USDA Prioritizes Private Lands and Watershed Scale Conservation in Key River Basins

May 27, 2014

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(Washington, DC) – American Rivers today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for taking an important step towards restoring rivers and ensuring clean water supplies, while protecting the nation’s working farms and rural economies.

NRCS announced its Regional Conservation Partnership Program, a new 2014 Farm Bill conservation program that will invest $1.2 billion over five years to assist voluntary, locally-driven efforts on private lands, including water quality restoration, drought mitigation, flood prevention, and habitat revitalization. The program, which will prioritize landscape conservation efforts in critical river basins including the Colorado River, Columbia River, Mississippi River, Chesapeake Bay, and California’s Bay-Delta, presents an opportunity to strategically link land and water conservation efforts at a landscape scale. American Rivers thanked Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Congressman Scott Tipton (R-CO) for their leadership in advancing the program.

“Private landowners are important partners in river conservation and we all benefit when we work together. This program will not only advance innovative river conservation solutions, it will benefit individual farmers and ranchers, as well as local economies and communities in key river basins,” said Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers.

“Prioritizing investment in key river basins will ensure major benefits for clean water supplies, wildlife habitat, and local economies. American Rivers looks forward to working with NRCS and farmers and ranchers to leverage this program to ensure healthy rivers and sustainable use of our natural resources,” said Irvin.

About American Rivers

American Rivers protects wild rivers, restores damaged rivers, and conserves clean water for people and nature. Since 1973, American Rivers has protected and restored more than 150,000 miles of rivers through advocacy efforts, on-the-ground projects, and an annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers® campaign. Headquartered in Washington, DC, American Rivers has offices across the country and more than 250,000 members, supporters, and volunteers.

Rivers connect us to each other, nature, and future generations. Find your connections at AmericanRivers.org, Facebook.com/AmericanRivers, and Twitter.com/AmericanRivers.