Overview of the NRCS in Nevada

1. Overview of the NRCS in Nevada Feb. 21, 2013

2. Nevada Facts • 7th Largest State • 110,567 Sq. Mi. • 35th Most Populous State • 2,758,931 people • 17 Counties • Nye County 3rd largest county in the US; Elko County 4th largest • Humboldt County – size of Vermont • ~ 84% public land

3. Nevada Farm Data • Number of Farms: 3,131 • Land in Farms: 5,865,392 acres (size of Vermont) • Average Farm Size: 1,873 acres

4. Nevada Economy • The most valuable mined product in the state is gold. Nevada produces about 3/4 of the gold produced in the United States. • Tourism in Las Vegas and Reno are essential to Nevada’s economy. • Agriculture is the third largest industry. • Nevada unemployment is 12.6%. National unemployment is 8.5%

5. Nevada Top 5 Commodities • Nevada's top five agricultural products are cattle and calves, hay, dairy products, onions, and potatoes. • Hay to feed livestock is the state's biggest crop. • Cattle and sheep ranching is the primary agricultural activity in Nevada.

6. 26 Federally-Recognized Tribes

7. Nevada NRCS • 1 State Office • 1 Area Office • 1 Special Projects Office • 9 Field Offices • 1 PMC • Employees: • FO employees: 37 • SO employees: 27

8. Resources • Structure • State Resource Conservationist • Rangeland Management Specialist • Archaeologist • Agronomist • Wildlife Biologist • Resource Conservationist

9. Resource Concerns • Water Quantity • Water Quality • T&E Species - Greater Sage-Grouse • Bi-state population of Nevada/California will be considered for T&E listing in Sept. 2013 • Southwestern Willow Flycatcher • Rangeland health • Noxious/invasive weed control

10. Natural Resource Concerns Water Quantity • Nevada is the driest state in the nation. The Nevada Division of Water Planning estimates that urban water use will increase by as much as 45% by the year 2020. As Nevada population grows, the impact of future droughts will become more severe. • NRCS is working with landowners to install energy efficient systems to conserve water.

11. Water Quality • Nevada shows some level of water quality impairment, including elevated levels of total phosphorus and nitrogen. Groundwater supplies are contaminated with industrial contaminants or nitrates and bacteria from septic systems and livestock waste. • Practices implemented to protect water quality: • Waste Storage Facility • Structure for Water Control • Pest Management • Mulching

12. Wildfire • Much of Nevada is considered an extreme wildfire hazard environment. Decades of large-scale wildfires have caused long-term changes in vegetation and impaired key wildlife habitats. As result, forest and rangeland health has declined.

13. Noxious/Invasive Weeds • Noxious weeds are a major threat to plant and animal diversity and water quality protection. Noxious weeds are becoming serious problems on forest, range, agricultural, and wetlands throughout Nevada.   • NRCS is working with landowners and weed management districts to implement pest management practices.

14. Conservation Implementation Improved Irrigation Efficiency: 184,841 acres Improved Cropland Health: 23,993 acres Improved Rangeland Health: 369,356 acres High Tunnels (three-year data): 52 contracts $234,838 obligated

15. Resources Conservation Planning • CDSI • Cleanup • Installation • Job Approval Authority • Importance

16. Resources • Partnerships • Agreements • BLM • College of Agriculture

17. Resources • Shared Biologist Positions • Pheasants Forever/ Nevada Department of Wildlife • Elko • Ely • Winnemucca (pending) • Nevada Department of Wildlife • Reno • Elko • US Fish and Wildlife Service • Minden

18. Resources • NRI • Private Land: 61 points (field) • Public Land: 314 points (field) 223 points (on line) • 590

19. Program Obligations FY 2012 Program ContractsAcresDollars Obligated AMA 14 23 $ 62,713 CSP 26 71,394 $ 554,892 EQIP 156 1,100,995 $10,582,446 SGI 15 328,964 $ 1,595,787 WHIP 8 4,367 $ 133,853 ProgramEasement EnrollmentAcresDollars FRPP 1 4,196 $5,400,000 GRP 1 712 $2,218,565 WRP 2 6,136 $3,335,625

20. Programs – Funding Comparison FY 11 and FY 12

21. Program Contracts FY 11 and FY 12

22. Easement Obligations

23. Easement Enrollment (acres)

24. Programs • Closing Efficiency and Restoration: • 100 percent closed on 2011 and prior year enrollments for all easement programs. • 20 percent closed on 2012 enrollments for second quarter for all easement programs. • 1 WRP restoration agreement on a closed easement to complete in FY 2013. • 3 restoration agreements to commence construction activities in FY 2013.

25. FA Program Initiatives in Nevada • Sage-Grouse Initiative • High Tunnel Initiative - EQIP and AMA • National Water Quality Initiative • Energy Initiative • StrikeForce Initiative • Working Lands for Wildlife – Sage-Grouse and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher • 2012 Drought Initiative • Organic

26. Program Contracts • Active Contracts - 362 • AMA 2008 - 20 • CSP 2002 - 29 • CStP 2008 - 53 • EQIP 2002 - 20 • EQIP 2008 - 206 • WHIP 2002 - 1 • WHIP 2008 - 33

27. Historically Underserved • 64 of 206 EQIP Contracts are LR/BF/SD • 31% • 2008 EQIP - 107 of 112 contracts developed with LR/BF/SD producers are active or have been completed. • 96% (4% cancellation rate)

28. Collaboration with Other States • Nevada working closely with Oregon to conserve sage-grouse habitat that was impacted by wildfires in 2011 and 2012. • Monitoring Prescribed Grazing • Brush Management • Watering Facilities • Nevada working closely with California Wetlands Team to complete WRP restoration planning for sage-grouse

29. Sage-Grouse Initiative Quick Facts Sage-Grouse Initiative Contracts: 21 Sage-Grouse Habitat Restored: 328,964 acres (private and public land) Pinyon-Juniper Removed: 8,000 acres Fence Marked: 80,226 feet Sage-Grouse Initiative Obligations: $2,164,199 Easements: FRPP: 1 4,000 acres GRP: 2 1,987 acres WRP: 5 9.842 acres Bi-state population of Nevada/California will be considered for T&E listing in Sept. 2013

30. Current Constraints • Significant number of farmers and ranchers have met their $300K Farm Bill payment limits • Some differences with payment schedule scenarios with Idaho, Oregon and California • Identification of suitable watersheds for National Water Quality Initiative

31. Engineering • Structure • State Conservation Engineer GS-13 • One GS-12 engineer (State Office) • Two GS-11 engineers (Field Offices) • One GS-9 engineer (Field Office) • One GS-10 CET (Field Office) • Engineering Backlog • Background information • Backlog resolution (short term/long term)

32. Engineering • Engineering Job Approval Authority • Signature update every 3 years • Updates as needed • Snow Survey Program • GS-12 Hydrologist • Funding directly from NHQ with support from State • Providing monthly water supply outlook reports for Nevada • 66 SNOTEL sites (automated) & 38 Snow Courses (manual readings) • 16 aerial markers automated to improve efficiency, provide additional data, and enable customers to have faster access to data

33. Engineering • Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) • Virgin River EWP (City of Mesquite - $945,000 Diversion Structure) • 2011 Caughlin Fire • 2012 Washoe Fire Downtown Reno at night during Caughlin Fire

34. Engineering • Watersheds Assessment/Rehabilitation • 4 watershed dams located in City of Reno (West Wash, East Wash, Upper Peavine, and Lower Peavine) • West Wash Dam was chosen for rehab funding • $280,000 requested for planning • 3 watershed dams located in City of Elko (Eight Mile Creek, Fifth Street, South Side Wash) • DamWatch • States to upload all data by February 28, 2013 • Software is scheduled to deploy April 1, 2013 Done ahead of schedule

35. Soils • Structure • Number of Offices: 3 • State Soil Scientist: Vacant • Soil Scientists: 5 (3 vacancies) • Ecological Site Specialist: 1 • Number of MRLAs serviced: 6 • Number of States: 5

36. Soils • Accomplishments • SS Reports Completed: 46 • Acres Mapped: 2,275,126 • Reimbursable Agreements: 3 • Reimbursable Contributions: $175,000 • Reorganization – impact on Nevada

37. Operations • Structure • Assistant State Conservationist Performance Staffing Budget

38. Staffing • Absolute staffing levels have dropped 17% since 2010 • Total field support has risen 4% since 2010 • The percentage of field/technical support to total overhead continues to fall: • 29% in 2011 • 16% in 2012 • 11% in 2013

39. Key Performance Measure Goals • KPM goals and achievements • 2.10 irrigation efficiency

40. Performance • Since 2010, and the achievement of KPMs goals (>90%) and 2.10 (a Nevada KPM) has risen from the achievement of 7 of the 9 KPM targets (2011) to 8 of the 9 KPMs (2012). • While Farm Bill Programs FA obligations have risen in the period, this has been accomplished with lower staffing levels (FTEs) through time, essentially doing more with less. • A paradigm shift may be required to make the leap to the next ‘efficiency curve’ or pathway.

41. Quality Assurance • Nevada has engaged in a mentoring program as a formal communication pathway to promote self and situational awareness. • The Nevada State Leadership Team is in a position to provide mission support – the training and tools to get the job done, on time, and completed to an expected standard of quality. • Other activities include: • Annual Spot Checks per policy • Field Office Core Function Reviews

42. Civil Rights • National Civil Rights Review conducted in February 2011 • two findings; both were addressed within the agreed-to timeframe, and certified by the Director of the CRD. • Nevada conducts an internal continuous review process to serve as an orientation and training opportunity, and fostering relationships with a number of Historically Underserved producers permitting Nevada to leverage Strike Force efforts.

43. Great BasinPlant Materials Center • Structure • Manager • Farm Technician • Accomplishments – FY12 Highlights • Final year of ‘Sandberg’ Bluegrass Trial (USFS) • 2nd year of ‘Searles Prairie Clover’ Study (ARS) • 2nd year of ‘Bottlebrush Squirreltail’ Trial (NRCS) • Completed Monarch Butterfly Pollinator Trial (Xerces Society)

44. Administration Overview • Structure • State Administrative Officer • Contracting Officer • Purchasing Agent • Budget Officer • Budget Analyst • Supply Clerk Human Resources serviced by California

45. Financial Management • FY 12/13 Initial Allocation Comparisons • Not a Regional Equity State • 9% less in TA Discretionary • 28% less in TA Mandatory and 5% more in FA • Soils reduction accounts for 77% of total reduction • Sequestration projection additional ($336,205)

47. AdministrationAudit Remediation and Assigned State TargetsProcurement: •  Fleet Cards • Implemented a monthly review process of Fleet Card activities through SharePoint •  Vehicle Fleet • Continuing efforts to meet the established reduction target • Evaluating the assignment of Fleet Vehicles to determine additional reductions • Reduced fleet by 5% (3 vehicles)

48. AdministrationAudit Remediation and Assigned State TargetsProcurement: • IT Equipment • Reduced Telecommunications Equipment by 33% • canceled services on bag phones and satellite phones • Purchase Cards • Reduced number of assigned purchased cards by 54% (from eleven to five) • Implemented a monthly review process of Purchase Card activities through SharePoint

49. AdministrationFinancial Management • Undelivered Orders / Unfilled Customer Orders • Ensuring Obligations are entered and adjusted in a timely manner • Ensuring liquidations are processed timely • Work with COTRs and/or appropriate staff to proactively review unliquidated obligations to ensure obligations are valid

50. AdministrationFinancial Management • Improper Payments • Working with COTRs and/or appropriate staff to ensure documentation is received prior to processing payments. • WebTCAS • Reduced Timekeeper roles by 83% from twenty-four to four.