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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. Coven Enhancing water quality is a major concern and is a responsibility of all. The Soil Conservation Service helps land users manage their lands and encourages people to use the voluntary approach in managing local water quality concerns. (Tim McCabe photo) Comments from the SCS Chief: Soil and Water Conservation News is the official Taking the Initiative on Water Quality magazine of the Soil Conservation Service. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of public business required by law of Of all environmental issues, water quality has become one of the most im¬ this Department. Use of funds for printing Soil and Water Conservation News has been approved portant. No one knows this better than the people in agriculture. We’re by the Director of the Office of Management and mindful of water quality on our farmsteads and ranches. We’re equally Budget. Soil and Water Conservation News (1SSN- 0199-9060) is published 6 times a year. Postage mindful that the broader society is scrutinizing our response to concerns paid at Washington, D.C. about nonpoint source pollution. Protecting our water resources, in both Soil and Water Conservation News and other SCS quality and quantity, is a high priority for agriculture. reports are available electronically on the Computerized Information Delivery (CID) System. On America’s farms and ranches, there is a concerted effort to bring For subscription information, call 202-720-5505. soil erosion under control while sustaining both the quality of the envi¬ Edward Madlgan ronment and the economic viability of agricultural operations. Farmers Secretary of Agriculture are making more prudent use of agricultural chemicals. They are working William J. Richards “smarter,” using new technologies such as crop residue management and Chief Soil Conservation Service integrated pest management. They are accelerating their efforts to put their conservation plans on the ground and thereby retain their eligibility Henry Wyman Director for U.S. Department of Agriculture program benefits. SCS Office of Public Affairs Farmers now have the opportunity to take advantage of the Water Leslie Jane Wilder Quality Incentive Program. This 1990 farm bill program was kicked off Editor with a signup in February. It provides incentive payments to agricultural Paul DuMont and producers who modify their management practices to achieve reduction Mary Jo Armstrong Associate Editors at the source of agricultural pollutants. The goal is to enhance and pro¬ Kim Berry-Brown tect surface and ground water. Contributing Editor Other water improvement legislation is in the forefront as well. The Chris Lozos Clean Water Act is up for reauthorization. The current provisions of Sec¬ Design Consultant tion 319 (nonpoint source pollution) are fairly sound. We need to ensure Magazine inquiries that any requirements imposed on agriculture are reasonable and achiev¬ Send inquiries to: The Editor, Soil and Water Conservation News, Public Information Division, able and based on sound technology. We need to counter the arguments Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of of those who advocate a more direct regulatory approach. Our philoso¬ Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013-2890. phy is that we will accomplish more through education and technical as¬ Subscriptions sistance than we ever would through regulation. $6.00 per year domestic; $7.50 per year foreign. Looking beyond the law, total resource management has become the Single copies $1.25 domestic; $1.50 foreign. Send subscription orders to: Superintendent of watchword. There’s no mystery about this phrase—it means finding the Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15250-7954. optimum system of practices that is good for the soil, water, air, plants, and animals and for the producer’s profit margin. More specifically, it Reprint permission Content of this magazine may be reprinted means respecting the environment while operating in a profitable and without special permission. Mention of source is productive manner. requested. Noncopyrighted photos are available to mass media in color transparencies or black Everyone must work together to ensure that our approaches to the en¬ and white glossies. vironment are reasonable and practical, and compatible with the need to Commercial names produce food and fiber for a growing and more complex world. Mention of commercial enterprises or brand names does not constitute endorsement or imply preference by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. All programs and services of the Soil Conservation Service are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or handicap. Chief 2 Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 Contents 4 Ohio’s Darby Creek Gains from Cooperation 6 ‘Living Filter’ Protects Maine Lake 9 SCS, EPA Share Work on Water 12 One Farmer’s Commitment (Md.) 14 Chemical Use Down in Iowa Project 15 Fertilizer Applied as Needed (Mo.) 16 Composting Improves Water Quality 19 Farm-A-Syst: Rx for Safe Ground Water in Wisconsin 20 Farmers Change Practices (Minn.) Departments § 21 News Briefs 23 New in Print 23 Calendar Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 3 Ohio’s Steve Jordan, Darby Creek project coordinator for Darby Creek The Nature Conservancy Ohio Chapter, Gains from left, discusses hydrologic unit work with Wes W Cooperation Beery, SCS conservationist. (Michelle Lohstroh photo) ATERSHEDS know no political boundaries. Darby Creek in west- central Ohio mean¬ ders in and out of rolling terrain, through 31 town¬ ships, across 6 county lines, and over a wide, flat plain of farms and suburban upwellings. As these traditional lines of divi¬ sion are crisscrossed by the water¬ shed, so too are the lines of people intermingling to preserve Darby Creek. The 80-mile-long creek is recog¬ nized as a unique place, “a last great place,” a scenic river. Its ex¬ ceptional water quality has prompted local landowners, units of government, nonprofit groups, universities, agencies, and private corporations to come together as “The ideal situation is when the rection of the partners’ protection partners in protection. Darby land-protection effort produces the efforts,” added Jordan. Creek, designated as a scenic river desired conservation results, as “This free-flowing stream retains by the State of Ohio, is free flowing well as economic and cultural ben¬ its native beauty and water qual¬ and biodiverse. efits. A good example is the recent ity,” said Mary Ann Core, Soil Con¬ “There are well over 25 partners designation by the U.S. Department servation Service water quality and organizations involved in this of Agriculture of this watershed as coordinator for the Darby Creek project,” said Steve Jordan, Darby a hydrologic unit. project. “There are over 80 spe¬ Creek project coordinator for The “Biological monitoring efforts by cies of fish, plus a diversity of mol- Nature Conservancy in Ohio. “The our scientists, The Ohio State Uni¬ lusks. And the Darby supports number of political jurisdictions in¬ versity, the Ohio Environmental over 35 rare or endangered spe¬ volved makes the use of partners Protection Agency, and the Ohio cies.” necessary. Department of Natural Resources will all contribute to the future di- 4 Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 Corporations are also coming forward to champion the work on the Darby. An example of landowner and Forty species of freshwater agency cooperation occurred dur¬ mussels thrive in ing the fall of 1991. A section of the Darby Creek in Darby became jammed with logs. west-central Ohio. Some Linda McGuire and three neigh¬ species have bors were affected. orange or purple “The logjam was 15 feet high be¬ colors, or brown- and-white fore work began,” said McGuire, mottling. (Lloyd who farms over 1,000 acres in Lemmerman, Champaign County. “My farm Ohio Cooperative Extension Service [sometimes] gets flooded, but this photo) time we had water in places I hadn’t seen it in in 27 years. And the field drainage tiles weren’t working.” Agency cooperation helped McGuire and her neighbors clear the logjam. “I read an article about money being available to do water-quality work on Darby Creek, so I visited money and time. Bailey rented and Corporations are also coming the Champaign Soil and Water Con¬ used the local district’s no-till forward to champion the work on servation District office. I had planter, and he installed other con¬ the Darby. “We feel that support good cooperation from other land- servation practices on rented farm of this watershed project is a natu¬ owners,” McGuire added. ground as well as on his own land. ral extension of Honda’s corporate McGuire and her neighbors have been accepted in the Conservation Reserve Program. A 1-mile-long by Pilot Effort Improves cover on the ground. Participating 50-foot-wide filter strip of hard¬ farmers who choose no-till planting Ohio’s Indian Lake receive $6 per acre. woods is planned on both sides of Through a “conservation equipment the stream. McGuire expects to The Indian Lake hydrologic unit area buydown" provision of this HUA have harvestable trees in the fu¬ (HUA) is a pilot project in west-central project, farmers receive financial ture. Ohio to help improve water quality. assistance on their purchases of new Other farmers are receptive and Over the years, Indian Lake has or used no-till drills, no-till or ridge-till suffered sedimentation from cropland planters, or ridge-till cultivators. interested in keeping the water and streambank erosion. Payment assistance is also available clean. And they are working to ap¬ Like nearby Darby Creek, efforts at when farmers convert from conven¬ ply conservation measures to the Indian Lake involve many cooperating tional equipment to no-till or ridge-till land to control sedimentation and agencies. HUA conservation work at capabilities. runoff pollutants. Don Bailey is Indian Lake began nearly 3 years ago; USDA's Agricultural Stabilization work at Darby is just beginning. The and Conservation Service, Ohio one of those farmers. Soil Conservation Service provides Environmental Protection Agency, Bailey, a Union County farmer, technical assistance. Ohio Department of Natural Re¬ wanted to protect his farms from Success with Indian Lake has been sources, and Pheasants Forever offer erosion. He wanted to keep pro¬ based on landowner input. Ideas financial help through the HUA to duction costs down and to save evolved into projects with financial producers who participate in establish¬ support. ing filter-strips. With State funds, Indian Lake HUA pays $4 per acre to farmers who use Michelle Lohstroh, public affairs specialist, minimum or reduced tillage practices SCS, Columbus, Ohio that maintain a 30-percent residue Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 5 ■ philosophy regarding the commu¬ The Nature Conservancy in Ohio takes more work, but nets more in nity and the environment,” said has designated Darby Creek “a last the long run. Each agency offers Hiroyuki Yoshino, president of great place.” Under the banner of its expertise, contacts, and finan¬ Honda of America Manufacturing. “Last Great Places: An Alliance for cial, technical, or communications “Our Marysville and East Liberty People and the Environment,” the assistance. Darby Creek has many plants are near the headwaters of Big Darby Creek watershed joins partners protecting it. Darby Creek. As citizens of the seven domestic sites and four watershed, we want to be part of Latin American sites in initiating Michelle Lohstroh, public affairs specialist, SCS, Columbus, Ohio the public/private partnership that The Nature Conservancy’s long¬ is working to protect it.” Honda is term goal of protecting entire eco¬ preparing to install conservation systems. practices on their properties. While water may take the path of least resistance, cooperation ‘Living Filter’ Protects T Maine Lake ake half a dozen proven conservation prac¬ tices, combine them into a different configuration, and you have a new tech¬ nique—a “living filter” that pro¬ vides measurable protection to wa¬ ter quality. During the mid-1980’s, Long Lake in northern Maine had severe algae problems. Water quality suf¬ fered, fishing diminished, algae fouled boat propellers, and shore¬ lines and beaches wore necklaces of green. This lake, part of a chain of lakes and streams amid rolling acres of potato fields, provides rec¬ reation for both visitors and local Sediment carried from cropland on the Reginald Tardiff farm in northern Maine goes residents, and thus is a key compo¬ through a large culvert under the road, enters the sediment basin, percolates through the grass filter and wetland aquatics, and trickles into the deep pond. (Robert Wengrzynek nent of the area’s economy. photo) 6 Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 Six systems have been built locally since 1988. Up to 25 more are planned in this watershed in the next 7 years. Local citizens took steps to com¬ A constructed bat the algae problem. And the wetland of aquatic plants Soil Conservation Service, through like cattails the St. John Valley Soil and Water borders the 7- to 12-foot-deep Conservation District, helped po¬ pond, a part of tato growers and other producers the nutrient- and improve the results of their con¬ sediment-control system, on the servation farming. Tardiff farm. Many farmers already were ap¬ (Robert plying conventional conservation Wengrzynek photo) practices despite difficulties with economics, climate, soil character¬ istics, and land availability. Some entered the Conservation Reserve Program, placing erodible crop¬ land under 10 years of cover. Despite land-treatment mea¬ sures, the runoff water still carried lots of sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants to the lake. Some¬ thing more was needed. The answer—designed by an interagency, multidisciplinary task force—was the nutrient and sedi¬ ment-control system [hereafter uted flows from the sediment ba¬ vegetated site below the pond. called the system] that intercepts sin. The filtering action also main¬ This may be a grassland or a wet¬ and treats runoff water. tains an even flow into the land, or may be forested. The system is a living biological wetland. USDA’s Agricultural Stabilization filter or treatment operation con¬ The wetland supports a dense and Conservation Service provided sisting of land-treatment practices stand of emergent aquatic vegeta¬ cost-sharing through the Agricul¬ and a combination of a sediment tion and animal organisms. Cat¬ tural Conservation Program. The basin, grass filter, constructed wet¬ tails and other aquatics are State of Maine paid the balance. land, deep pond, and polishing planted. Sometimes a dike is The University of Maine and the area. This system is adapted from added to maintain water depth or Maine Department of Environmen¬ constructed wetlands used to treat to direct water into the deep pond. tal Protection (DEP) monitored sewage and acid mine drainage. A 7- to 12-foot-deep pond pro¬ runoff from 18 acres of potato Terraces, diversions, water¬ vides a limnetic ecosystem for nu¬ fields. Results showed a net an¬ ways, and tile drains are installed trient and fine-sediment removal. nual average reduction between in¬ as needed to intercept and direct A year after construction, the pond put and output of 91 percent of flows of surface and ground water is stocked with minnows and fresh¬ total suspended solids and 88 per¬ into the system. The sediment ba¬ water mussels. The minnows feed cent of total phosphorus. sin collects larger soil particles on aquatic organisms and algae. “That translates into a net an¬ and organic matter. It also regu¬ The mussels filter out nutrients, al¬ nual average reduction of 27 lates and distributes flows. gae, and smaller aquatic organ¬ pounds of phosphorus that never Sod-forming grasses, planted as isms. gets to the lake,” said Maine DEP a filter, receive uniformly distrib¬ The final element, a polishing fil¬ biologist Roy Bouchard. “Over ter, is a stable, relatively level, Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992 7 A Few Words About pollution; it will cleanse the water no plants can maintain life, but with matter what the source. reduced photosynthesis and other Constructed Wetlands Four basic considerations of a botanic functions. constructed wetland and its functioning In agricultural situations, water All wetlands are not alike. In addition are design, water, plants, and its role in cleanup is most needed when crop¬ to those occurring naturally, wetlands water-quality improvement. Soils can land growth (and maintenance) is at its may be “restored,” “created,” or be part of the equation, or they can be peak—in spring and early summer and “constructed.” considered separately. in the autumn. Fortunately, wetland To be restored, a wetland must Construction design and water are plants grow well at these times. In have previously existed at the site. key considerations, and are intricately dairy operations, water cleanup is Created wetlands are built for multiple tied together. Water height, how long it needed year round. purposes, such as improving water remains in the wetland, and how and In assessing the role of a con¬ quality, attracting wildlife, and mitigat¬ when water exits the wetland are all structed wetland in water-quality ing wetland losses elsewhere. important engineering decisions. improvement, it is important to Constructed wetlands are built for a Designing for these factors is best done determine whether the wetland will act sole purpose: to improve water quality. specifically for each site. in concert with other conservation The Soil Conservation Service A constructed wetland may have a practices to achieve an overall water- encourages private producers and synthetic liner or be built in a concrete quality improvement, or whether this government land managers to build trough. Water hyacinths are among the wetland will serve as a last resort constructed wetlands on their acre¬ most useful plants to establish for water when other conservation practices fail ages. Such a wetland can treat both purification. to improve water quality. point and nonpoint sources of water Constructed wetlands work even in colder climates. Snow and ice seem to Ted Kupelian, public affairs specialist, SCS, act as insulating blankets so wetland Washington, D.C. time, this system will produce sub¬ ducing phosphorus loading to Six systems have been built stantial benefits to the lake.” Long Lake by about 1,200 pounds since 1988. Up to 25 more are Systems on three other sites, and reducing sediment by more planned in this watershed in the built during 1990 and 1991, are re¬ than 400 tons. next 7 years. “Since that pond [in his system] was built, we’ve seen quite a few ducks in it,” said farmer Jim Pelletier. Herons, kingfishers, rac¬ coons, and mink feed on the fish, frogs, and mussels in the system, further enhancing nutrient removal from this living filter. Used in tandem with other con¬ servation practices, this “living fil¬ ter” has proved to be highly effective in protecting and improv¬ ing water quality. Robert Wengrzynek, biologist, and Dottie Laber, public affairs specialist, SCS, Orono, Maine Rocks placed in the inflow path effectively trap large sediment material as it enters the nutrient and sediment-control system on the Reginald Tardiff farm in northern Maine. (Robert Wengrzynek photo) 8 Soil and Water Conservation News May-June 1992