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<br />""" <br />en Problen areas on federal rangelands are identified by federal land <br />~ management agencies (BLM and Forest Service) in the course of ongoing resource <br />01 inventories and the development of land use plans, which are required by the <br />Federal Land Policy and Management Act. Infonnation so developed should be <br />provided annually to state water quality management agencies who have the lead <br />in describing the nature and extent of nonpoint sources of pollutants and. in <br />making recommendations for control (Sec. 305(b)(1)(E) of the Clean Water <br />Act). On federal lands as land use plans are developed, the federal agencies <br />should identify the site, describe the problen and known causes and recommend <br />a control program, including estimated costs and a time schedule for <br />imp 1 enentat ion. <br /> <br />2. Problen Area Priority Settinq <br /> <br />Because funding and human resources are limited, statewide priorities <br />need to be established for correcting water quality problems on rangelandS so <br />that respurces can be used efficiently as they become available. Priority <br />schedules should become a part of the water quality management program <br />developed by each state. <br /> <br />Nearly half of the rangeland in Region VIII is under federal <br />administration (see Table I), and consultation and coordination between <br />federal land management agencies and state water quality management agencies <br />is a necessity in setting priorities and developing a remedial program. As <br />land use plans are developed and problen areas are identified on federal <br />rangelands, the BLM and the Forest Service can develop a remedial program <br />within the framework of their overall program responsibilities and available <br />funding and suggest priorities for implementation to state water quality <br />agencies. The state can then meld these into the statewide plan. <br /> <br />Many ranch operations in the Region are dependent on both public and <br />pri vate rangelands. Therefore, the input and full cooperation of the land <br />user is essential in a water quality management program for these lands. <br /> <br />The following criteria are suggested for establishing priorities for <br />rangeland nonpoint problem areas: <br /> <br />a. Severity of the water quality impact and deqree of water use <br />impairment. Consider the extent to which receiving waters violate <br />state or federal water quality standards, pUblic health is <br />endangered, or water uses are impaired. Comparative quantification <br />among sites may be difficult, and relative indices based on <br />prOfessional judgment may be the best infonnation available. In <br />some cases, such as salinity, the costs of each added increment of <br />pollution can be quantified in dollar terms. <br /> <br />- 13 - <br /> <br />