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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. aTD223 W384 . 1997 USDA A Report of Progress United States Department of Agriculture 111 ! National Agricultural Library Preface During this century, advances in agricultural science researchers, technical and financial assistance special- and technology have profoundly affected our stan- ists, economists, and educators. dard of living and way of life. Agricultural chemicals are an important component of these advances. They USDAhas coordinated its Water Quality Program contribute substantially to the productivity and effi- with other Federal agencies to provide assistance to ciency of agriculture and to the well-being of rural State and local governments, and to the landowner; to and urban communities. Even so, many people are improve its data bases; and to focus its efforts to better concerned about the possible risks to human health, assess and address water quality problems. water quality, and a safe environment resulting from This report summarizes USDAachievements for the use of these chemicals. Better methods of detecting developing the scientific, educational, technical and minuscule amounts of chemicals in water have alerted financial assistance, data base, and evaluation needed us to the need to be more judicious in their use and to enhance and maintain the quality of our Nation's more careful in their management. water resources. It is based on the program achieve- The U.S. Department ofAgriculture is committed to ments of the Agricultural Research Service, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension ensuring that this Nation meets the challenge ofmain- taining the efficiency and productivity of agriculture Service, Farm ServiceAgency, Economic Research without compromising the quality of our water Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, resources or the safety of our environment. Many Natural Resources Conservation Service, and National farmers view their relationship with natural resources Agricultural Library. as one of stewardship. This partnership, however, USDA's Water Quality Program, and its Working requires knowledge about environmental problems, Group on Water Quality (WGWQ), provide mecha- such as water contamination, and the adoption of nisms to respond to both continuing and new chal- appropriate practices to enhance or protect water WGWQ lenges. The provides a focus for departmental quality. perspectives; for communicating with partners from The preservation and enhancement ofwater quality in both the agricultural and environmental communities; to provide insight from both communities; and to agricultural areas calls for the timely delivery of research, educational materials, conservation technol- facilitate the search for mutually acceptable solutions. ogy, and financial assistance. The USDAstrongly The WGWQ's very existence is a powerful message to encourages voluntary actions to protect and conserve both communities that USDAis aware of, and con- water resources. To assist land users with soil and cerned about, the need to protect water quality with- water resource problems, USDAoffers a strong insti- out unnecessarily handicappingAmerican farmers in the global marketplace. tutional framework, and an established network of Background I Agricultural Nonpoint Source Contamination: How USDA Addressing the Problem is Introduction s Problems 2 Programs 3 Progress 4 Current Situation 6 Remaining Challenges 7 Summary 7 USDA’sWater Quality Program: Lessons Learned 8 MSEA information 12 Demonstration Projects - Selected Impacts 14 Hydrologic Unit Area (HUA) Projects - Selected Impacts 16 Data and Evaluation 18 The Water Quality Information Center at the National Agricultural Library Summary ofWQIC/NAL Progress/ Accomplishments since 1990 20 Epilog Water Quality Issues 22 WGWQ . Responses 22 . Continuing Activities 23 . Contributors: D. Bucks,ARS S. Rives, NASS M. Horton, CSREES D. Smith, NRCS WGWQ M. Ribaudo, ERS L.Adams, WGWQ L. Howard, FSA F. Swader, Makuch, NAL J. The U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) Water Quality Program established environmental qualityas a priority in the Department. Principles: • The Nation's water resources mustbe protected from contaminationby fertilizers and pesticides withoutjeopardizing the economic vitality of U.S. agriculture • Water qualityprograms must accommodate the immediate need to halt contamination and the future need to alter farm production practices • Ultimately farmers mustbe responsible for changing production practices to avoid contaminating water resources Goal Farmers and ranchers will have the knowledge, technical means, and financial assistance to respond independently and voluntarily in addressing farm-related environmental concerns and related State water quality requirements. Objectives and related activities: Three objectives were established to assist in reaching the goal. For each of these, a series of results-oriented activities were identified. While there is some obvious overlap, the activities are most closely related to the objectives in the following way(s). Objective: To determine the relationships between agricultural activities and water quality Activities: • Develop methods for sampling, measuring, and evaluating groundwa- ter contamination • Conduct research to provide the basis for improved management of chemicals used in agriculture • Improve agrichemical management and agricultural production systems • Evaluate the economic, social, technical and environmental impacts of new and improved managementpractices and systems Objective: To develop agricultural production systems that enhance or protectwater quality i Activities: • Build National and State data bases on agrichemical use and related farm practices • Develop mathematical models to assist in State and Federal evaluation ofalternative policies and program strategies • Improve agrichemical management and agricultural production systems • Evaluate the economic, social, technical and environmental impacts of improved management practices and systems Objective: To induce farmer's voluntary adoption ofenhancement strategies at significant levels in problem areas Activities: • Improve State and staffcapacity to deliver assistance to producers for agrichemical and waste product management, and for environmental stewardship • Deliver technologies and management systems for voluntary adoption and implementation by farmers, ranchers, and foresters • Provide financial assistance to accelerate the installation ofmeasures to improve water quality • Assist in meeting State water quality requirements through education and technical assistance • Inform the public of program activities and achievements The U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) has moved vigorously to reduce agricultural nonpoint sources ofwater impairments. USDApro- grams have aggressively encouraged farmers to develop and implement voluntary practices to reduce agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. The effort has resulted in dramatic reductions in the use of agricultural chemicals in designated project areas, without major decreases in crop yield levels, and in greatly reduced loadings to the environment. ii Working Group on Water Quality hi 1 II II IS INTRODUCTION Such a lackofinformation datahasbeen identified as a Our Nation has made tremendous progress in keybarrier to State and local efforts to controlnonpoint addressing the various aspects ofwater pollution. As a source pollution. There are few credible data on the result ofthe Clean WaterAct, industrial discharges scope and impacts ofnonpoint sourcepollution, or on havebeen controlled bypermits; raw sewage dis- the effectiveness ofpotential solutions. chargeshavebeen reducedby the construction of sewage treatment plants; and phosphorus discharges Human activity contributes to the degradationofwater havebeen greatly reduced by a combinationoftechnol- resources,but the actual extentis unknown. Such a lack ogy, education and laws (e.g., the widespread banning ofinformation facilitates genericpronouncements, which cannotbe addressed. The Federal and State gov- ofphosphorus-based detergents). Because ofsuch efforts. Lake Erie (once proclaimed “dead") hasbeen ernments, and their componentDepartments and agen- resurrected, the Cuyahoga River (which once caught cies, mustbe concerned withpractical solutions to iden- fire) hasbeen rendered non-flammable, and many tified site-specific problems. Cities, industries, farmers, major rivers have improved water quality. ranchers and other landowners maybe convinced to alleviate identified nonpoint source (NPS) problems, We havenot dealtwith all ofthe problems, ofcourse; but they are hesitantto investinunspecified, or combined sewer overflows still occur in over 1,000 untried, solutions to generic problems. communities. The high costs ofremediation preclude programs to dealwith the problem. Fiscal reality over- Given this situation, some important questions should be addressed: shadows theproblem, and its expensive solutions. "Biosolids" disposal also presents some challenges. • What are the remaining water quality problems? Many disposal schemes disregard the nitrogen con- • Which are the most important in terms ofenviron- tent,while agriculture isbeing "encouraged" to control mental impact? the application offertilizers and animal manures to reduce the environmental impacts ofexcess nitrogen. • How should we address them in a realistic manner? This nationhas implemented one ofthe world'sbest, These questions are relevant to everyone who makes mostaggressive, mostprogressive waterpollution con- or implements water quality policy. Apragmatic trol programs; it is not unreasonable to ask ourselves approach must recognize both that there are problems, what more we want, how muchmore we canafford, and that they are being addressed. Many States are and how itshouldbe spent. We have made significant conducting successful interagency programs to progress; the remainingproblems are the tough (i.e., address agricultural NPS pollution. More could expensive) ones. alwaysbe done, given the necessary resources and policy direction. The difficulty lies in the reality that The restoration ofthe chemical andbiological integrity resources are in short supply, and that unfunded man- ofthe Nation's waters is an elusive goal, complicated dates have become a rallying point among those who by the lackofdocumentationofthe sources and extent must spend real dollars to solve real problems. ofthe impairment, on the onehand; and the lackof specification ofachievable and realistic levels ofreme- diationin chemical,biological orecological terms, on the other.