Emergency Watershed Protection

(EWP) Program

Recovery

Emergency Watershed Protection

(EWP) Program

Recovery

EWP ProgramDiscussion Items

• Program Introduction

• Kansas Projects

• Watershed Dam Repairs

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Introduction

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

IntroductionJeff Gross

Assistant State Conservationist for Water ResourcesNRCS,

Salina, Kansas

Jeff GrossAssistant State Conservationist for Water Resources

NRCS,Salina, Kansas

EWP ProgramPurpose

To assist project sponsors in implementing emergency recovery

measures to relieve imminent hazards to life or property created by a natural

disaster that caused a sudden impairment of a watershed.

EWP ProgramPurpose

6 Key Points: • Project sponsor

– Local/state government or tribal organization • Emergency

– The recovery measure has to be installed now• Imminent hazard to life or property

– In the next event, life or property (e.g., road, bridge, or house) will be impacted

• Natural Disaster– A single event (e.g., flood or tornado) – Disaster declaration by President, Governor, or State

Conservationist (STC)• Sudden Watershed Impairment

– The disaster caused the impairment • Statutes & Regulations

– 7 CFR 624, Emergency Watershed Protection Program Regulations, Final Rule, Published April 4, 2005

EWP ProgramProject Sponsor

• Project sponsor:– Legal subdivision of a State government; Native American tribe/

tribal organization – Has legal interest in the values threatened by the watershed

impairment – Does not have sufficient funds to address the emergency and

will• Provide 25% cost share (cash or in-kind)• Acquire necessary land rights• Acquire all necessary permits• Be capable of carrying out operation and maintenance (O&M)

responsibilities (if necessary)– County Commission, City, Watershed District, Conservation

Districts, Drainage District

EWP ProgramEligible Projects

• Kinds of eligible projects:– Debris removal from stream channels to restore

stream-flow capacity• Blockages above bridges• Debris clean out along a stretch of stream channel

caused by tornado

– Streambank stabilization– Drainage ditch repair (including sediment

removal) – Watershed dam repair (NRCS assisted dams only)– Damaged levee/dike repair

EWP ProgramExamples – destabilized

streambankEligible Not Eligible

EWP ProgramExamples - debris blockage

Not EligibleEligible

EWP ProgramFunding

• EWP Program funds available through supplemental appropriation from Congress─ Not an annual appropriation ─ Wait list

• If the project is on the wait list, it may be a while for funding to arrive

• But if it is not on the wait list, it will never get funded

• There is an exception to this…

EWP ProgramTwo Categories of Projects

• Traditional Project:– Impairment poses a threat to life or property– Funding not likely to be immediately available (wait list)– 75/25 cost share (unless limited resource area)– DSR to be completed– Permits obtained– 220 days to install recovery measures (from time funding is available)

• Exigent Project – Situations that demand immediate action to save life or property

• Can include temporary solutions until permanent recovery measures can be designed and installed

– Funding available upon request to National Headquarters (NHQ)– 75/25 cost share (unless limited resource area)– DSR to be completed– Permits obtained– 10 days to install recovery measures

EWP ProgramDestabilized Streambanks

Exigent Traditional

EWP Program Kansas Activity

Disasters:• May 2007 floods and tornadoes• June/July 2007 floods• Spring 2008 floods and tornadoes

Projects:• 3 projects completed in fiscal year (FY) 2008• 47 projects completed in FY 2009• 39 active projects as of May 15, 2009

Funding:• Kansas NRCS received over $4.7 million to address the

damages from the 2007/2008 tornadoes and floods

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Kansas Projects

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Kansas Projects

Paul GallagherEWP Program Coordinator

NRCS,Salina, Kansas

Paul GallagherEWP Program Coordinator

NRCS,Salina, Kansas

EWP ProgramTimeline - Traditional

Example - Traditional EWP Program

Day Step

1 DSR - 20 days

   

21 Design - 40 days

   

   

62 Project Agreement (PA) - 10 days

   

73 Permits - 45 days

   

   

119 Contracting - 50 days

   

   

170 Construction - 50 days

   

220  

EWP ProgramTimeline - Exigent

Cowley County (Co.) – House• Late June/early July: 20”+ rains • July 24: Site visit - NRCS/Grouse-Silver

(sponsor)• July 25: NRCS determines eligible - exigent• July 25: Sponsor provides assurances• July 25: Kansas NRCS request funds from

NHQ• July 26: Site visit - EWP Team, sponsor• July 27: NHQ provides funding (10-day clock)• July 27: Sponsor signs PA• July 27: Site showing• July 27: DSR completed• July 30: Contractor hired• July 31: Notice to proceed issued• Aug 1: Work starts• Aug 3: Work completed – Final inspection

EWP ProgramExigent Example –Cowley Co.

Before After

Impairment: destabilized streambankImminent Threat: $125,000 house

EWP ProgramDisaster Assistance - Other

AgenciesFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)• Lead in Presidentially declared disasters• Typically assists with damaged infrastructure only• Direct local government to NRCS/EWP Program• Has provided assistance on damaged levees, but policy unclear • NRCS can provide FEMA technical assistance for FEMA work, but with Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU)

Farm Service Agency (FSA)• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• If eligible for ECP, not eligible for EWP Program• NRCS has provided FSA technical assistance

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)• Levee repair work, but only on levees currently in USACE program• Has provided FEMA technical assistance

Kansas Department of Emergency Management (KDEM)• Works on Governor declared disasters and with FEMA on Presidential disasters • Each county has a Emergency Management Coordinator

EWP ProgramExigent Situations – Norton Co.

Before After

Impairment: scour hole; debris blockage Under Imminent Threat: $100,000 county bridge

EWP ProgramExigent Example – Harper Co.

Before After

Impairment: debris blockage Imminent Threat: $750,000 county bridge

EWP ProgramTraditional Example – Geary Co.

Before After

Impairment: debris blockage Imminent Threat: $750,000 county bridge

EWP ProgramTraditional Example – Saline Co.

Before After

Impairment: destabilized streambankImminent Threat: $100,000 county road

EWP ProgramExigent Example – Cowley Co.

Before After

Impairment: debris blockageImminent Threat: $1 million historic bridge

EWP ProgramTraditional Example – Edwards

Co.

Area Benefits

Impairment: debris clogged stream channel Imminent Threat: three $350,000 county bridges

Before After

EWP ProgramTraditional Example – Edwards

Co.

EWP ProgramTraditional Example – Pottawatomie

Co.

Before After

Impairment: destabilized streambank Imminent Threat: 17 houses

EWP ProgramDamaged Levees

• Eligible for EWP Program repairs if: – Damaged by a natural disaster– Eligible sponsor available– Stream drainage area (DA) less than

400 square miles (Sq M)– O&M is current

EWP ProgramDamaged Levees

Kansas Interagency Task Force:• NRCS, FEMA, USACE, KDEM

– Primary purpose: Ensure that all levee related issues are brought to the attention of each agency

– Secondary purpose: Bring to the attention

other non-levee related issues with each agency

• e.g., FEMA and damaged watershed dams

Ineligible for EWP Program repairs because:

• Absence of an eligible sponsor

• On a river with DA > 400 Sq M

• O&M not currentDickinson County

Neosho County Morris County

EWP ProgramDamaged Levees

EWP ProgramWatershed Dam Repairs

63 PL 566 and RC&D Watershed Dams Damaged (June/July 2007)•Upper Verdigris•Big Caney•Middle Caney•Twin Caney•Bee Creek•Elk River•Duck Creek•Little Walnut Hickory•Rock Creek•Timber Creek

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Watershed Dam Repairs

Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Watershed Dam Repairs

Arvil BassState Conservation Engineer

NRCS,Salina, Kansas

Arvil BassState Conservation Engineer

NRCS,Salina, Kansas

• Divided into 3 groups– Group A

• Repair options needed to be evaluated further

– Group B• Restore to as-built condition, significant

soil displaced

– Group C• Restore to as-built condition, minimal to

moderate soil displaced

EWP ProgramAuxiliary Spillway Repairs

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup C

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup C

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup C

Before After

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup B

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup B

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup A

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup A

Auxiliary Spillway RepairsGroup A

Questions?Questions?

Equal Opportunity

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age,

disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs,

reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all

programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)

should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an

equal opportunity provider and employer."