Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP)
|
Downed timber adds fuel load
to forest land. |
EWP was set up by Congress to respond to emergencies created by natural
disasters and assists in relieving hazards to life and property from floods and the products of erosion created by
natural disasters that cause a sudden impairment of a watershed. A sudden watershed impairment results from a single natural occurrence
or a short-term combination of occurrences. For the watershed to be eligible for assistance, the impairment must significantly
exceed that which existed before the disaster.
The EWP program work continues in Alabama on repairs to damaged infrastructures in many areas and removal of downed timber on forest lands. The
Alabama Forestry Commission, local soil and water conservation districts, and Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils are working with NRCS to remove
downed timber on non-industrial land. Priority is being given to removal of downed timber in areas with a high risk for wildlife.
|
Prescribed burn is used to control fuel load. |
Traditional EWP
work includes stabilization of road banks and bridge abutments, debris removal
from streams, and control of caving gullies that threatened infrastructures such
as homes, gas and power lines, and road ways.
When natural disasters strike, the EWP program provides assistance to
protect community infrastructures. Hurricanes over the past years left a lot of
timber on the ground and a great deal of timber damaged but still standing. This
timber represents wealth, jobs, and the future for Alabama producers. Everyone
recognizes that getting the salvage underway as quickly as possible will reduce
the amount of the loss. Damaged timber is dangerous; dangerous to leave
standing, dangerous to cut, and dangerous even after it is on the ground. Under
the authority of EWP Program, NRCS is working to ensure that the salvage
activities are handled in the most effective
manner. The landowners, the loggers, the
consuming mills and federal agencies are in this recovery process together.
Business cooperation among these stakeholders will ensure that Alabama recovers
from the storm damage and builds a better future for all of us.
EWP assistance is authorized by sections of Public Laws 81-516, 94-344, and
104-127. All of the work under EWP is
implemented by local NRCS offices and coordinated from the NRCS State Office in
Auburn (334-887-4536).
EWP in Action - Before and After in Dale County
|
Storm damaged infrastructure before repairs. |
Storm damaged infrastructure after repairs. |
Additional Information
These documents require
Adobe Acrobat.
EWP Construction and Material Specifications, E-Field Office Tech Guide --
(will open in a new window.) Construction specifications consist of two parts.
The standard portion is called the "Parent Specification." The section
that is normally modified to tailor the specification to a particular job is
called the "Items of Work." If the user elects to modify the Parent
Specification, they should remove "NRCS" from the footer of the specification
and insert an identifier for the sponsoring organization or other appropriate
identifier.
Sponsor's Guide to
EWP, USDA-NRCS (PDF) (will open in new window)
EWP (Emergency Watershed Protection
Program in Alabama) - PDF- Black & white, tri-fold 8 1/2 x 11 brochure
Success Stories
Some of these stories require
Adobe
Acrobat.
City of Ozark Uses EQIP
Funds to Repair Road New!
EWP
Funds Help the City of Jackson Repair Infrastructure (PDF), Land and Water,
July/August 07 (text only)
EWP
Rule Change Will Impact Six Alabama Counties (PDF) Alabama County Commissioner
10/05
EWP
Program is Like a Shot in the Arm for Rural County (PDF) (Geneva County) Land and
Water 1-2/05; Alabama County Commissioners Fall 04
Last Modified:
07/24/2009
| 
About Us
Back to Top