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2005 Conservation Security Program

West River and Otter Creek Watersheds

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, and improved pasture, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. The program provides equitable access to benefits to all agricultural producers, regardless of size of operation, crops produced.

Two Vermont watersheds, the Otter Creek and West River Watersheds, were recently designated for inclusion in the new, nationwide Conservation Security Program for 2005. This program seeks to reward the best and motivate the rest.

Map of the West River Watershed

Map of the Otter Creek Watershed

The West River Watershed, for CSP purposes, includes portions of Rutland, Windham, Windsor and Bennington Counties in southeastern Vermont and portions of New Hampshire. The river is 46 miles long encompassing 423 square miles and is a major tributary to the Connecticut River. The West River Valley is a largely forested (86%), steep watershed with a small but diverse agricultural base. There are 325 farms in the watershed, five of them dairy farms and the rest are small fruits and vegetable operations, beef, sheep, llama and horse farms. Of the total 48,954 acres, 10,900 are in cropland and 18,000 acres in pasture.

The Otter Creek drains almost 1,000 square miles along its 100 mile length that runs through portions of Addison and Rutland Counties. The Otter Creek has 710 farms within the drainage basin. Among these are 210 dairy farms , 20 apple orchards, and numerous beef, sheep, poultry and vegetable farms. The watershed encompasses 177,400 acres including 122,574 acres of cropland and 40,986 acres of pasture land.

Resource concerns for the two watersheds include animal waste storage and management, nutrient management, pasture management, balancing farm production and wildlife habitat needs and phosphorus, bacteria and sediment entering water courses.

The Conservation Security Program rewards farmers for addressing these areas of concern and assists them in implementing further beneficial practices.

CSP Fact Sheet
Vermont 2005 CSP Tier Eligibility

Vermont 2005 CSP Practice and Cost List
Stewardship Payment Rate - Otter Creek Watershed

Stewardship Payment Rate - West River Watershed
CSP Initial Questionnaire

National CSP Information