2nd Annual Water Resources Summit October 25, 2011 WATER GOVERNANCE Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary Natural Resources and Environment US Department of Agriculture

USDA Water Agencies Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Forest Service( USFS) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Rural Development (RD) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) Economic Research Service (ERS) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Risk Management Agency (RMA)

“Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.“—Aldo Leopold There is a deep – rooted conservation ethic in the US One of the fathers of this movement was Aldo Leopold who famously said: “”Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land” Leopold, an author, a scientist, a forester, eloquently gave expression to the conservation ethic that was evolving in the 20th Century. Another important leader – particularly in Ag conservation – was Hugh Hammond Bennett – who started out as a soil scientist in the early years of USDA. A pioneer in soil science Bennett realized early on that what we do to the land has a direct effect on its health and productivity down the road. Bennett had reason to be concerned: For over a century, farmers used traditional farming practices without knowledge of the environmental consequences that could result. Even USDA – back in the early 1900s – believed that soil was the “one indestructible, immutable resource the nation had. His message to USDA leaders and Members of Congress: if we didn’t dramatically change our practices we would pay an enormous price. He worked within USDA to change the culture in the 20s and 30s. At first we didn’t listen. And so America learned this lesson the hard way. NEXT SLIDE “If we take care of the land, it will take care of us.” - Hugh Hammond Bennett, first Chief of NRCS

Dust Bowl in the 1930s HISTORY Around 1935 extreme drought conditions coupled with more than a hundred years of soil mismanagement resulted in what’s known in the US as “The Dust Bowl.” The soil completely dried up and production came to a halt. Huge dust storms (consisting of loose top soil) spread across the United States, starting in the Midwest and traveling as far as Washington, DC. Lead to enormous social and economic upheaval inculing out-migrations from the midwestern states to places like California. But the dust storms that literally darkened the mid-day sky outside of the US Capitol send a very powerful message. One of the outcomes was the creation of the Soil Conservation Service – precursor to NRCS. And Hugh Hammond Bennett – the soil scientist that had predicted it all -- became the first head of this Agency. Bennett a scientist and a visionary spent the rest of his career correcting deep-rooted agricultural mistakes and working with farmers and landowners to link agriculture with proven conservation and sustainability measures. His strategy included 3 basic building blocks – You can’t do conservation from behind a desk – work side by side with the farmer. You can’t do it alone – partnership with farmers, community leaders, conservationists, universities and state government Conservation practices must be based on sound science This strategy endures at NRCS.

HHB Conservation Principles Can’t do conservation from behind a desk Good science matters We can’t treat resource concerns in isolation Local leadership is essential If we take care of the land, the land will take care of us

21st Century Conservation All lands, landscape scale Strong partnerships, locally driven Targeted, systems based Strong science Results Innovation

Ecosystem Restoration Landscapes

Chesapeake Bay

Great Lakes

Mississippi River Basin

BEFORE—Degraded stream running beside pastures in Mississippi

AFTER: Streamside buffer planting, cattle fenced out and cattle crossing created

Start of before/after pretty pictures, just to show what U. S Start of before/after pretty pictures, just to show what U.S. farmers are doing with USDA’s help.

National Resource Inventory The National Resources Inventory (NRI) is a statistical survey of natural resource conditions and trends on non-Federal land in the United States. Non-Federal land includes privately owned lands, tribal and trust lands, and lands controlled by state and local governments. The NRI provides nationally consistent statistical data on erosion resulting from water (sheet & rill) and wind processes on cropland for the period 1982-2007. To assess conservation issues this information must be analyzed in conjunction with other NRI data elements. Basically, NRI is a valuable longitudinal data set of what is happening on non-Federal lands. We have 800,000 NRI points scattered randomly across the country (220,000 are on cropland). Only those working on the survey know where the points are. The survey tracks land use (e.g., this point was on cropland in 1982, then that land was developed and in 1997, it is on developed land) and on cropland, it tracks the practices in use (how erosion trends are derived). More info in handouts.

Results National Resources Inventory Conservation Effects Assessment Project Watershed Condition Framework Mississippi Basin Water Quality Monitoring Framework

Innovation Environmental Markets Certainty / Safe Harbor initiatives Conservation Innovation Grants