This Year’s Opportunity to Update NRCS State Source Water Protection Priority Areas  

On April 2, 2025, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published its yearly bulletin on, “Refining Source Water Protection (SWP) Local Priorities for Fiscal Year 2026.” The bulletin gives NRCS state conservationists and directors of the Caribbean and Pacific Island areas the action date to update high-priority areas for source water. The Farm Bill requires that at least ten percent of NRCS conservation funding go to landowners in these SWP areas. Landowners in these areas can get up to 90 percent incentive payments for implementing agricultural and forestry practices that protect drinking water sources.

If you haven’t already, now is the time for state drinking water programs to reach out to your NRCS state office about refining the SWP areas. To find your state’s office, view the NRCS State Offices Directory. To see the current areas, view the U.S. map of NRCS SWP high priority areas. For more information, read the NB 300-25-20 LTP – Refining Source Water Protection Local Priorities for Fiscal Year 2026.pdf.