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=61 <br /> projects shall be credited to the partners based on individual participant contribution levels including <br /> accounting for long-term operation and maintenance costs. The project agreement may provide <br /> other allocations for investment credits. The four funding options are listed below: <br /> • Self-funded - An individual participant may use funds for eligible projects and activities within <br /> and managed by their own organization. <br /> • Interlocal agreement - Individual participants may enter into interlocal agreements in which <br /> eligible projects and activities are jointly funded by two or more jurisdictions. <br /> Funding existing local organizations- Individual participants may contribute funds towards <br /> eligible projects or activities to other local organizations including local Soil and Water <br /> Conservation Districts, County Health Departments, School Districts, watershed improvement <br /> associations, land conservation groups, and Tier 2 members that do not have investment <br /> requirements that may implement projects to improve water quality. The receiving local <br /> organization is responsible for prioritizing and selecting from the list of eligible projects and <br /> activities under their established procedures for setting priority. Use of funds by other local <br /> organizations is limited to projects and activities associated with water quality and watershed <br /> improvement benefits. A separate agreement/contract may be required to specify use of funds <br /> by other local organizations. Local government funding of agriculture-related projects is <br /> discussed in the section called "Opportunities for Partnering on Agricultural Lands." <br /> • Development of a special project- individual participants may contribute to a special project as <br /> would be described in the bylaws. These projects would involve the Watershed Organization to <br /> manage the project and coordinate the project development steps. Project management <br /> subcontractors may be necessary if projects are complex or large. Joint funding would have to <br /> cover project management costs, either as managed by the Watershed Organization or by a <br /> contractor. The Watershed Organization would likely recommend that the two or more members <br /> participating in a proposed special project consider the alternative of a joint project through an <br /> interlocal or other type of acceptable agreement. Special projects must fall under the approved <br /> list of project types provided in the latest version of the program document. <br /> If a local government receives grant funding for an eligible project, only the investment from the local <br /> government(s) used to contribute a match to the project may be counted toward their annual <br /> investment commitment under the program (i.e.,the grant award may not be counted). It is the <br /> responsibility of the participant(s)to ensure that the requirements of the grant are met. <br /> Minimum annual investment commitments for the Tier 1 members will be negotiated during the <br /> rules review process and specified in the program document for the revised strategy. Tier 1 <br /> members will be responsible for their assigned annual commitment, and if financial resources are <br /> made in excess of the annual commitment,the excess may be credited against the member's future <br /> years commitment. Each member will have the option to withdraw from the program in accordance <br /> with the bylaws of the Watershed Organization as long as an alternate compliance framework is <br /> agreed upon by DWR prior to withdrawal. Alternate compliance frameworks may be specified in the <br /> revised rules but are not included in this document. <br /> Duration <br /> The revised nutrient management strategy for Falls Lake will be a long-term plan to improve water <br /> quality and quantity. Based on stakeholder input,the UNRBA proposes a 25-year program with <br /> interim evaluations of success and potential areas of improvement as part of an adaptive <br /> management program. The UNRBA recommends that the rules not include the specifics of the <br /> program because it will be extremely difficult to use adaptive management provisions. An approved <br /> program document referenced by the rules with specific renewal periods (e.g.,five years) would be a <br /> 42 <br />