Florida Water Resources Journal - February 2022

Page 70

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A Call to Arms (and Volunteers): Source Water Protection in the Farm Bill

n the 1930s, the Soil Conservation Service, the predecessor to the modern Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), was formed to combat the impacts of the Dust Bowl and help prevent similar future occurrences. In the decades that followed, NRCS has focused on addressing a wide variety of resource concerns—not just soil erosion, but also wildlife habitat, air quality, soil health, water quality, and others. Throughout this history, even though there has long been a goal of improving water quality (and quantity where applicable), until recently, source water protection was never a specific focus. In the 2018 Farm Bill, this has changed. Congress established source water protection as a goal for NRCS conservation programs and has dedicated considerable resources toward them. Ultimately, all source waters come from somewhere—often from surface waters or groundwaters that receive inputs from

agricultural and forested areas. Working with NRCS and agricultural producers to reduce nutrients, sediments, chemicals, and animal waste entering source waters represents a proactive, effective, and cooperative approach to source water protection. Over the past few years, the AWWA Water Utility Council has led an advocacy and education campaign to increase awareness of source water protection, build source water protection into the core of conservation programs, follow up on NRCS rules and policies, and work with utilities to engage with these programs. The efforts have met with some success to build knowledge and get several AWWA members involved in projects across the United States. There’s much more to be done, however, and you have the power to help tackle it! The association is looking for interested volunteers who can build relationships with NRCS locally, help gain utility involvement, sit on NRCS

70 February 2022 • Florida Water Resources Journal

technical committees, and participate in (or create) activities that benefit source water protection. For anyone interested, AWWA will provide information and support to work with NRCS programs to enhance source water protection. With the NRCS having an office in nearly every count in the U.S., there is almost certainly one close to anyone who can open the conversation about source water needs and goals and the resources to meet them. The NRCS state conservationists are a key point of contact for all state-level conservation programs, and there are many collaborative partnering opportunities available. Through a state technical committee, there’s also opportunity to help set the criteria that determine the funds for conservation issues, and how and where they will be spent. To learn more, reach out to Adam Carpenter, NRSC manager of energy and environmental policy, at 202-326-6126. S


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The Water Tower Welcomes Wade Trim to Innovation Campus as First Sustaining Partner

2min
page 74

Display Advertiser Index

6min
pages 78-80

Classifieds

5min
pages 75-76

AWWA/WEF Young Professionals Summit

1min
page 77

UF TREEO Center Celebrates its Instructors

5min
pages 72-73

From AWWA: A Call to Arms (and Volunteers Source Water Protection in the Farm Bill

2min
page 70

Challenges and Solutions to Developing Alternative Water Supplies in Central Florida: Polk Regional Water Cooperative

16min
pages 64-68

News Beat

4min
page 69

Test Yourself—Donna Kaluzniak

2min
page 60

FSAWWA Awards

2min
page 59

Let’s Talk Safety: Message to Self: Distracted

3min
page 58

FSAWWA Speaking Out—Emilie Moore

4min
pages 56-57

FSAWWA African-American History Month

1min
page 55

State of Infrastructure Security: Protecting

10min
pages 52-54

CEU Challenge

2min
page 51

Reader Profile—Dakota Millican

2min
page 50

C Factor—Patrick “Murf” Murphy

7min
pages 48-49

FSAWWA Drop Savers Contest

1min
page 47

Incoming Chair’s Reception and Barbecue

3min
pages 44-45

Section Awards

11min
pages 36-42

Conference Sponsors

1min
page 35

Patrick Murphy Elected as FWPCOA President for 2022

5min
pages 4-5

AWWA Water Professionals Thank You

0
page 43

Addressing a 10-µg/L Lead Trigger Level for a Blended Water Supply by Evaluating Alternative Corrosion Control Inhibitors—Paula

28min
pages 16-25

General Information, Contest Winners, Events

13min
pages 28-34

FWEA Focus—Ronald R. Cavalieri

3min
page 14

New Research Shows Most Americans Unaware of Their Daily Water Consumption

5min
pages 6-9
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