sources and the sensitivity of water rights issues, it will be difficult to measure progress and evaluate success for both quality and quantity. WATER RESOURCES OUTLOOK SUMMARY HIGH PRIORITY Significant water quality & quantity concerns What has been accomplished What is left to do Agricultural Water Quality Management plan Active watershed councils formed Increased implementation of improved practices Irrigation management Nutrient management Livestock management Role and priorities for NRCS. Water quality and quantity will be a HIGH PRIORITY for NRCS assistance in Josephine County. Strategies targeting water resources are outlined in the strategic approach section of this plan. Targeting irrigation water management and system improvements will contribute significantly to reducing irrigation return flows. livestock management and animal waste management practices minimize the possible contributions of livestock to water quality problems. Fuels reduction and improved forest management practices will minimize the danger of catastrophic wildfire and improve the ability of forestland to absorb and process rainfall. AIR RESOURCES Air quality. Josephine County generally has good air quality, with few associated risks to human health. Periodic inversions occur during winter months and can last for several days. An Air Quality Management Area was created in the area around Grants Pass to monitor and regulate air quality. One noteworthy exception to relative air quality is large-scale wildfire events that have been known to pose serious risks to people with breathing-related illnesses, for whom the only recourse is to stay indoors. Progress to date. A voluntary effort to track air quality has helped keep the county within acceptable levels. Considerable fuels reduction work has been coordinated through interagency groups, resulting in over 5,500 acres completed on private lands and over 90,000 acres on public lands in the last 5 years. Future needs and opportunities. Measures to reduce catastrophic wildfire will serve to promote air quality and reduce risks to human health. Alternatives to open burning of forest residues such as biomass utilization have the potential to improve air quality and contribute to renewable energy development in the area. AIR RESOURCES OUTLOOK SUMMARY LOW PRIORITY
The key to achieving widespread adoption of voluntary conservation practices is to make them compatible with land uses and land management objectives in the private sector. The preceding analysis detailed the situation for each resource individually, although it is widely recognized that the condition of the resources is inter-related and that many conservation measures can impact multiple resource concerns. The following table illustrates how types of conservation work have the potential to impact multiple resource concerns. This table is arranged by land-use type and presents a suite of practices that are commonly implemented in concert to achieve the desired resource and management objectives. Those practices which impact either high priority resource concerns or multiple resource concerns stand out as better resource investments. Conservation activities by land use types & their potential to impact resource concerns: NATURAL RESOURCE PRIORITIES Conservation activities SOIL Low priority High priority AIR/ENERGY Low priority PLANTS High priority ANIMALS High priority HUMANS Low priority Livestock /pasture grazing, fencing, Livestock watering, Invasive species control, Stream crossings, Heavy use area treatments water efficiency soil compaction, Improve infiltration water quality and quantity Increase water for native species invasive species; Improve productivity of native species water quality for fish, forage & habitat domestic animal health economic viability, Improve recreation Crop land efficiency, cropping water quality and quantity energy productivity water availability economic viability, Reduce labor inputs Wildlife management habitat, forage domestic animal health economic viability