WSP12263

• File Number: 8272.500
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Colo Dept of Public Health - WQCC and WQCD
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 10/1/1990
• Author: WQCD
• Title: Colorado Nonpoint Source Management Program - Prepared to Fulfill the Requirements of Section 319 of the Clean Water Act
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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II. Federal Aoencies Involved in Nonooint Source Control

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Several Federal, agencies are involved in nonpoint source control'efforts. The
Bureau of Land Management and the u.s. Forest Service have extensive
responsibilities relating to public lands uses and protection of those lands.
The Soil Conservation Service, the Agriculture Stabili~ation and Conservation
Service, the Agriculture Research Service, and the Extension Service
administer programs which provide assistance to private landowners for water
quality improvement. The President's Water Quality Initiative (1969) brings
additional emphasis to water quality issues for federal agencies.

A. BLM & USFS Land Manaoement Resnonsibilities

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act, National Forest Management Act and
Resource Planning Act require that significant land holding Federal agencies,
such as the BLM and USFS, maintain an ongoing land planning process which
evaluates, among other items, environmental impacts of various uses o,f Federal
lands. These plans guide the general activities of land uses on Federal
lands; therefore, these plans are important in assessing water quality impacts
from proposed activities. These plans also delineate lands which require
treatment to improve existing or anticipated future conditions.

These planning efforts (Resource Management Plans for the BLM and USFS Land
and Resource Management Plans) are required by the National Environmental
Policy Act to assess the environmental impacts of such plans, therefore these'
plans should undergo a thorough examination and comment process by the state
nonpoint source agency to ensure that public lands aremeeting,nonpoint source
program goals. The WQCD and Nonpoint Source Task Force have a significant '
role in the review of these plans t~ ensure that nonpoint source management
program goals are met.

A second level of planning activities which require scrutiny on Federal lands
are specific activities and actions such ,as timber sales, road building,
grazing permits and watershed activity plans. These plans deal with the
specifics of land uses and determine the protective measures and improvements
for specific land units. A list of specific actions which the Water Quality
Control Division will for consistency with the state nonpoint source program,
pursuant to EO 12372 and EO 12086" are listed later in t,his chapter. The
implementation of structural measures for the 'purposes of, wate~ quality
improvements on federal lands requires compliance with 'the, NEPA. An,
Environmental Impact Statement is completed for Resource Management Plans and
National Forest Plans. An Environmental Assessment must be completed prior to
implementation of specific activities or actions on an individual site.

Finally, both the BLM and USFS have funding programs available for improvement
of public lands. It is important that water quality concerns delineated in
the Colorado Nonpoint Assessment Report and prioritized in this Management
Program be prioritized for these funds to improve water quality. These
efforts must be accounted for in BLM and USFS planning efforts.

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