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2009 Agricultural Water Enhancement Program

The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) is a voluntary conservation initiative that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to implement agricultural water enhancement activities on agricultural land for the purposes of conserving surface and ground water and improving water quality. As part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), AWEP operates through contracts with producers to plan and implement conservation practices in project areas established through partnership agreements.

Under AWEP, NRCS enters into partnership agreements with eligible entities. As authorized by Congress, this is not a grant program. The intent of AWEP is for the Federal government to leverage investments in natural resources conservation along with services and resources of other eligible partners.

How It Works

Eligible entities propose AWEP project areas for ground and surface water conservation or improvements to water quality on agricultural lands. Partners that are eligible to participate in AWEP include, but are not limited to, federally recognized Indian Tribes, States, units of local government, or groups of agricultural producers.

NRCS evaluates the proposals and selects project areas on a national level. Once AWEP areas are approved, eligible partners enter into multi-year agreements with NRCS to promote ground and surface water conservation or improve water quality on eligible agricultural lands. NRCS will then make special EQIP funding available to eligible landowners and agricultural operators in the project area.

To receive funding through the AWEP, landowners must submit an EQIP application and meet all program eligibility requirements. Individual producers are not eligible to submit a partnership proposal.

2009 Alabama AWEP Project Areas

In 2009, targeted conservation program funding through AWEP was made available statewide in Alabama.  Alabama NRCS will begin accepting applications for AWEP on August 17, 2009. The signup period will end on August 25, 2009. 

More Information

Contact Information

Contact your local Service Center for further guidelines and details of the program.  

NRCS State Office contact Steve Musser, USDA–NRCS, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, phone: (334) 887-4503.

 

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