Co-Written by: Grace Edinger and Harry Huntley
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) is one of the most persistent water quality issues in the United States. It comes from diffuse sources across the landscape, making it difficult to address. The scale of the problem far exceeds the financial resources available to address it. Most NPS pollution reduction is done through voluntary efforts.
One federal funding source specific to NPS is the Clean Water Act Section 319 program (herein referred to as the 319 program or 319 funds). Federal 319 grants go to states and provide, on average, between $1M and $4M annually per state.
Watershed financing partnerships offer a path to leverage limited 319 funds to support higher-impact, far-reaching coordinated restoration efforts. Rather than distributing small grants across geographically dispersed projects, states can use 319 funds to attract, leverage, and coordinate other funding and financing sources, like the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF), USDA conservation programs, philanthropic grants, and private investment, around targeted priority watersheds.
By focusing blended finance efforts on specific geographies, states can increase the likelihood of noticeable water quality improvements, advance stream delisting efforts, and secure community support.
The 2024 EPA Section 319 Guidelines encourage watershed financing partnerships. This How-to Guide lays out a 4-phase process that state 319 coordinators can use to take advantage of the benefits watershed financing partnerships provide.
