United States Department of Agriculture
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Kansas Ground and Surface Water Conservation

Overview

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the 2002 Farm Bill) authorizes the Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) provision of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

The GSWC provision of EQIP has a national appropriations level of $60 million in Fiscal Year 2005.

Water savings can occur by:

  • Converting to a less water intensive cropping system or nonirrigated land use.
  • Improving irrigation systems.
  • Enhancing irrigation efficiencies.
  • Improving water storage through water banking and groundwater recharge.
  • Including other practices that improve groundwater or surface water conservation, as deemed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary.

These funds can be provided through cost-share and incentive payments.

Information for Kansas

  • EQIP Self-Assessment Tool must be completed and returned to the NRCS office by application period cutoff date.
  • Cost-share and incentive payments are only eligible on land that has been irrigated at least two of the past five years.
  • Incentive payment for conversion of irrigated cropland to nonirrigated cropland or to nonirrigated permanent cover is available.
  • All irrigated land that receives cost-share or incentive payments is required to apply irrigation water management and water measuring devices.
  • Producers must stay within the certified rate and amount of existing water right.
  • Cost share for conversion from surface irrigation to subsurface drip irrigation will be 40 percent of the actual cost not to exceed $220 per irrigated acre.
  • Cost share for conversion from surface or water drive irrigation to sprinkler irrigation will be 40 percent of the NRCS average cost.
  • No end guns or similar appurtenances will be used on center pivots.
  • Well modifications, pumping units, and power facilities for irrigation systems are not eligible for cost share.
  • Cost share is not eligible for a sprinkler system to replace an existing sprinkler system.

The information on this page may also be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat format.

Adobe Acrobat documentGSWC Key Points (52 KB)

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