The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Operations (WFPO) Program includes the Flood Prevention Operations Program (Watershed Operations) authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-534) and the provisions of the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (P.L. 83- 566).

It provides for cooperation between the Federal government and the States and their political subdivisions to address resource concerns due to erosion, floodwater, and sediment and provide for improved utilization of the land and water resources. The WFPO Program provides technical and financial assistance to States, local governments and Tribes to plan and implement authorized watershed project plans for the purpose of:

• Flood Prevention
• Watershed Protection
• Public Recreation
• Public Fish and Wildlife
• Agricultural Water Management
• Municipal and Industrial Water Supply
• Water Quality Management

Watersheds are the area of land drained by a particular surface stream system that outlets at a common point. NRCS P.L. 83-566 Watershed projects are developed for watersheds usually 250,000 acres or smaller.

Watershed projects are planned and carried out jointly by local, state, and federal agencies with support of community landowners and citizens in the watersheds. Communities identify resource problems to be addressed, practices to be installed, and carry out major portions of a watershed plan, such as obtaining easements, rights-of-way, permits and local cost-share funding.

Project sponsors can use land treatment solutions or structural solutions, which require construction. An approved watershed plan must be in place prior to initiation of any corrective land treatment or structural solutions.

Once the watershed plan is approved, the project sponsor helps landowners install planned land treatment measures if that is the appropriate solution. For structural solutions, project sponsors ensure surveys and investigations are completed. They also acquire detailed designs, specifications and engineering cost estimates for construction projects. If needed, project sponsors will outline areas where land rights, easements, and right-of-ways are needed.

NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to local project sponsors. Federal assistance is available for engineering and construction costs of flood control measures, conservation practices for water quality and erosion and sediment control, and for agricultural or municipal/industrial water supplies and recreation facilities. Entities of state and local governments or a Tribe may apply for USDA assistance.

More Information on Sponsor Requirements: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/watershed-protection-and-flood-prevention-operations-program/watershed 

A project can consist of a combination of structures such as flood control dams or levees and conservation practices like terraces, grassed waterways, grade stabilization structures, animal waste facilities or aquatic species crossings.

Management of both agriculture and nonagricultural water supplies can be a significant component of watershed projects. Measures to increase or conserve present and future water supplies in rural areas, improve water quality impacted by pollutants, and recharge ground water can be part of a watershed plan. Management for nonagricultural uses such as municipal and industrial uses, recreational uses and improved fish and wildlife habitat are other opportunities in watershed projects.

Statutory and regulatory criteria include:

• Public sponsorship
• Watershed Projects up to 250,000 acres
• Benefits that are directly related to agriculture, including rural communities, must be at least 20 percent of the total benefits for the project.

Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations funding is available pending the following:

• Annual Congressional appropriations
• State and national priorities
• Acquisition of land and water rights
• Obtaining required permits
• Availability of local funding for specific project solutions
• Completion of structural, agronomic and vegetative designs for project measures      
• An approved Operations and Maintenance agreement between NRCS and the project sponsor that ensures the project land treatment and/or structural solutions will be installed and maintained as specified in the agreement.

Project sponsors can access help through this program in the following ways:

• Project sponsors can request funding to carry out an existing NRCS authorized plan. Assistance can include design and construction. 
• Project sponsors can request the Chief of NRCS to authorize a plan developed with USDA  Watershed Operations funding;
• Watershed plans that require $5 million or more in federal funding  for construction require Congressional approval.

Once the watershed plan is authorized, project sponsors can access NRCS’s financial and technical help to implement their plan.