Disclaimer

This publication was developed by the National Water Quality Evaluation Project (NWQEP), a special project of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, sponsored by the Extension Service and the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) under Interagency Agreement RW12932650 through the Cooperative Agreement 88-EXCA-3-0853 between the Cooperative Extension Service, North Carolina State University and the Extension Service, USDA. The contents and views expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, the USDA, the USEPA, or other organizations named in this report, nor does the mention of trade names for products or software constitute their endorsement.

Acknowledgments

This evaluation report represents the work of many people. It is based primarily on on-site evaluations of the Rural Clean Water Program projects, a telephone survey of farm operators in the project areas, a mail survey of project personnel, and project reports. The methodology for on-site evaluation was developed by Steven W. Coffey and Michael D. Smolen. The farm operator survey was designed by Thomas J. Hoban and Ronald C. Wimberley. The mail survey of project personnel was developed by Steven W. Coffey and Thomas J. Hoban.

On-site evaluations were conducted by the following staff of the NCSU Water Quality Group: Steven W. Coffey, Jon A. Arnold, Judith A. Gale, Jean Spooner, Daniel E. Line, and Greg Jennings. The following staff of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Soil Conservation Service (SCS), U.S. Department of Agriculture - Extension Service (ES), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) staff assisted in conducting the on-site project evaluations: Dan Smith (SCS), Francis Thicke (ES), Bud Stoltzenburg (Nebraska ES), Gerald Montgomery (SCS), Jim Wright (SCS), Mike Kuck (SCS), Paul Robillard ( ES), Steve Dressing (USEPA), Fred Suffian (SCS), Pat Bowen (SCS), Roger Link (SCS), Jeff Mahood (SCS), Harvey Mack (SCS), Todd Nielson (SCS), George Gottier (SCS), and Rich Torpin (SCS).

The authors would like to thank the staff and participants of all the RCWP projects, who implemented the projects and provided invaluable information about the projects. We are also grateful to the agency staff listed above who assisted with the on-site evaluations and to the many project and agency personnel who reviewed drafts of parts or all of this document. We also thank Bill McGougan for assistance with the Utah RCWP project profile.

Special thanks are due to Melinda Pfeiffer for editorial assistance.

This publication should be cited as follows: Gale, J.A., D.E. Line, D.L. Osmond, S.W. Coffey, J. Spooner, J.A. Arnold, T.J. Hoban, and R.C. Wimberley. 1993. Evaluation of the Experimental Rural Clean Water Program. National Water Quality Evaluation Project, NCSU Water Quality Group, Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

Evaluation Report Authors:

The evaluation report was prepared as a team effort, with each author contributing to every section. Lead authors for specific sections were:

Chapter 1: Introduction (Gale)
Chapter 2: Program Analysis

2.1 Keys to a Successful Nonpoint Source Program
2.1.1 Definition of Program Objectives and Goals (Coffey)
2.1.2 Program Organization, Administration, and Management (Arnold)
2.1.3 Program Funding (Gale)
2.1.4 Project Selection Criteria (Osmond, Spooner, and Coffey)
2.1.5 Water Quality and Land Treatment Monitoring & Evaluation (Coffey) , (Osmond, and Spooner)
2.1.6 Program Evaluation (Gale)
2.2 Keys to a Successful Nonpoint Source Project
2.2.1 Definition of Project Objectives and Goals (Coffey) and (Osmond)
2.2.2 Project Planning, Administration, and Management (Arnold)
2.2.3 Information and Education (Osmond and Coffey)
2.2.4 Producer Participation (Line)
2.2.5 Land Treatment Implementation and Tracking (Line)
2.2.6 Water Quality Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (Coffey) and (Spooner)
2.2.7 Linkage of Land Treatment and Water Quality Changes (Spooner) and (Line)
Chapter 3: Perspectives on the Rural Clean Water Program
3.1 Introduction (Osmond)
3.2 Farm Operator Survey Hoban, Wimberley, and (Gale)
3.3 Project Personnel Survey (Osmond)
3.4 Summary of Lessons Learned (Osmond and Gale)
Chapter 4: Rural Clean Water Program Profiles
Alabama (Osmond)
Delaware (Gale)
Florida (Taylor Creek Nubbin Slough) (Spooner)
Florida (Lower Kissimmee River) (Spooner)
Idaho (Spooner)
Illinois (Coffey)
Iowa (Gale)
Kansas (Coffey)
Louisiana (Line)
Maryland (Gale)
Massachusetts (Gale)
Michigan (Arnold)
Minnesota (Osmond)
Nebraska (Spooner)
Oregon (Osmond)
Pennsylvania (Arnold)
South Dakota (Arnold)
Tennessee/Kentucky (Osmond)
Utah (Arnold)
Vermont (Line)
Virginia (Osmond)
Wisconsin (Coffey)
The report was edited by (Gale and Line).