BOARD01164

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2006
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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from throughout the western United States and Washington, D.C.

Bureau of Reclamation Presents Water Conservation Award to City of Flagstaff: The Bureau of
Reclamation has presented the 2005 Lower Colorado Region Water Conservation Field Services Program
Award to the City of Flagstaff. Robert Michaels of the Phoenix Area Office presented the award to
Flagstaff M~yor !c~~h C. Dcnaldsuii and to Adiun Iviiiier, head of the Water Conservation Office, during
a brief ceremony in City Hall's council chamber on Feb. 13.

Flagstaffs water conservation program has been active since 2003 and includes water reuse, rebates for
xeriscape conversions and other low water use products, an inverted rate structure, and a strict water
conservation ordinance. This past year, Flagstaff volunteered as one of the pilot areas for the new Arizona
Rinse Smart program. Older model pre-rinse spray heads will be replaced at local food service
establishments by new units, each of which will save up to 50,000 gallons of water per year.

Reclamation also recognized Ron Doba, Utilities Director, for his vision and foresight in creating
Flagstaffs water conservation program as well as being instrumental in the creation of the reclaimed
water program. The Water Conservation Field Services Program A ward recognizes federal water users
and partners for their innovative and effective water conservation programs.

2006 Conservation Security Program Slgnup Begins: Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced
Jan 31" the 2006 Conservation Security Program (CSP) sign-up will be held Feb. 13,2006 to March 31,
2006 in 60 watersheds nationwide. USDA announced preliminary selection of 110 watersheds for fiscal
year 2006 based on the President's budget request. Based on available funding, CSP will be offered in 60
watersheds across all 50 states, the Caribbean and Guam. The sign-up will only include those producers
who do not have an existing CSP contract.

CSP is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural lands
by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources. Payments are made using three
tiers of conservation contracts. CSP will be available any year on a rotational basis in as many watersheds
as funding allows. Additional infonnation about CSP is available from your local USDA Service Center
or at hllD:llwww.nrcs.usda.l!ov/orol!11lms/csp

USDA Forest Service Aeceptlng Publle Comments on Potential List of Eligible Tracts of Land for
Sale: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service announced on Feb. 28 the start of a public
comment period on a list of forest lands that would be available for sale as a proposal to provide funding
to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS).

The list of available forest lands, published in The Feb. 28, 2006 Federal Register, comprises 304,370
acres ofland within the I 93-million-acre National Forest System. This represents less than 0.2 of one
percent of all Forest Service managed land. All of the parcels are considered isolated or inefficient to
manage due to their location or other characteristics. Detailed maps of each parcel can now be found on
the Forest Service website (www.fs.fed.us).

The Forest Service will include in its proposal the opportunity for local and state government agencies
and nonprofit land trust organizations the first right to buy these parcels at market value.

Comments on the proposed list must be received by March 30 and may be sent bye-mail to
[e-mail]. Written comments may be sent to: USDA Forest Service, SRS Comments,

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