Files
Abstract
The Rural Clean Water Program was initiated in 1980 to demonstrate the effectiveness of improved agricultural land management practices in enhancing water quality. Projects that preserve or improve water quality in a heavily used lake or estuary appear to have the greatest potential for generating net benefits. This appears particularly true for projects with recreational or commercial fishing impairments. About a third of the projects have good prospects for generating net benefits under current circumstances. Another third have the potential for generating benefits if they become part of a larger program that successfully preserves or expands downstream water uses.