Watershed Projects Vary in Size, Objectives, and Funding

Nationwide, federal agencies identified 618 watershed projects that had received federal funds through early 1995. The projects ranged in size from as few as 5 acres to over 150 million acres; about 60 percent covered less than 80,000 acres. Federal Flexibility and Locally Driven Approaches Are Key to Managing Nine Agricultural Watershed Projects

The common experiences of the nine projects we looked at suggest that achieving success in watershed-based approaches depends on (1) the flexible application of federal assistance and (2) the ability of local officials to enlist broad support and to craft solutions customized to their local needs. At the local level, they identified education, stakeholders’ involvement, and a customized approach to improving water quality as the keys to a successful project. The projects’ participants also stressed the need for flexibility in the role federal agencies play in providing technical assistance to help farmers implement pollution-reduction practices. Participants Favor Locally Driven Approach

The nine innovative or successful projects we reviewed were able to adopt a locally driven approach to achieving the goals for the watersheds. This designation required the development of a comprehensive strategy to reduce pollution in the watershed. The project focuses on surface water issues and covers both rural and urban sources of nonpoint pollution.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the effects of agricultural production on water pollution, focusing on lessons learned from nine innovative, successful watershed projects that reduced such pollution.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) the watershed projects ranged from 5 acres to 150 million acres and involved both surface water and groundwater resources; (2) the watershed projects have received an estimated $514 million in federal funds since 1995; (3) all nine watershed participants stressed the need for flexibility in the kinds of financial and technical assistance provided by federal agencies; (4) the watershed participants were able to adopt local approaches to watershed management, since the watersheds had different characteristics; and (5) project participants at the local level emphasized that the keys to reducing agricultural pollution are to build citizen cooperation through education, involve stakeholders in developing project goals, and tailor project strategies.