NRCS Report of Activities

L o u i s i a n a

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Chad Kacir, State Conservationist

Louisiana

Overview

• Farm Bill Activities in Louisiana

• Initiatives

• Watershed Rehabilitation

• Watershed Operations

• Reorganization in Louisiana

Farm Bill Activities in Louisiana

Farm Bill Funding

• In Louisiana, over $48 million in Farm Bill funding was invested in fiscal year 2019 in NRCS conservation programs to:

• Reduce soil erosion and sedimentation

• Improve water quality and quantity

• Improve air quality

• Enhance wildlife habitat and pollinator habitat

• Improve soil quality

• Manage plant pests

Major Farm Bill Program Investments in

Louisiana

• EQIP - $35.1 million

• CSP - $13.1 million

Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot

Program

• Established in the

2018 Farm Bill

• Partnership with

APHIS

• 3 pilot areas in

Louisiana

Initiatives

Bayou Pierre Watershed Project - RCPP

• Red River Parish

• Improving soil and

water quality in

Bayou Pierre

• 6 new participants

on 2,566 acres using

$240,855.70

Watershed Rehabilitation

Upper West Fork of Cypress Bayou 1

Upper West Fork of Cypress Bayou 2

Upper West Fork of Cypress Bayou 3

Upper West Fork of Cypress Bayou 1, 2 & 3

Dams completed in 1963

1963

Town of Plain Dealing made an application for federal assistance seeking funds for rehabilitation of the dams.

Feb. 2019

NRCS received notification that funding for a plan was approved by National Headquarters

May 2019

Kickoff Meeting was held between NRCS, project sponsors and engineering firms that will prepare the plan

Nov. 2019

Watershed Operations

Red Bayou Watershed - Louisiana

Update

• Caddo SWCD has had several maintenance and repair expenses in the last few years

• Streambank slope repair –2017

• Minor pump repairs – 2018

• Parish road bank/culvert slope repair - 2019

Conservation

• Since construction was completed and the

irrigation project came online, NRCS has

provided financial and technical assistance on

5,426 acres of conservation practices applied

within the Red Bayou Watershed.

Grant Parish Watershed - Louisiana

Grant Parish Watershed

• 36,788 acres project area

• Project proposes to use good quality water from the Red River for irrigations purposes during drought events

• Nantachie Bayou will be the channel by which the Red River water will be introduced into the project area

• Will also provide incidental opportunities to improve wildlife & fisheries habitat

• Water level gauges installed collecting data for modelling

Update

• Meeting held January 17, 2020, between NRCS and the

Grant Parish Watershed Committee to address property

access concerns for areas in the project

• Engineering surveys need to be completed

• Survey data will be given to engineering firm to do project

area modeling

• Public meeting will be conducted later on the the planning

process

The USDA Small Watershed Program is one of the nation’s best examples of a program being delivered through partnerships

• Private

• Local

• State

• Federal

Reorganization in Louisiana

NRCS Contacts

Chad Kacir

Louisiana State Conservationist

3737 Government Street

Alexandria, LA 71302

Phone: (318) 473-7751

Email: richard.kacir@usda.gov

Questions?