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Technical Service Providers: Engineering Practice Eligibility

Introduction

The types of conservation work that Technical Service Providers (TSPs) can provide for projects funded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have expanded.

While practicing engineering without a license is against the law, the Montana Board of Professional Engineers provided guidance to NRCS that helped define the types of projects that would require a professional engineer's review, signature, or seal.

Based on this guidance, NRCS will now allow registered TSPs who are not licensed professional engineers to design and install certain conservation practices that were formerly reserved for professional engineers. This means TSPs can complete certain practices; including practices for irrigation systems, watering tanks, and some wetland restoration and enhancement projects. NRCS has placed size, complexity, and other requirements on the practices in order to comply with state law.

Eligible Engineering Practices

Table A on the next page outlines the Board's definition of projects not requiring a registered professional engineer's review, signature, or seal. These projects may be completed by a TSP who is not a licensed professional engineer.

As always, registered TSPs who are also Montana-licensed professional engineers can complete any engineering practice in a client’s conservation plan. Please note that when designing and installing conservation practices, TSPs must adhere to NRCS practice standards and the State of Montana, Department of Commerce, Division of Business and Professional Licensing, Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Laws and Rules. Practices completed by TSPs will be spot checked to ensure they meet NRCS standards.

For More Information

For more information about Technical Service Providers and NRCS policy regarding practices that may or may not require a professional engineer's involvement:

  • contact Jim Suit, NRCS state conservation engineer, at 406-587-6828
  • contact Tom Pick, NRCS water quality specialist, at 406-587-6947

Further information can also be found in the NRCS General Manual, Section 180, Part 408 Conservation Vendors of Services, Supplies, and Equipment. The General Manual is available at any NRCS office.

Table A: Practice Standard Limitations
Practice Standard Number Name of Practice Standard Limitations on the Practice Standard
Code 450 Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Erosion Control 1. PAM design and application is limited to 160 acres or less.
2. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 310 Bedding 1. Bedding design and application is limited to 25 acres or less.
2. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 464 Irrigation Land Leveling 1. Irrigation land leveling designs are limited to an average of 250 cubic yards per acre for the field being designed.
2. Individuals can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 442 Irrigation System, Sprinkler 1. Does not include the Pumping Plant Design.
2. Does not include the Irrigation Water Conveyance Pipeline Design.
3. Limited to center pivots, and side roll systems.
4. NRCS planning shall show the maximum application rate.
5. Components of the center pivots, side roll are pre-manufactured systems.
6. Limited to 160-acre systems.
7. System will never be connected to a system that will be used for human consumption.
8. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 449 Irrigation Water Management 1. Irrigation Water Management implementation is limited to 160 acres or less.
2. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 460 Land Clearing 1. Land Clearing design and application is limited to 20 acres or less.
2. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 516 Pipeline 1. Livestock pipeline is less than 1 mile in length.
2. Livestock pipeline is 1.5 inches outside diameter or less and the pressure is 90 psi or less.
3. Pipeline system will never be connected to a system that will be used for human consumption.
4. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 557 Row Arrangement 1. Row Arrangement design and application is limited to 20 acres or less.
2. The Row Arrangement runoff will not affect any residences or communities. PE required if runoff affects residences or communities.
3. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 571 Soil Salinity Management, Non-irrigated 1. Soil Salinity Management, Non-irrigated is limited to 100 acres, which includes the drainage area and the affected acreage.
2. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 614 Watering Facility 1. Limited to 3,000 gallons of a pre-manufactured new tank.
2. Watering facility will never be connected to a system that will be used for human consumption.
3. See Pipeline, Code 516 for other limits that may apply when this practice standard is used.
4. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 642 Water Well 1. Well is designed and certified by a state certified well driller only.
2. The TSP has to be a certified well driller in Montana for design and payment.
3. Well water will never be used for human consumption.
4. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the Practice Standard.
Code 659 Wetland Enhancement 1. The modification is related to the hydrophytic plant communities.
2. The modification is related to the biological habitat components of a wetland.
3. Any modifications to the surface or subsurface hydrologic conditions require a PE and are not allowed for a non-registered professional engineer.
4. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the hydrophytic and biological habitat components of the Practice Standard.
Code 657 Wetland Restoration 1. The wetland restoration/rehabilitation/modification is related to the hydrophytic plant communities or the biological habitat components of a wetland.
2. The design and installation of the affected wetland area is limited to 5 acres or less.
3. The drainage area into the wetland is 320 acres or less.
4. Less than 3 feet of earth fill is required to restore the original drained or degraded wetland.
5. The Wetland Restoration is not an enhancement to a stream or river reach or a riverine wetland.
6. Any structural component or any embankment over 3 feet in height will require a PE.
7. A failure of the embankment will not damage downstream property or cause a loss of life.
8. Individual(s) can meet the skills required to design and apply the hydric soil conditions and hydrophytic and biological habitat components, along with the wetland functions of the Practice Standard.

The above information is also available in a printer-friendly version. This document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Technical Service Providers: Engineering Practice Eligibility Factsheet (PDF; 148 KB)

Last Modified: 06/15/2005