Commission discusses watershed protection plan

The Vernon County Commission met with David Clyman, District Conservationist for the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to discuss the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

The purpose of the Emergency Watershed Protection program, according to the USDA's Web site, is "to undertake emergency measures, including the purchase of flood plain easements, for runoff retardation and soil erosion prevention to safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion on any watershed whenever fire, flood or any other natural occurrence is causing or has caused a sudden impairment of the watershed."

Vernon County Commissioner Bonnie McCord said she looked forward to working with Clyman and the USDA.

"I think this will be good for Vernon County," McCord said. "I'm looking forward to what we can accomplish."

Clyman said the application was for damages caused by the July flooding.

"This has to do with the storms on or about the first of July," Clyman said. "It includes cleaning debris from streams and rivers, repairing levees and cleanup or other work."

Clyman said the projects have to be for public benefit and must be sponsored by a legal subdivision of a state government, the state itself, an established local unit of government, a legally recognized levee or drainage district, or a county commission.

In certain cases federal agencies can be sponsors.

"Sponsors have to have legal authority and agree to use it to obtain land rights, water rights and permits as needed," Clyman said. "They also must agree to operate and maintain the completed emergency measures."

Sponsors also must pick up 25 percent of the cost of a project.

"It's a 75/25 split," Clyman said. "They would be responsible for getting land rights and meeting 25 percent of the cost of the project and the NCRS would be responsible for technical expertise and 75 percent of the cost."

The sponsored projects would provide continued watershed protection.

Typical work includes removal of sediment and debris from drainageways, levee repair and streambank stabilization.

Clyman said there are limits. Fixing damage to a bridge, for example, would not be an acceptable project.

"You could use the funds to remove debris from a stream or river or repair a levee but damage to a bridge wouldn't be something you could use the funds for," Clyman said. "FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has funds for purposes such as that."