NRCS Joins Forces to Implement Colorado’s Ogallala and Republican River Basin TCP

The NRCS partnered with the Republican River Water Conservation District and the Colorado Master Irrigator Project Advisory Committee to develop the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Ogallala and Republican River Basin Targeted Conservation Project (TCP).

The goals of the CO Master Irrigator program were adopted to utilize EQIP funding to facilitate the implementation of conservation practices to improve energy use efficiency, water conservation and soil health to increase profitability and conserve the aquifer.

EQIP offers contracts with a minimum term of two years and a maximum term of 10 years. At the present time the limited management incentive practice payments are eligible for payment up to 5 years in the Ogallala and Republican River Basin TCP.

The EQIP payment limitation is $450,000 per individual.

The participants who have completed the CO Master Irrigator Curriculum will be eligible for a 20% increase in their EQIP application ranking score. The increased ranking points will be available to farm and ranch entities who have sponsored employees to complete the CO Master Irrigator Curriculum.