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<br />> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />of understanding between the Department of Interior (USDI) and <br />USDA. Funds for technical assistance and cost sharing of the <br />needed onfarm improvements are provided to SCS by USDI's Bureau <br />of Reclamation (BR). The present program proposes to treat 23,800 <br />of the 55,000 irrigated acres. <br /> <br />The program is voluntary on the part of the landowners. They <br />enter into contracts with SCS that provide for scheduled instal- <br />lation of structural and management practices during a specified <br />time period. Contracts extend two years beyond the installation <br />of the last structural practice to permit the application of a <br />water management system and to evaluate results in terms of irri- <br />gation efficiency. <br /> <br />IMPLEMENTATION <br /> <br />Historically, farmers have received SCS technical assistance <br />through the Well ton-Mohawk Valley Natural Resource Conservation <br />District. Assistance has been aimed at developing complete con- <br />servation plans on each land unit. However, practice installation <br />was scheduled at the farmer's discretion. Under the on farm im- <br />provement program, farmers must adjust their planning to install <br />the planned practices by the end of September 1981. <br /> <br />By May 15, 1979, 240 applications for assistance and cost <br />sharing had been received and 118 contracts had been signed. With <br />SCS help conservation plans are being developed by each farmer who <br />volunteers to improve his irrigation system to meet the objectives <br />of this program. The plan provides the basis for a joint farmer- <br />federal government contract with cost-sharing arrangements for <br />implementation of the needed practices. Technical assistance con- <br />sists of developing alternatives, preparing the conservation plan <br />of operations and contract, and designing and laying out selected <br />practices. <br /> <br />The program requires the expertise of several specialists. <br />The soil scientist surveys the soils and prepares a map for each <br />eligible farm. The soil conservationist develops treatment alter- <br />natives and assists the farmer in selecting alternatives that will <br />contribute to program objectives and meet the farmer's desires. <br />The engineer designs the conservation practices and checks for com- <br />pliance with contract specifications during construction. Techni- <br />cians make planning surveys and design surveys and inspect construc- <br />~icn. Eval~ations a~e made of the field af?lic~~ic~ ~fficiency <br />being achie~.'ed. and adjl.lst..~e!1ts saa..?: as '-l,~ec.ed. <br /> <br />-4- <br />