CFA Home

Environmental Loans

Grants

Nonpoint Source Priority Watershed and Priority Lake Program Grant

(s. 281.65, Wis. Stats., and ch. NR 120, Wis. Admin. Code)

This grant program is currently closed to new applicants. Funding for ongoing Priority Watershed and Lake projects will continue through 2009.

The nonpoint source priority watershed grant program provides funds to prevent or eliminate nonpoint sources of water pollution in existing, designated priority watershed projects in Wisconsin. To select projects, Wisconsin developed watershed-ranking criteria, and incorporated it into the water quality management plans written for each of the state's river basins. The system ranked streams, lakes, and groundwater separately--by watershed--in categories of high, medium, or low priority using the following factors:

  • Potential to respond positively and/or be protected by nonpoint source controls.
  • Unique environment for endangered or threatened species.
  • Water quality and habitat degradation impacts on fish populations and biodiversity.
  • Water chemistry criteria.
  • Macro invertebrate biotic index rating.
  • Negative changes in stream morphology and vegetation.
  • Classification as a threatened stream.
  • Classification as an outstanding or exceptional resource water.
  • Sensitivity of a lake to phosphorus loading.
  • Classification of a lake as a high resource or high recreation use lake.
  • Susceptibility of groundwater to contamination based on depth to bedrock, bedrock type, depth to water table, soil characteristics, and surface deposits.

Once a priority watershed was designated, funding was provided to support local staff and conduct extensive land use inventories and detailed water resources appraisals. Following the initial planning process, watershed plans were implemented locally, with the DNR providing up to 70 percent cost sharing for the installation of best management practices. Implementation of priority watershed plans generally occurs over a 10 to 12 year period. Eligible types of projects include (but are not limited to):

  • Cropping practices including nutrient management, pesticide management, grazing rotation, and crop protection, etc.
  • Field diversions.
  • Terraces.
  • Grassed waterways.
  • Stream and shoreline protection practices including crossing, fencing, shoreline buffers, shaping & seeding, etc.
  • Barnyard runoff management (manure storage facilities, etc).
  • Wetland restoration.
  • Treatment of agricultural or lake sediment basins.

On January 6, 2009, the Department of Administration (DOA) notified state agency heads that the state will need to reduce appropriations, including those for state operations and grant programs to close a projected deficit of $386 million for this fiscal year. As part of a plan to save about $25-million, a range of agency grant programs including Urban Storm Water grants and TRM grants are being targeted as potential sources of funds. Reductions in these programs could range from “10 percent of the appropriation to the entire remaining unallocated amount.”

These reductions may affect CY 2009 TRM projects for which the DNR issued letters to applicants on September 23rd indicating its intent to begin developing grant documents. The reductions may also affect the CY 2009 Urban Storm Water Construction projects for which the DNR issued similar letters on November 10th, and Urban Storm Water Planning projects with letters issued September 23rd. As a result, these TRM and Urban Storm Water grant documents will not be written until the budget cuts are known. Since the only reimbursements that the DNR can make are those authorized by a signed grant document, potential grantees will have to await the final grant award to see what will be covered.

Allocation plan guidance document.

We regret this uncertainty, and will let you know as soon as possible the status of your pending grant award.

Materials for Current Grantees:

  • Grant Applications for 2010-11 funding cycle
  • 3200-53 - Cost Share Calculation and Practice Verification Form [PDF 24KB]
  • 3200-54 - Request for Advance or Reimbursement [PDF 26KB]
  • 3400-68 - Wisconsin Priority Watershed Cost Share Agreement [PDF 39KB]
  • 3400-68A - Wisconsin Priority Watershed Cost Share Agreement Amendment [PDF 50KB]
  • 3400-68B - Satisfaction of Cost Share Agreement [PDF 23KB]
  • 3400-68C - Release of Cost-Share Agreement [PDF 18KB]
  • 3400-68H - Economic Hardship Affidavit [PDF 8KB]
  • 3200-80 - Reimbursement Claim Summary Worksheet [PDF 3KB]

Additional Information:

Contacts:

Jeff Soellner
Bureau of Community Financial Assistance
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: (608) 267-7152
Jeffrey.Soellner@Wisconsin.gov

Corinne Billings
Bureau of Watershed Management
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Phone: (608) 264-6261
Corinne.Billings@Wisconsin.gov

Last Revised: Thursday June 11 2009