Source Water Protection Christine Hall and Rosalynd Orr

Source Water Protection Christine Hall and Rosalynd Orr, NRCS

Source Water Protection and the 2018 Farm Bill • Emphasis on source water protection through all Farm Bill conservation programs. • 10% of Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation funding directed toward source water protection, an incredible total of $4 billion over the next ten years nationwide • Authorizes water utilities to work with State technical committees in identifying priority areas in each state • Additional incentives for farmers who employ conservation practices that benefit source water quality or quantity 2 2

Identifying State Local Priority Areas • NRCS is working with either the drinking water program or interested utilities/public water systems in their states to identify priority areas Ground Water System • Utility/state partners are assisting NRCS in developing delineations for the priority areas • Sizes vary depending on whether it is a surface water or ground water source, and by the size of the population it serves • States have used a variety of approaches in determining local priorities Surface Water Delineation 3

Proposed NRCS Source Water Protection Priority Areas • Currently using the NJDEP Water Source Areas map • Only includes Surface Water 4 4

Need to consider Source Water Protection for groundwater too 5 5

FY 2021 Source Water Protection Areas • SWPA Working Group: NRCS and NJDEP staff from Water Supply Planning and Modeling Section of the New Jersey Geological and Water Survey • Share GIS data to research and refine SWPAs for FY 2021 • Assist with engaging partners with NRCS (NJ-AWWA, etc. ) • Water Supply Advisory Council-Farm Bill Subcommittee: 1 st Teleconference 3/24/2020 • Includes members of NJ-AWWA Farm Bill Subcommittee (NJDEP, water utilities, Rutgers) and State Technical SWP subcommittee • Assists in selecting Source Water Protection Areas for FY 2021 • Engages water utilities in providing outreach and/or supplemental financial assistance for NRCS programs 6

GIS Layers FY 2021 SWPA’s • DEP Hydrologic Water Supply Areas • Land Use/ Land Cover- % Agricultural Land by HUC-14 (NJDEP) • Wellhead Protection Areas (both public and non-public) • Surface Water Intake Locations (NJDEP) • Surface Water Impairments- Total Phosphorus by HUC-14 (NJDEP) • Surface Water Impairments-TSS, TDS, Total Nitrogen • Ground Water Impairments-Nitrogen and Phosphorus • Watersheds with EPA-approved 9 -elements Watershed Plans and/or other watershed Protection Plans 7

GIS Layers for Update Refined Map or images? ?

FY 2021 SWPA Next Steps… 1. NRCS/NJDEP will refine and finalize proposed FY 21 SWPAs that incorporate surface/groundwater quality and supply GIS layers 2. Present refined SWPAs to Water Supply Advisory Council Farm Bill Subcommittee, and collect feedback and recommendations 3. Present SWPAs selection to State Technical Committee for review and discussion 4. Select and submit FY 2021 NJ NRCS SWPAs by 7/3/2020. 5. Continue to engage water utilities and other partners to implement source water protection practices through Farm Bill Programs.