National Bulletin:	NB 290-22-10	Date:	May 5, 2022
Subject:	INV – Announcing the Availability of a New Video Overview of Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) - Watersheds Assessment Studies in the Western Lake Erie Basin

Purpose. To announce the availability of a new video overview of CEAP-Watersheds Assessment studies in the Western Lake Erie Basin.

Expiration Date. December 31, 2022

Background. CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices and programs and to develop the science base for managing agricultural lands while promoting environmental quality and wildlife. Since 2003, CEAP-Watersheds studies from coast to coast have provided in-depth analysis and quantification of the measurable effects of conservation practices at the watershed scale and have enhanced our understanding of the effects of conservation in the biophysical setting of a watershed.

Explanation. The Great Lakes hold 21 percent of the world's surface freshwater and are home to a variety of economically and environmentally important fish and wildlife species. The lakes collectively provide drinking water for more than 40 million people and serve as a regional economic powerhouse for commerce, tourism, and recreation. The Great Lakes region is also a major agricultural area, with producers utilizing more than 55 million acres to support America's food systems. However, the many demands placed on the Great Lakes have impacted their health and resilience, with issues such as harmful algal blooms impacting the lakes’ ability to provide ecosystem services such as recreation, drinking water, and habitat quality. Federal, state, and private partners have joined forces to innovate and implement effective solutions to the water quality issues impacting the lakes. In the Western Lake Erie Basin, the NRCS has partnered with USDA's Agricultural Research Service, universities, and others on the CEAP to assess and improve the outcomes of conservation practices on soil and water quality. The following video describes how scientists partnered with local farmers to study how conservation practices work and to innovate practices to make conservation efforts more effective in the Great Lakes region. In the video, CEAP partners and collaborators describe the edge of field and small watershed assessment and research they conduct, focusing on monitoring, understanding, and reducing agricultural nutrient losses to improve the health of Lake Erie's watersheds.

The video can be accessed here.

Contact. If you have questions about this bulletin or the video, please contact CEAP‑Watersheds Assessment Leader Lisa Duriancik, NRCS Resource Assessment Branch, at Lisa.Duriancik@usda.gov.

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LUIS TAPAS
Deputy Chief Soil Science and Resource Assessment