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<br />O~155'5 <br /> <br />SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT <br /> <br />The problems and opportunities of the watershed are directly related to the capabilities <br />and the degree of management of the resources in the watershed'. The inventory and <br />analysis phases for this plan used a scoping process to idontify those economic, <br />environmental, and social areas of primary concern. Specialists gathered detailed <br />information on the current resource conditions. This public; participation process led to <br />further investigation and analysis by NRCS. Scoping and environmental assessment <br />meetings were held for public input. <br /> <br />NRCS conducted a resource inventory to determine current resource conditions. A <br />projection of future conditions was made in order to formulate and compare alternatives <br />and estimate their impacts. <br /> <br />During the initial stages of planning an analysis of a broad range of economic, <br />environmental, and social factors in the watershed was carried out. Those factors that <br />were directly related to the problems and opportunities and/or those that might be <br />significantly affected by any potential project were considered. Also, each of the <br />problems and concerns identified by the sponsors, interested stakeholders and the <br />public at the scoping and environmental assessment meetings, as well as those <br />requiring consideration in any federally funded project, were reviewed and their <br />significance to decision making was determined. Consemlus was reached at the <br />meeting as to the problems and concerns. <br /> <br />The following were the priority issues / concerns raised by the public during the initial <br />meetings. These issues necessitated NRCS to perform more detailed investigations as <br />planning progressed. <br /> <br />1. IWM / water conservation <br />2. Nutrient management <br />3. Delivery system seepage <br />4. Irrigation induced erosion <br />5. Ground and surface water quality <br /> <br />Table C lists the factors considered in this scoping process and their perceived <br />significance to project formulation and decision making. Factors rating "Low" or "None" <br />in Table C were not likely to be affected by the project and were considered insignificant <br />to decision making. Therefore, these factors are not discussed in this document. <br />Those factors that have a "High" or "Medium" impact on the watershed would be <br />affected by the project and were significant in decision making. A detailed study was <br />then made on these factors by assessing the current conditions, formulating and <br />comparing alternatives, and determining impacts of a selected plan. <br /> <br />25 <br />