The participant's water quality plan, developed with technical assistance by the NRCS or its designee, is to include appropriate BMP's identified in the approved agricultural portion of the 208 water quality management plan. Such BMP's must reduce the amount of pollutants that enter a stream or lake by:

Methods, such as reducing the application rates or changing the application methods of potential pollutants, and

Methods, such as practices or combinations of practices which prevent potential pollutants from leaving source areas or reduce the amount of potential pollutants that reach a stream or lake after leaving a source area.

Participant's water quality plans shall as a minimum include BMP's for all critical areas or sources. The plans will include BMP's which are required but not cost-shared. Non-cost-shared BMP's, essential for the performance and maintenance of cost-shared BMP's shall be required as a condition of the RCWP contract.

The participant is responsible for compliance with all other applicable Federal, State, and local laws that deal with the participant's nonpoint source water quality problems, such as the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. BMP's required for compliance may be cost shared.

It is recognized that the participants' water-quality plans upon which the RCWP contracts are to be based may include conservation measures other than those related to water quality improvement. These measures are not eligible for cost sharing under this program. The installation of such conservation measures will not be required as a condition of the RCWP contract and will not be shown in the time schedules for implementing BMP's.

Time schedules for implementing BMP's are to be provided in the participant's water quality plan. The time schedule is to establish the length of the contract within the 5 to 10 year period established by law.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service will certify as to the technical adequacy of the water-quality plan.

The soil conservation districts are to review and approve all water-quality plans and modifications.