The Legislature recognizes and hereby declares that it is the public policy of this state to properly conserve, protect, and utilize the water and related land resources of the state, to better utilize surface waters and available precipitation, to encourage ground water recharge to protect the state’s dwindling ground water supply, to protect the quality of surface water and ground water resources, and to reduce soil erosion and sediment damages. The Legislature further declares that it is in the public interest of this state to financially assist in encouraging water and related land resource conservation and protection measures on privately owned land and that this will produce long-term benefits for the general public.