Kansas Ranking Categories and Priority Natural Resource Concerns

Based on local advice through the Kansas Technical Committee (KTC) and national EQIP priorities, the following ranking categories and primary resource concerns have been identified as priorities in Kansas for Fiscal Year 2009.

• Cropland Health
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
• Forestland Health
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor (Cropland, Forestland)
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
• Grazing Lands Health
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, and Vigor (Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious and Invasive Plants
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
• Livestock Waste
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
• Sedimentation Above Federal Reservoirs (limited to watersheds above a federal reservoir with exception of Wilson Reservoir and Webster Reservoir)
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
• Water Quality
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
• Water Quantity
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Insufficient Flows in Water Courses
• Water Quantity - Quick Response Areas (limited to designated Quick Response Areas)
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Flows in Water Courses
• Beginning Farmer/Rancher
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor (Cropland, Forestland, Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Plants
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Insufficient Flows in Water Courses
• Limited Resource Farmer/Rancher
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor (Cropland, Forestland, Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Plants
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Insufficient Flows in Water Courses
• Socially Disadvantaged Farmer/Rancher
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor (Cropland, Forestland, Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Plants
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Insufficient Flows in Water Courses
• Tribal (limited to tribal land or tribal members)
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor (Cropland, Forestland, Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Plants
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
• Organic
  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors
  • Domestic Animals – Inadequate Stock Water
  • Plant Condition – Productivity, Health, Vigor (Cropland, Forestland, Rangeland, Pastureland, Hayland)
  • Plant Condition – Noxious, Invasive Plants
  • Soil Condition – Organic Matter Depletion
  • Soil Erosion – Streambank
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Groundwater
  • Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water
  • Water Quality – Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Aquifer Overdraft
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Non-irrigated Land
  • Water Quantity – Insufficient Flows in Water Courses

Fish and Wildlife – Threatened and Endangered Species, Declining Species, Species of Concern (Greater Prairie Chicken, Lesser Prairie Chicken, Northern Bobwhite Quail) are addressed within each category's ranking as secondary concerns. The wildlife concern may be treated, if there is a primary resource concern being treated, with the available practices.

A beginning farmer/rancher, limited resource farmer/rancher, or socially disadvantaged farmer/rancher may apply under the designated ranking category or under the ranking category of their resource concern, but not both on the same land.

Self-Assessment Worksheets have been developed for producers to complete during the application process. These worksheets are designed to assist producers with determining if EQIP is the appropriate conservation program for their land and to better prepare the producers for their visit to the local NRCS office. The worksheets will be made available in hard copy and electronically. The worksheets are required to be completed and returned to the NRCS office prior to the application period cutoff date. It is the participant's responsibility to complete the Self-Assessment Worksheets.

The availability of other programs, both public and private, to assist with activities related to the priority natural resource concerns was considered. Additional funds are available from other state and federal agencies, as well private organizations, for the treatment of these priority resource concerns and may be partnered with EQIP.