Conservation Technical Assistance - Backyard Conservation Program Lake Tahoe Basin

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NRCS expects to award up to two cooperative agreements based on proposals submitted and benefits derived for the current fiscal year. Funds available for the current fiscal year are: $489,100 for the Lake Tahoe Basin in Placer and El Dorado Counties in California, and $240,900 for the Lake Tahoe Basin in Washoe, Carson, and Douglas Counties in Nevada. Any agreements resulting from this solicitation will have a one-year base period and two one-year options. Activities under this cooperative agreement(s) will be carried out from approximately March 16, 2009 through March 15, 2010. Please specifically identify either the California or Nevada portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin you are interested in carrying out the work in when submitting your proposal. The successful applicant will be responsible for working in conjunction with NRCS to provide technical assistance through the Backyard Conservation Program to plan and implement conservation practices to assist land owners with resource problems and concerns that affect Lake Tahoe. The successful applicant will be responsible to perform inventory and evaluation, recording measurements and calculations, analyzing data, prescribing appropriate conservation practices (and alternatives, where feasible), and recording the property owner’s record of decision. All current resource information that is available (soils, geology, parcel maps, designated Stream Environment Zones, etc) will be utilized to generate ‘Site Evaluation’ products; e.g. plans that target the BMP Retrofit Program. Site Evaluations will follow a standard format as provided by NRCS, be maintained on a computer database, and be made available to NRCS and to the property owner. The selected applicant(s) will also provide technical assistance to land owners who are implementing conservation practices for the BMP Retrofit Program. At the discretion of NRCS, other technical assistance products that may be delivered include: irrigation water management, nutrient and pest management, mulching recommendations to meet erosion and fuels issues, ‘Defensible Space’ landscaping (including forestry practices as appropriate), wildlife habitat improvement, noxious weeds control, and other practices that are identified over the term of the agreement(s). Additionally, at the discretion of NRCS, education and outreach efforts will be provided to landowners to increase their awareness on hazardous waste disposal, living with bears, recycling options, drinking water source protection, water conservation, composting, and other resource issues that may be identified during the term of the agreement(s). The primary NRCS Conservation Practice Standards used in the Lake Tahoe Basin are runoff management system, irrigation water management, nutrient management, pest management, critical area planting, subsurface conveyance system, rock barrier, filter strip, grassed waterway, mulching, and cut bank stabilization.

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