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

We are working at multiple geographic scales in the Upper Oconee Watershed of Georgia to test for the impact of conservation practices and land use on water quality. We have completed 2 years of sampling at 25 sites in the watershed. In addition we have conducted designed experiments to test the efficacy of conservation practices. For example, we have demonstrated that farm ponds have a positive impact on water quality. Work is continuing to develop improved sampling protocols for monitoring water quality in the watershed and identifying portions of the watershed that would be logical targets for conservation efforts.

Objectives/Performance Targets

• 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/Milestones

Locations on the Conservation center 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).

Data from the GA EPD’s contributions to the STORET Database were used to supplement our work within the Upper Oconee Watershed of Georgia. These data provide additional observations for establishing baseline values for nutrients and microbes and were published in 2000 (D.S. Fisher et al. 2000. Forest Ecology and Management 128:39-48).

The data collected in the headwaters portion of the watershed formed the basis for the publication titled “Water quality in the headwaters of the Upper Oconee watershed” published in the Proceedings of the Georgia Water Resources Conference (p. 198-200. K.J. Hatcher (ed.) 2001 26-27 March, Inst. of Ecol., UGA, Athens) and authored by D.S. Fisher, A.L. Dillard, E.L. Usery, J.L. Steiner, and C.L. Neely.

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

Research was presented to a predominantly agricultural audience in June of 2002 at a “Grazing and the Environment” field day presented by the Conservation Center near Bishop, GA. The work was presented to a predominantly urban audience at the July meeting of the Upper Oconee Watershed Network in Athens, GA.

Remaining Work: Sampling sites have now been sampled for 2 years. With a no-cost extension we will be ending the project in June of 2002. We hope to continue sampling with other funds until October of 2002 to complete 3 full years of data collection at the 25 sites. We have other designed experiments still scheduled for 2002 on the Conservation Center.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The greatest benefit to farmers is the objective analysis of the efficacy of key agricultual conservation practices in beef production systems. Our work on the Upper Oconee watershed has already provided useful information for both producers and consumers. For example, the baseline information on water quality and our participation in the measurements of urban water quality with Annual the River Rendezvous in Athens, GA has raised awarness of agricultural conservation practices and the relatively large impacts of urban development on water quality. For on farm use, we have already demonstrated 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, improve municipal source water quality, and reduce risk of eutrophication in lakes and rivers used for recreation.

Collaborators: