Farmers and The Watershed
Where would we be without farms and farmers? Agriculture is literally tops in the world producing millions of tons of food annually. Thanks to technology the American farmer has become the most efficient in the world, despite operating on razor-thin profit margins. Responsibility for our natural resources comes with this incredible ability to grow plants and raise livestock. Farmers have long been proud stewards of the land. If they had not protected the land they would have put themselves out of business and millions would be starving today. Best management practices plus technology are helping them continue to care for their land and protect natural resources, even while making the most of production opportunities.
Farmers work hard to reduce the impacts of their livelihood on the environment. Some of those best management practices can be applied to the suburban and urban areas to reduce NPS pollution there also.
Riparian Buffers
A riparian buffer is a narrow strip of land next to a stream or river that is vegetated, usually with trees and shrubs, that serves as a protective filter for streams. The purpose of a riparian buffer is to serve as a protective barrier between the land and the water absorbing and filtering out nutrients and other chemicals carried into the area by runoff.
Riparian buffers offer many valuable assets:
Filter Strips
A filter strip is also installed to improve water quality. It is an area of close-growing grasses that are planted adjacent to waterways. They offer the same benefits of a riparian buffer. Filter strips filter 85% of sediments from flowing into lakes, ditches or streams and retain up to 83% of certain agricultural chemicals. Both the NRCS and the Clark County SWCD have programs available for farmers to install filter strips on their fields.
Conservation Tillage
Conservation tillage practices used by farmers reduce soil erosion and sediment runoff into streams. Crop residue is left on the field surface and managed so that the soil remains productive and in place instead of moving to rivers and streams. One form of conservation tillage called no-till increase soil organic matter, slows microbial degradation and reduces moisture loss due to evaporation. In Clark County about 80% of the farmers use some type of conservation tillage practice.
Cover Crops
Planting cover crops (such as wheat and rye grasses) provides temporary cover and hold the soil in place against the forces of the wind and water.
The following articles, written by David Trotter, Silver Creek Watershed Technician, may be helpful to farmers when considering best management practices to apply to their land:
Fall Harvesting of Alfalfa
Pasture and Hay Publications of Interest in Haying &/or Grazing Operations
A Guide to Grazing Systems
Economics of Pasture Renovation
Extending the Grazing Period and Reducing Feed Costs
Pasture and Hay Field Renovation
Helpful Forage Related Websites
All of the above measures help to trap any pollutants before they reach our waterways. They work much like a coffee filter keeping the grinds from your cup.
Animal Waste and Water Quality
It doesn’t matter what kind of animal you have, their waste is detrimental to water. Manure, urine and soiled bedding are organic, biodegradable materials, but many of their biological and chemical properties can pose a threat to fish, insects, and other aquatic life if those wastes get into waterbodies.
All aquatic life depends on the small amount of dissolved oxygen that naturally exists in water. The atmosphere contains 20% oxygen but water saturated with oxygen contains only 11 parts per million at 50°F, and even less, 9 parts per million at 70°F. The addition of any decomposable organic material to water stimulates the growth of aerobic bacteria that break down, or consume the organic matter. The respiratory demand of the resultant bacterial population can become large enough to overwhelm the water’s oxygen dynamics, leaving little or no dissolved oxygen for other aquatic life.
Many of the nutrients ingested by animals return to the environment in feces and urine. On land, moisture and atmospheric oxygen support the bacterial conversion of these wastes to nutrients available for plants. However, when carried by stormwater runoff to streams and lakes, excessive amounts of these same nutrients can stimulate unwanted algae blooms. Algae produce oxygen by photosynthesis, but only during sunny times of the day do they produce more oxygen than they consume. Thus, algae respiration, like the bacterial decomposition of organic material, uses up dissolved oxygen in water. As plants grow they add oxygen to the water but as they die they take oxygen out of the water.
Ammonia is an intermediate byproduct of bacterial conversion of urea, a principal constituent of urine and other nitrogenous materials excreted by animals. A very small amount of ammonia dissolved in water can kill fish.
Salts contained in all animal waste do not breakdown, and can be carried by rain runoff into local surface and ground waters. The presence of salts in soils of animal confinement areas can increase the salt load to local streams, limiting the species of fish, amphibians, and invertebrate life.
Bacteria and viruses in manure rarely cause health problems for people. The potential for spread of disease to other domestic animals or susceptible wildlife species may be of concern.
What can owners do to minimize adverse water quality impacts?
We’re all part of a neighborhood and our actions can affect others. Stewardship means taking care of land and water resources on your property. Livestock and pet owners need to take responsibility for managing waste, limiting erosion, controlling stormwater runoff and protecting aquatic habitat.
Farmers work hard to reduce the impacts of their livelihood on the environment. Some of those best management practices can be applied to the suburban and urban areas to reduce NPS pollution there also.
Riparian Buffers
A riparian buffer is a narrow strip of land next to a stream or river that is vegetated, usually with trees and shrubs, that serves as a protective filter for streams. The purpose of a riparian buffer is to serve as a protective barrier between the land and the water absorbing and filtering out nutrients and other chemicals carried into the area by runoff.
Riparian buffers offer many valuable assets:
- Trap and remove sediment and pesticides running off from cropland
- Store floodwaters
- Stabilize stream banks
- Reduce erosion along the stream
- Trap and remove phosphorus, nitrogen, and other nutrients that can eventually lead to oxygen depletion in the water and death of aquatic species
- Improve habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms by moderating water temperatures and providing woody debris
- Provide habitats for other wildlife and organisms
- Improve the appearance of stream corridors
- Enhance recreational opportunities in the stream
Filter Strips
A filter strip is also installed to improve water quality. It is an area of close-growing grasses that are planted adjacent to waterways. They offer the same benefits of a riparian buffer. Filter strips filter 85% of sediments from flowing into lakes, ditches or streams and retain up to 83% of certain agricultural chemicals. Both the NRCS and the Clark County SWCD have programs available for farmers to install filter strips on their fields.
Conservation Tillage
Conservation tillage practices used by farmers reduce soil erosion and sediment runoff into streams. Crop residue is left on the field surface and managed so that the soil remains productive and in place instead of moving to rivers and streams. One form of conservation tillage called no-till increase soil organic matter, slows microbial degradation and reduces moisture loss due to evaporation. In Clark County about 80% of the farmers use some type of conservation tillage practice.
Cover Crops
Planting cover crops (such as wheat and rye grasses) provides temporary cover and hold the soil in place against the forces of the wind and water.
The following articles, written by David Trotter, Silver Creek Watershed Technician, may be helpful to farmers when considering best management practices to apply to their land:
Fall Harvesting of Alfalfa
Pasture and Hay Publications of Interest in Haying &/or Grazing Operations
A Guide to Grazing Systems
Economics of Pasture Renovation
Extending the Grazing Period and Reducing Feed Costs
Pasture and Hay Field Renovation
Helpful Forage Related Websites
All of the above measures help to trap any pollutants before they reach our waterways. They work much like a coffee filter keeping the grinds from your cup.
Animal Waste and Water Quality
It doesn’t matter what kind of animal you have, their waste is detrimental to water. Manure, urine and soiled bedding are organic, biodegradable materials, but many of their biological and chemical properties can pose a threat to fish, insects, and other aquatic life if those wastes get into waterbodies.
All aquatic life depends on the small amount of dissolved oxygen that naturally exists in water. The atmosphere contains 20% oxygen but water saturated with oxygen contains only 11 parts per million at 50°F, and even less, 9 parts per million at 70°F. The addition of any decomposable organic material to water stimulates the growth of aerobic bacteria that break down, or consume the organic matter. The respiratory demand of the resultant bacterial population can become large enough to overwhelm the water’s oxygen dynamics, leaving little or no dissolved oxygen for other aquatic life.
Many of the nutrients ingested by animals return to the environment in feces and urine. On land, moisture and atmospheric oxygen support the bacterial conversion of these wastes to nutrients available for plants. However, when carried by stormwater runoff to streams and lakes, excessive amounts of these same nutrients can stimulate unwanted algae blooms. Algae produce oxygen by photosynthesis, but only during sunny times of the day do they produce more oxygen than they consume. Thus, algae respiration, like the bacterial decomposition of organic material, uses up dissolved oxygen in water. As plants grow they add oxygen to the water but as they die they take oxygen out of the water.
Ammonia is an intermediate byproduct of bacterial conversion of urea, a principal constituent of urine and other nitrogenous materials excreted by animals. A very small amount of ammonia dissolved in water can kill fish.
Salts contained in all animal waste do not breakdown, and can be carried by rain runoff into local surface and ground waters. The presence of salts in soils of animal confinement areas can increase the salt load to local streams, limiting the species of fish, amphibians, and invertebrate life.
Bacteria and viruses in manure rarely cause health problems for people. The potential for spread of disease to other domestic animals or susceptible wildlife species may be of concern.
What can owners do to minimize adverse water quality impacts?
- Be informed and proactive
- Analyze possible water quality impacts of your operations before and during rains.
- Implement conservation practices if necessary.
- Carefully consider potential water quality problems before expanding your facility.
- Schedule a work day to install roof gutters, improve drainage channels, set up a new manure storage system, or re vegetate a creek.
We’re all part of a neighborhood and our actions can affect others. Stewardship means taking care of land and water resources on your property. Livestock and pet owners need to take responsibility for managing waste, limiting erosion, controlling stormwater runoff and protecting aquatic habitat.