CRP, whichever comes first. 

Enrolled land remains under contract for 14- 

to 15- years as specified in the contract.

Approved Conservation Measures

To better serve program goals, FSA has 

approved the following CRP conservation 

practices (CP) for the Colorado Republican 

River CREP:

• CP2 - Establishment of Permanent Native Grasses;
FACT SHEET

CREP - Colorado Republican River March 2011

• CP4D - Permanent Wildlife Habitat, 

Non-easement; 

• CP22 - Riparian Buffer (cropland only); 

• CP23 - Wetland Restoration; and 

• CP23A - Wetland Restoration, Nonfloodplain

Cropland practice enrollment goals are:

• CP22, CP23 and CP23A: up to 1,500 

acres total; and 

• CP2 and CP4D: up to 33,500 acres 

total.

FSA Payments

Subject to contract terms and certain limitations, CREP participants will be eligible for 

the following types of FSA payments:

• Signing Incentive Payment: One-time 

payment consistent with Handbook 

2-CRP for land enrolled in CP22. This 

payment is made after the contract has 

been signed and approved. 

• Practice Incentive Payment: One-time 

payment equal to 40 percent of the 

eligible reimbursable cost to establish 

CP22. 

• Cost-share Assistance: 50 percent eligible reimbursable cost-share to install 

approved conservation practices. 

• Incentive Payment: One-time payment 

that is 25 percent of the cost to restore 

the site’s hydrology for practices CP23 

and CP23A. 

• Annual Rental Payment: Annual 

payment based on the posted county 

irrigated rental rate for each enrolled irrigated acre covered by a state RRWCD 

Water Activity Enterprise Agreement. 

The per-acre maximum irrigated rental 

rate is the sum of:

1. The most current weighted-average 

posted irrigated cropland rental rate per 

acre for the enrolled land; and 

2. A per-acre maintenance incentive payment consistent with Handbook 2-CP. 

• Annual Rental Payment: Annual 

payment based on dryland cropland 

rental rates for each enrolled dryland 

center-pivot corner cropland acre. The 

per-acre maximum cropland rental rate 

is the sum of:

1. The posted per-acre dryland cropland 

soil rental rate based on the weighted 

average of the three predominant soils 

on the eligible dryland acreage offered; 

and 

2. A per-acre maintenance incentive payment.

State of Colorado and the RRWCD Water 

Activity Enterprise Payments

Subject to contract terms and certain limitations, the state of Colorado and the Enterprise 

will provide the following payments and 

assistance:

• Direct Payment: Permanent waterrights retirement payment in three equal 

installments in years 5, 10 and 15. Payments will range from $100 per acre for 

irrigated acres four or more miles from 

the Republican River’s south and north 

forks, to $600 per acre for any surface 

irrigated acres. 

• Cost-share Payment: Cost-share for 

eligible reimbursable costs to install 

specific practices on irrigated acres at 

the following rates:

1. 10 percent for CP22. 

2. 30 percent for all practices, except 

CP22, established less than one mile 

from the Republican River’s south and 

north forks. 

3. 20 percent for all practices, except 

CP22, established more than one but 

less than two miles from the river’s 

south and north forks. 

4. 15 percent for all practices, except 

CP22, established more than two but 

less than four miles from the river’s 

south and north forks. 

5. 5 percent for all practices, except CP22, 

established more than four miles from 

the river’s south and north forks.

• RRWCD Bonus Payment: One-time 

payment provided within 30 days of 

the contract’s effective date. Payment 

covers enrolled irrigated acres at the 

following rates:

1. $120 per acre for surface water irrigated 

acres. 

2. $35 per acre for groundwater irrigated 

acres less than one mile from the river’s 

south and north forks. 

3. $25 per acre for groundwater irrigated 

acres more than one but less than two 

miles from the river’s south and north 

forks. 

4. $15 per acre for groundwater irrigated 

acres more than two but less than four 

miles from the river’s south and north 

forks. 

5. $10 per acre for groundwater irrigated 

acres more than four miles from the 

river’s south and north forks.

• Annual Rental Payment: Annual 

payment on enrolled irrigated acres 

provided within 30 days of the FSA 

annual rental payment issuance. The 

payment rates are:

1. $50 per acre annually for surface water 

irrigated acres. 

2. $25 per acre annually for groundwater 

irrigated acres less than one mile from 

the river’s south and north forks. 

3. $15 per acre annually for groundwater 

irrigated acres more than two but less 

than two miles from the river’s south 

and north forks. 

4. $10 per acre annually for groundwater 

irrigated acres more than two but less 

than four miles from the river’s south 

and north forks.

• Pay all costs associated with the 

CREP annual water quality monitoring 

program. 

• Provide technical assistance to help 

participants develop conservation plans 

and install riparian buffers.

Cost

The total cost over a 15-year period is estimated at $66.3 million. FSA will contribute 

approximately $52.8 million, or 80 percent, 

and the state of Colorado will fund approximately $13.5 million, including $11.7 million 

from the RRWCD Water Activity Enterprise. 

The $66.3 million does not include any costs 

that may be assumed by producers.

CRP Enrollment

CREP is another option under CRP that 

farmers may select to enhance their land. 

Applicants may still enroll eligible land in 

the general CRP or continuous sign-up CRP. 

However, CREP provides additional benefits 

not available through general and/or continuous sign-up. For instance, CREP payments 

are at a higher effective rate.

Haying and Grazing 

Haying and grazing are not permitted during 

the CREP contract period unless FSA allows 

it for emergency or managed haying and 

grazing purposes, if applicable, under normal 

CRP rules.

For More Information

 More information on the Colorado Republican River CREP is available at local FSA 

offices and on FSA’s Web site at: www.fsa.

usda.gov/crp.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, 

disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 

orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, 

reprisal, or because all of part of an individual’s 

income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative 

means for communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 

and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to 

USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office 

of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, 

DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 

(English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-

8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 

(Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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