Accountability at Local, State, and Federal Levels for Impacts of Agricultural Conservation Practices on Water Quality

Accountability at Local, State, and Federal Levels for Impacts of Agricultural Conservation Practices on Water Quality

Summary

Policies of the 1996 Farm Bill addressed many natural resource concerns and mandated programs to support animal-based agriculture and grazing land management. Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) work through Local Work Groups to identify high-priority natural resource problems and propose solutions using funds from the Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP). Under the Government Performance Reform Act, federal conservation programs must be evaluated with measurements relating to the quality of natural resources.

Objectives
1.) Work within two FY97 EQIP Priority Watersheds to monitor impact on water quality as funded conservation practices are installed.
2.) Examine monitoring methods at three geographic scales to develop strategies for use by local, state, and federal agencies.
3.) Conduct training for SWCD supervisors, farmers, staff members of NRCS, Georgia EPD, and other agencies to demonstrate sampling strategies.

Accomplishments
Two sources of data were found to supplement our work within the Upper Oconee Watershed of Georgia. A portion of these data provide additional observations for establishing baseline values and were published this year (D.S. Fisher et al. 2000. Forest Ecology and Management 128:39?48).

Sites were sampled for approximately a year for bacteria moving from grazing lands and forested areas into surface waters. A pond in the grazed watershed was effective for reducing concentrations of E. coli and enterococci bacteria in surface waters. The mean numbers of these microbes flowing from the pond were lower than the numbers of the microbes in a creek in a wooded area without domestic animals. These data were published in 1999 (D. S. Fisher and D.M. Endale. 1999. p. 283?286. In: K.J. Hatcher (ed.) Proc. 1999 Georgia Water Resources Conference. 30?31 March. Institute of Ecology, UGA, Athens).

We have completed over 1 year of sampling at 25 study sites in selected locations in the Upper Oconee Watershed. These preliminary results will form the basis for 2 reports in 2001 identifying areas of the watershed with water quality problems and relating the results to land use. Preliminary analysis of LandSat TM satellite images has been completed by UGA and will be used in our final analysis of land use and water quality.

The preliminary results of our project have been communicated locally by interacting with our local Soil and Water Conservation District, the UGA Georgia Water Resources Conference, Community Watershed Project, Georgia Adopt-a-Stream, Oconee County Environmental Awareness Day, and the River Rendevous. We have communicated the preliminary results of our project regionally at the Riparian Zone Management Conference (Raleigh, NC) and at the Georgia Water Conference (Athens, GA) and nationally at annual meetings of the American Society of Agronomy and the project maintains a World Wide Web page located at the following URL; http://www.spcru.ars.usda.gov/orbace1.html.

Remaining Work
Sampling sites have been located within the watershed and regular sampling has begun. This process will continued for the duration of the project. Designed intensive experiments on the Conservation Center have begun and will make use of automatic sampling equipment. Temporary employees have been hired to assist in sample processing.

Benefits to Farmers and Consumers
The greatest benefit to farmers is the objective analysis of the efficacy of conservation practices. We have already shown that farm ponds can be useful for limiting the movement of microbes from grazing lands. For consumers, cleaner water will decrease health risks from fecal pathogens found in domestic animal manures and a reduced risk of eutrophication of water needed for municipal supplies and recreational water bodies.

Collaborators: