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 ) 4
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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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