Louisiana NRCS Announces Notice of Public Meeting and Opportunity to Comment on Lower Vermilion River Watershed Draft Plan and Environmental Assessment

The USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in Louisiana along with the Vermilion Soil and Water Conservation District (VSWCD) have announced a watershed plan and environmental assessment for the Lower Vermilion River Watershed (LVRW) and offer the public an opportunity to comment on the plan via a public meeting and/or in written comments.

Local residents, agricultural producers and the VSWCD have been developing a plan to manage water issues in the LVRW since conceptual ideas were formulated in a 1964 plan. Salt water intrusion, soil contamination and flooding continue to present costly land management issues for growers and residents in the LVRW. The plan identifies the specific problems with water management in the LVRW and provides two alternatives that offer management solutions to address flood damage reduction, agricultural water management and water quality management. Both alternatives include water control structures and levee improvements designed and managed to regulate water movement through the LVRW, reduce flooding from tidal surges, and allow for expedient discharge of surface waters from abnormally high tide and precipitation events. Both alternatives would improve agricultural water management via a management plan that regulates salt-water influx thereby ensuring a more consistent and reliable source of freshwater for irrigation and livestock. The LVRWP will protect water quality by minimizing impacts from storm and tidal surge by reducing saltwater contamination of freshwater supplies in the watershed.

Date: June 5^th

Time: 9:30am

Location: USDA Abbeville Service Center

3221 Veterans Memorial Drive

Suite H

Abbeville, LA 70510

Written comments may be submitted via US Mail to:

NRCS Louisiana State Office

Attention: Kelli McClelland

3737 Government Street

Alexandria, LA 71302

Or via e-mail to: kelli.mcclelland@usda.gov

More Information

To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don't have an account, sign up today.

For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.

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