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NRCS State Resource Assessment 2011:
Priority Resource Concerns

The Washington NRCS 2011 SRA is based on parameters and guidance established by the NRCS National Office. Within these national parameters, NRCS Washington utilized the state resource inventory and assessment products that were developed through the Local Work Group (LWG) process in 2009 and 2010.

Administratively, the NRCS in Washington State is comprised of ten multi-county Teams grouped into three Areas. Each of these NRCS Teams has a LWG composed of conservation partners and landowners that meet regularly to address the resource concerns within their counties. The 2009 and 2010 LWG process resulted in LWG resource assessments containing narratives and locally identified resource concerns.

The narratives provided a geographic context for each LWG area, and information regarding local social and economic considerations covering a number of potential issues. Each LWG also filled out a resource concerns assessment worksheet where they identified and rated local resource concerns by landuse. These LWG resource assessments provided a baseline of information that assisted in determining and ranking the statewide resource concerns for the 2011 SRA.

WA NRCS State Resource Assessment 2011: Priority Resource Concerns
Priority Resource Concern Land Use
Soil Erosion Sheet, rill and wind erosion Crop
Water Quality Degradation Excessive sediment in surface waters Crop
Forest
Other associated ag lands
Water Quality Degradation Excess nutrients in surface and ground waters Crop
Pasture
Other associated ag lands
Degraded Plant Condition Undesirable plant productivity and health Range
Pasture
Forest
Insufficient Water Inefficient use of irrigation water Crop
Pasture
Inadequate Habitat for Fish and Wildlife Habitat degradation Range
Pasture
Forest
Other associated ag lands
Degraded Plant Condition Excessive plant pest pressure Range
Forest
Other associated ag lands
Water Quality Degradation Excess pathogens and chemicals from manure, biosolids or compost applications Other associated ag lands
Water Quality Degradation Pesticides transported to surface and ground waters Crop
Degraded Plant Condition Wildfire hazard, excessive biomass accumulation Forest
Energy Inefficient energy use 
 		 Equipment and facilities
Farming/ranching practices and field operations

Additionally, it should be mentioned that the Puget Sound Conservation Initiative (PSCI) is also a high priority for the NRCS and for the state (see map on page 67). Many of the top Priority Resource Concerns identified in the 2011 SRA are found within the PSCI area and will be a focus of the initiative going forward.

The 2011 SRA and the PSCI will be the basis for Washington NRCS resource-based performance planning, workforce planning, and budget and allocation formulation, for fiscal years 2012 through 2015.

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State Resource Assessment 2011: Priority Resource Concerns  (PDF; 6.1MB)

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