Improved Irrigation in Western, SD with USDA NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in South Dakota (SD) partnered with Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership (BFRWP) through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to make financial assistance available for producers with land associated to the Moore, Sipalla, Town Site, Sorenson, Anderson, Gregory, and Meade Laterals within the Belle Fourche Irrigation District. Applications will be accepted for this project until January 16, 2026.

The Irrigation Efficiency and Soil Health RCPP Project is a partnership between the SD NRCS, BFWRP, and the SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR). The project will work with agricultural producers to invest $1,370,000 in RCPP funds matched with $1,770,000 in partner contributions. The goal of the project is to convert acres from being flood-irrigated to sprinkler systems and earthen ditches to buried pipelines. Beyond efficiency, the overall objectives of the project are improvement of the following: water conservation, degraded plant conditions, field sediment, efficiency, and the retention of nutrients/ pathogens. These improvements will increase the land's plant productivity and overall soil health.

"This RCPP project continues the success of our first RCPP project that worked with 10 producers to invest $1,078,276 through RCPP contracts and completed 9,660 feet of irrigation pipelines, 12 sprinkler systems, and 750 acres of cover crops and irrigation water management in Butte and Meade counties," said BFRWP Project Coordinator Justin Krajewski. In addition to the RCPP funds, the BFRWP also utilized $1,288,175 of partner contributions from the SD DANR so an additional 19 producers could complete another 20 flood-irrigation to sprinkler conversion projects on 940 acres within the RCPP project area.

The following practices are eligible under this project: Sprinkler System (442), Irrigation Pipeline (430), Irrigation Water Management (449), Structure for Water Control (587), Pumping Plant (533), and Cover Crop (340) practices. Additional practices may be included with prior approval.
Conservation planning and technical assistance for landowners interested in applying for financial assistance is available at your local USDA service center.

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