The Role of Civic Structure in Achieving Performance-Based Watershed Management

Abstract Traditional solutions to solving the problem of non-point source pollution from agricultural sources have been to write and enforce regulatory rules and create top-down financial incentives to shift land use practices. What has been overlooked are the roles that social pressure and internal beliefs and knowledge play in achieving sustainable practices. In this research, a model for achieving and sustaining targeted water quality outcomes is developed. A case study is used to illustrate how the civic structure and social connections among farmers in a common watershed provide an effective strategy for creating performance-based goals that can lead to better water outcomes. Keywords: agriculturecivic structurenon-pointsource pollutionperformance-basedwatershed management This research was funded in part by USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service under agreements 2004-51130-02255 and 2004-51130-02249, Iowa State University College of Agriculture, and Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. Notes Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes that states are to list (the 303(d) list) waters for which technology-based limits alone do not ensure attainment of applicable water quality standards (WQS). The 303(d) list is to be submitted by the states to the U.S. EPA on April 1 of each even numbered year. The 303(d) list includes priority rankings set by the state for the listed waters.