The State of Washington, in collaboration with federal resource agencies, Indian Tribes, agricultural representatives, and other interests has developed a
pioneering, performance-based approach to environmental management at a watershed scale that is now being tested in several basins around the state. This new framework, the Comprehensive Irrigation District Management Plan (CIDMP), gives irrigation districts, landowners, and others the option of designing efficient solutions at a watershed or sub-basin scale that meet measurable environmental performance standards. This voluntary alternative to conventional “command and control” regulation promises to greatly – and verifiably -- improve ecosystem health and provide more efficient and effective ways to address an array of environmental needs (including compliance with ESA, CWA, and other requirements).

    This “next generation” approach to environmental management is already showing great progress in simultaneously improving economic (agricultural), environmental, and community health. The CIDMP framework is essentially a business planning approach to managing for these multiple objectives, using scientific assessment, measurable goals, an action plan, and a means for measuring and rewarding progress. The CIDMP pilot program has national implications and would benefit from the following types of federal support:

• Technical assistance in developing the system, setting performance measures, and certifying compliance with key requirements;

• Creative interpretation and integration of federal laws, regulations, and programs to help demonstrate the application of this performance-based approach in a streamlined and efficient manner;

• Funding for the pilot project design, engagement of key parties, scientific assessment and analysis, development of model tools and approaches, implementation of action plans, and monitoring and adaptive management;

• Independent studies evaluating the application of the CIDMP framework in different contexts to better understand the dynamics that will make it an efficient, effective, and successful alternative to conventional regulation.

Request:

• Provide $2 million to the Washington State Department of Agriculture to, match state funding and initiate, support, and evaluate CIDMP watershed pilot projects;

• And that of this funding, $200,000 will be made available to the Washington State University to continue and broaden its research and reporting on responses to the Endangered Species Act in agricultural watersheds.

• Instruct the NRCS to provide technical, legal, and financial assistance to support local CIDMP efforts and partner with irrigation districts and other CIDMP initiators.