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Farm Bill funds released to Basin irrigators
$7 million to be used for Oregon, California conservation projects
published March 27, 2003
Klamath Basin irrigators who want to make their systems more efficient just got a flow of federal money opened to them.
The Federal government has released $7 million to be used for conservation projects in the Basin. The funds are part of the $50 million earmarked for the Basin in the 2002 Farm Bill under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The Farm Bill runs until 2008.
U.S. Congressman Greg Walden said the release of the funds shows that helping irrigators in the Basin is a priority of the Bush administration.
He said getting conservation programs up and running is also a priority of those in the Basin, because of the issue of getting water to irrigators, downstream users, tribes and other interest.
"Obviously, the sooner we can get to solving this problem it's better for the farmers and the fish," he said.
The funds will be split by the Natural Resources Conservation Service between irrigators in Oregon and California, with irrigators in each state getting $3 million, said Shelley Tucker, district conservationist for the service's Klamath office. The NRCS also gets $500,000 for each state to cover technical assistant costs for its field offices.
But irrigators won't get a check from the federal government just for saying they are going to make their system more efficient, they actually need to make the changes and then have them inspected by the NRCS.
"We have to show a water saving with the use of these dollars," she said.
Tucker said she expects the NRCS to sign contracts with farmers, ranchers and other landowners this week or early next week.
The contracts will outline what the irrigators need to do make their systems more efficient. She said the costs of the improvements will be shared, with the NRCS paying 75 percent and irrigators paying 25 percent.
She said the cost of improving an irrigation system varies with what type it is. For example, she said the cost for converting a 40-acre field from flood to sprinkle would be about $30,000.
There are about 200 people on the Klamath office's list who want to do a project. Tucker said they will start with the ones that will result in the most water saved.
"We will just work down the list and go until the money goes out," she said.
About 30 farmers in Oregon and 40 farmers in California are expected to receive immediate assistance under the program, officials said. About 500 farmers and other landowners in the two states have applied for federal assistance.
The funds are the second allocation from the Farm Bill. Last year the NRCS got $2.25 million, Walden said.
Applications for the funds may be submitted to NRCS offices in Klamath Falls or Tulelake.
On the Net:
Applications for funding: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov
published March 27, 2003
Klamath Basin irrigators who want to make their systems more efficient just got a flow of federal money opened to them.
The Federal government has released $7 million to be used for conservation projects in the Basin. The funds are part of the $50 million earmarked for the Basin in the 2002 Farm Bill under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The Farm Bill runs until 2008.
U.S. Congressman Greg Walden said the release of the funds shows that helping irrigators in the Basin is a priority of the Bush administration.
He said getting conservation programs up and running is also a priority of those in the Basin, because of the issue of getting water to irrigators, downstream users, tribes and other interest.
"Obviously, the sooner we can get to solving this problem it's better for the farmers and the fish," he said.
The funds will be split by the Natural Resources Conservation Service between irrigators in Oregon and California, with irrigators in each state getting $3 million, said Shelley Tucker, district conservationist for the service's Klamath office. The NRCS also gets $500,000 for each state to cover technical assistant costs for its field offices.
But irrigators won't get a check from the federal government just for saying they are going to make their system more efficient, they actually need to make the changes and then have them inspected by the NRCS.
"We have to show a water saving with the use of these dollars," she said.
Tucker said she expects the NRCS to sign contracts with farmers, ranchers and other landowners this week or early next week.
The contracts will outline what the irrigators need to do make their systems more efficient. She said the costs of the improvements will be shared, with the NRCS paying 75 percent and irrigators paying 25 percent.
She said the cost of improving an irrigation system varies with what type it is. For example, she said the cost for converting a 40-acre field from flood to sprinkle would be about $30,000.
There are about 200 people on the Klamath office's list who want to do a project. Tucker said they will start with the ones that will result in the most water saved.
"We will just work down the list and go until the money goes out," she said.
About 30 farmers in Oregon and 40 farmers in California are expected to receive immediate assistance under the program, officials said. About 500 farmers and other landowners in the two states have applied for federal assistance.
The funds are the second allocation from the Farm Bill. Last year the NRCS got $2.25 million, Walden said.
Applications for the funds may be submitted to NRCS offices in Klamath Falls or Tulelake.
On the Net:
Applications for funding: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov
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