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• 1 4 • PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Objectives: 1. To educate the Indian River County citrus growers about water quality issues. the role of Bh1Ps in improving water quality, and BMP implementation. 2. To increase the acreage of citrus under BMP implementation in Indian River County. 3. To provide technical and financial assistance to Indian River County growers for the implementation of BMPS 4. To reduce the potential for pollutants from citrus groves entering the IRL and USJR watersheds. Scope of Work: In an effort to reach Indian River County citrus growers in a timely manner, the opportunity for cost sharing will be advertised through a variety of methods (newsletters, web sites, newspaper articles, phone calls, etc.). Interested growers will meet with the Water Quality Extension Agent to receive a copy of the BMP Manual, view a BMP video, and discuss the importance of BMPs in affecting water quality improvements in the Indian River Lagoon and Upper St. Johns Watersheds. Growers who choose to participate in this Indian River Area Water Quality/Quantity Protection Program must submit an application to the IRSWCD IRSWCD will then assist each applicant in conducting a "self assessment" for each grove that is included in the cost share application. This assessment will utilize the Grower Best Management Practices Checklist. Once the appropriate practices have been identified for each grove, the IRSWCD will identify those practices that are eligible for cost share in the Applicants Handbook. The Applicant Handbooks establishes the percentage of cost -share funding available for each eligible practice. The applicant is responsible for the remainder of the cost. There is a $50,000 maximum in program funds available per applicant per year. Each applicant will provide preliminary designs prepared by one or more of the following: a private contractor, the NRCS, or the IRSWCD The applicant will solicit cost estimates for the preliminary designs and submit them with the designs to the IRSWCD for review and approval. The IRSWCD will present a list of qualifying projects to the Indian River Board of County Commissioners (Board). Once approved by the Board, the grower must agree to follow an approved Operation and Maintenance Plan for the life span of the practices. This plan will describe the procedures necessary to properly operate and maintain each BMP At this point the grower will receive 03/05/02 2