Wal-Mart Water for
One of the newest corporate partners to join forces with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation is Wal-Mart, whose Water for Texas Initiative will, over time, help restore watersheds across the state. The program will begin at the headwaters of the
The objective of this voluntary incentive program is to provide cost share assistance to landowners within certain priority watersheds to enable these conscientious land stewards to manage their resources in ways that enhance water quality and quantity. Practices will be designed to increase infiltration and groundwater recharge, decrease runoff, and improve water quality within these watersheds..
Program Design:
Contracts with participating landowners will be written for a maximum of five years. To be eligible, landowners will be required to have a written TPWD approved wildlife management plan that describes the landowner’s goals and objectives, provides assessment of current habitat and rangeland conditions, and identifies practices that will be employed to conserve and enhance soil, water, and wildlife resources. Landowners signing contracts will be required to commit to specified follow up management practices through the contract period to encourage continued long term management for improved watershed management.
Practices to be Offered:
Practices offered will include, but are not limited to the following. Specifications for each practice will be developed and provided to the landowner along with an agreed upon implementation schedule.
- Riparian restoration - fencing, deferment, periodic light grazing, and alternative water development
- Exotic vegetation removal and control in riparian areas
- Grazing deferment – 2-3 years followed by implementation of rotational grazing at conservative stocking rate - per acre cost share incentive payment to offset cost of rangeland deferment
- Cross fencing to facilitate rotational livestock grazing
- Brush management
- Livestock water development to help properly distribute grazing
- Prescribed burning to reduce brush and improve rangeland condition
- Wetland development and enhancement on appropriate sites
- Filter strips, field borders and contour grass strips on cropland
Cost Share Rate:
The Program will pay up to 75% of the practice costs up to $50,000 maximum per contract per year. Landowners will be required to provide 25% of practice costs in either cash or in-kind services. Practice payments will be based on Natural Resource Conservation Service average cost data for the appropriate county and cost share payments offered through local Farm Bill programs.
Expected Benefits:
Texas has experienced great success using incentive programs designed to assist landowners in applying conservation practices. Well-crafted incentive programs that consider landowner needs and local resource problems are effective in achieving on-the-ground resource conservation and enhancement. This program could serve as a model for how private land stewardship benefits all Texans by enhancing water quality and quantity.