FLOOD07038

• County: Statewide
• Community: All
• Stream Name: All
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: ASFPM Abstracts, etc. 1994
• Date: 1/1/1994
• Prepared For: ASFPM
• Prepared By: ASFPM
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

THE EMERGENCY WETLAND RESERVE PROGRAM (EWRP)
SUCCESSES AND FRUSTRATIONS

t

by
Robert M. Bartelsl
USDA, SCS, Midwest National Technical Center

t

t

Mike W. Anderson'
USDA, SCS, Midwest National Technical Center

~:

ABSTRACT

l'

The USDA was directed, as part of the 1993 Midwest flood recovery effort, to implement a
wetlands restorationlIand easement program as an option to restoring the flood damaged levees
and cropland. This paper describes the process USDA developed to address this issue and
reports on the acceptance of this program by the landowners and the g'~neral public.

i::

<

;!;
~-
,
,

This emergency (EWRP) recovery effort was tied by Congress to the Wetland Reserve Program
(WRP) previously implemented by USDA in 1992. The implementation of the original WRP
involved a coordinated effort between ASCS, SCS, FWS, State natural resource agencies and
local landowners. The EWRP also is a cooperative effort between the:se same agencies and local
landowners but also includes coordination with other agencies associated with addressing the
recovery effort like US Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, and State emergency agencies.

~..,
~l

('
I

The EWRP program is using an offer process to obtain a perpetual easement on the eligible land
while the original WRP program used a bid process. EWRP thus reduces the amount of time and
frustration experienced by SCS and FWS employees in the pilot WRP bid and planning process.
Large amounts of planning time were required prior to the landowner bidding and the start of the
prioritization process. The EWRP sets the land easement values up 1ront and the early estimate
of restoration costs are based on a preliminary analysis, not a completed restoration plan.
Therefore, very early in the process, after eligibility is determined, the landowner confirms
his/her interest and the planning effort concentrates on the property most likely to be included in
the program.

The setting of land easement values, obtaining of adequate funds and timing of the program is
discussed.

This paper also stress the need for coordination between agencies, Congress, and interest groups
as we try to implement new programs to address old watershed issues like flooding and land use.
No one agency or group can work alone to try to solve this massive problem.

Robert M. Bartels, Planning Engineer, USDA - Soil Conservation Service - MNTC, Room 152, Federal
Building, 100 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508, Tel. [phone].

2

Mike W. Anderson, Wildlife Biologist, USDA - Soil Conservation Service, MNTC, Room 152, Federal
Building, 100 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508, Tel [phone].