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Rapid Watershed Assessments

Updated 08/15/2008

Overview

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging the development of rapid watershed assessments in order to increase the speed and efficiency generating information to guide conservation implementation, as well as the speed and efficiency of putting it into the hands of local decision makers.

Fact Sheet

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Adobe Acrobat Document April 2007 RWA Fact Sheet (2.25 MB)

Background Information

Rapid watershed assessments provide initial estimates of where conservation investments would best address the concerns of landowners, conservation districts, and other community organizations and stakeholders. These assessments help land-owners and local leaders set priorities and determine the best actions to achieve their goals.

These assessments are conducted by watershed planning teams traveling through each watershed, meeting with landowners and conservation groups, inventorying agricultural areas, identifying conservation opportunities and current levels of resource management, and estimating impacts of these opportunities on the local priority resource concerns.

Benefits of These Activities

While these rapid assessments provide less detail and analysis than full-blown studies and plans, they do provide the benefits of NRCS locally-led planning in less time and at a reduced cost. The benefits include:

  • Quick and inexpensive plans for setting priorities and taking action
  • Providing a level of detail that is sufficient for identifying actions that can be taken with no further watershed-level studies or analyses
  • Actions to be taken may require further Federal or State permits or ESA or NEPA analysis but these activities are part of standard requirements for use of best management practices (BMPs) and conservation systems
  • Identifying where further detailed analyses or watershed studies are needed
  • Plans address multiple objectives and concerns of landowners and communities
  • Plans are based on established partnerships at the local and state levels
  • Plans enable landowners and communities to decide on the best mix of NRCS programs that will meet their goals
  • Plans include the full array of conservation program tools (i.e. cost-share practices, easements, technical assistance)

NRCS Rapid Watershed Assessment (RWA) Guidance

The guidance document has been split into multiple parts for faster downloading.

These documents require Adobe Acrobat reader.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentSubpart A--Background and Purpose (192 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSubpart B--Procedures (26 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSubpart C--Additional Assessment (16 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSubpart D--Exhibits (10 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSample Plan of Work (26 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSample Hydrologic Resource Profile (2 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentSample Summary Matrix (23 KB)

Rapid Watershed Assessment Training--Net Conference Materials, March 26, 2008

These documents require Adobe Acrobat Document Adobe Acrobat reader.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentRWA Training Overview (605 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRWA Organizational Process-Tom Krapf, Wisconsin NRCS (2.32 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRWA GIS, Data, and Cartographic Elements-Chris Morse, Wisconsin NRCS and Peter Mead, Minnesota NRCS (4.99 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRWA Development of Summary Matrix-Allan Sommer, Minnesota NRCS (590 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentAdding Value to the RWA Process-Tim Sweeney, NWMC NRCS (4.3 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentCompressing Large Files Demonstration (1.51 MB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentRWA Contact for Further Information (23 KB)

Additional Information

Links to State RWA pages  Updated

Map of rapid watershed assessments and watershed plans funded in Fiscal Years 2006, 2007 and 2008  NEW

This document requires the Mircosoft Excel Viewer.

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet NRCS State RWA Contacts (30KB)

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Adobe Acrobat Document 2007 Funded RWA Proposal by State (29 KB)

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Microsoft Word Spreadsheet RWA Matrix Tool - Oregon NRCS Template - Instructions for RWA Matrix tool - NY and OR NRCS (2.7MB)

This document requires the Mircosoft Excel Viewer.

Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet RWA Matrix Tool - Oregon NRCS Template (1.9MB)

This document requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Adobe Acrobat Document Watersheds, Hydologic Unit Codes, Watershed Approach, and Rapid Watershed Assessments Definitions (129KB)

Contact

Jan Surface, 202-690-3501

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