# Webinar: USDA National



# Water Quality Initiative Lynda Hall, Chief 

## Nonpoint Source Control Branch EPA Office of Water

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# In this presentation

• Scope of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution nationally and contributions from agriculture
• How EPA’s CWA Section 319 Program 

## addresses NPS pollution
• USDA’s NWQI an opportunity for better 

## environmental outcomes through program collaboration

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# National Scope of Nitrogen &

Phosphorus Pollution

• More than 15,000 nutrient
- related impaired waters

– ~ 101,000 miles of rivers and streams impaired by nutrients

– ~ 3.5 million acres of lakes and reservoirs impaired by nutrients
• More than 8,000 nutrient
- related TMDLs completed to date
• Approximately half of assessed streams have medium to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus
• More than 40% of lakes have medium to high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus
• 78% of continental U.S. coastal waters exhibit eutrophication
• 168 Hypoxic Zones in U.S. Waters
• Current nutrient control efforts hard fought, but collectively inadequate at state and national level

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## Agricultural NPS Pollution a Leading Source of Water Quality Impairment

• Number one source for rivers and streams

– 123,620 miles, 24% of impaired miles
• Number three source for lakes, ponds, and reservoirs

– 1,821,113 acres, 14% of impaired acres
• Number nine source for estuaries

– 3,027 square miles, 14% of impaired area (Source: Draft CWA 305(b) National Water Quality Inventory: Report to Congress, 2010 Reporting Cycle ) 45 

# National Summary: Source and Causes

of Impairments

(Source: Draft CWA 305(b) National Water Quality Inventory: Report to Congress, 2010 Reporting Cycle )• Nonpoint Source Program ( § 319)

– Grants to states/tribes for technical and financial assistance, education, training, technology transfer, demonstration projects, and monitoring

– Many projects focus on agriculture, especially nutrient and pathogen reductions, often coordinated with USDA conservation programs

• Improve and maintain water quality by addressing NPS pollution sources

– One success measure: waters with improving quality or that now meet state water quality standards – aka “319 success stories”

– Over 420 successes to date

• How: staffing support at state and local levels, planning, technical assistance, on
- the
- ground BMPs, monitoring, building partnerships. 

# Goals of CWA 319 Program

# Section 319 Funding

• 319 Appropriation:

– 2001
- 04: $237
– 238M

– 2005
- 10: $199

- 207M

– 2011: $175M

– 2012/13: $165M
• States implement nonpoint source programs

– Receive 319 funds via allocation formula

– Pursuant to EPA guidelines

– Add 40% non
- federal match and often other state funds
• Base funds : state/local staff, project coordination, outreach, technical assistance, partnership - building and leveraging . • Incremental funds : develop, implement, and monitor watershed projects

### • Are complementary and work well together

– Shared goals

– Rely on voluntary actions by landowners

– Fueled by partnerships at the local level


### • Have active and ongoing collaboration in about half of states – NWQI an opportunity to expand


### • Provide great opportunity to enhance coordinated implementation of our programs to:

– Better serve watershed partnerships

– Produce better conservation and water quality outcomes


### • Deliver powerful results when they work together

– Nearly 30% of 319 “success stories” involved collaboration with USDA programs 

# 319 and USDA Conservation Programs...

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# Common Attributes of Nonpoint Source Success Stories

• Specific NPS problem areas identified and appropriate conservation practices implemented
• Watershed planning or TMDLs inform implementation

– So that high
- impact sources are addressed


### • Section 319 funds support planning and/or implementation


### • Multiple project partners providing resources, expertise
• Local buy
- in
• Concerted effort over several years


### • Water quality monitoring data show improvement

# Looking Ahead to FY13

• Joint USDA/EPA water quality initiative

• Similar in focus to FY12 with opportunity to refine


## • USDA invests EQIP funds in targeted watersheds


## • EPA/states provide monitoring support to gauge water quality results

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