Wisconsin Water Quality

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Wisconsin Water Quality

• Agricultural Performance Standards
• Sue Porter, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,
  Trade and Consumer Protection

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Environmental Concerns

• Phosphorus is the major nutrient promoting
  aquatic weed growth in freshwater lakes and
  streams.
• In Wisconsin, About 10 of the private drinking
  wells exceed the enforcement standard and health
  advisory level of 10 PPM nitrate nitrogen.

• Oxygen depletion kills fish
• Odor
• Limits recreation and tourism
• Quality of drinking water drawn from surface
  waters.

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State Average Soil Test P
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Counties Implement Agriculture Performance
Standards through County DATCP approved LWRM
plans

• Control erosion to meet tolerable soil loss (T)
  RUSLE 2
• Construct manure storage facilities to standards
• Divert clean water around feedlots in WQMA
• No unconfined manure piles in WQMA
• No overflowing manure storage facilities
• No direct runoff from feedlots manure storage
• Restrict livestock stream access to maintain
  adequate sod cover
• Apply nutrients to crop needs
• ALL STANDARDS BECOME EFFECTIVE Oct. 1, 2002
  EXCEPT NM

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Impaired Waters Map
Existing (out of compliance) operations that are
required to comply - must be offered 70 cost
share (90 for economic hardship). NM (7/ac x
4 years)
NM perf. stnd. applies Jan. 2005, for (out of
compliance) cropland in ORW, ERW, and source
water protection areas. All other existing (out
of compliance) cropland can not be required to
comply until 2008.
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When cost-sharing is not required

• After require cost-share payment to install and
  maintain practice
• For practices to correct grossly negligent
  discharge
• For practices to meet WPDES permit requirements
• For NM plan required under a permit for manure
  storage structure voluntarily constructed by a
  farmer

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Local livestock regulation

• DATCP or DNR must approve local livestock
  regulation that require more than state standards
  
• Board chairs and government heads decide when to
  seek agency review and must show a water quality
  need
• Farmers may challenge non-complying ordinances in
  court

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Nutrient Management Code Revisions

• Not required to have a 590 plan if farmers only
  apply septage, sludge, industrial waste or
  industrial sludge
• Require qualified planners to sign-off on plans
  for cost-sharing
• Presumed qualified if a professional with
  credentials or a farmer can prepare a plan for
  their farm by completing approved training

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Nutrient Management Code Revisions

• Bulk fertilizer dealers survey nutrient
  management planning
• Bulk fertilizer sellers ask WI farmers Do you
  have a NM plan written for the current growing
  season that meets the WI 590 NM standard?
• If yes, record the planners name and address -
  on file for 2 years
• DATCP will request dealers to report number of
  plans and acres by Aug. 14, 2003 along with
  fertilizer tonnage sold
• Transfer soil testing lab certification from FSA
  to DATCP
• Evaluate NRCS 590 revision for incorporation into
  ATCP 50 agree to develop P management tools

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Nutrient management standards

• Apply nutrients according to annual NM plan using
  current 590 standard
• Follow UW soil test recommendations
• Do not apply nutrients to fields gt T or in
  waterways
• No commercial fertilizer applications to frozen
  soils except for grass pastures and on winter
  grains

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New 590 Application Restrictions on frozen or
snow covered ground

• Do not apply in excess of P removal (liquid
  manure applications gt 7000 gallons per acre)
• Do not apply within 1000 of lakes 300 of
  perennial streams
• Do not apply within 200 of wells, sinkholes
• Do not apply to slopes gt 9 , except up to 12
  only if conservation measures are in place
  (residue, contoured, waterways, etc.)

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New 590-Application restrictions on frozen or
snow covered ground

May restrict all winter applications if
associated drainage areas of concentrated flow
channels contribute to water and are identified
on-site approved in a conservation plan are
gt 1/3 of field
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Limit available N applications on high
permeability soils, or soils with less than 20
inches to bedrock, or soils with less than 12
inches to apparent groundwater
50ºF or less in the fall --Limit available manure
N to 120 lbs. / ac gt 50ºF in the fall-- Pick
one Limit available manure N to 120 lbs. / ac
nitrification inhibitor Limit manure applications
to crop N need or 120 lbs. ac on perennial or
fall seeded crops Limit available manure N to 90
lbs. / ac apply after Sept. 15th No fall
commercial N, except fall seeded crop
establishment 30 lbs. / ac or less On irrigated
fields, apply majority of commercial N after crop
establishment or use nitrification
inhibitor Apply remaining crop N need in spring
or summer. Restrictions do not apply to spring
manure applications prior to planting.
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New 590 P Restrictions by farm or tract Soil
Test P Values or P Index

• 50-100 ppm soil test P
• P removal for crops to be grown in rotation (4
  years)
• Potatoes, P applications shall not exceed
  rotational crop removal if soil tests are
  optimum or higher
• gt100 ppm soil test P
• Stop manure applications or apply less than
  removal, apply one of the practices to limit P
  loading
• Leave 30 residue on the soil surface after
  planting or
• Establish fall cover crops or
• Establish contour strips or buffer strips

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The Phosphorus Index beta release PI Sept. 03 as
a stand-alone part of SNAP

• 2 to 6 No increase over 4 year rotation
• gt6 to lt10 Go to lt6 in 6 year rotation using
  particulate and soluble P levels
• 10 and up Go to lt10 in 4 year rotation and
  lt6 in an additional 6 year rotation

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Planning for implementationCost for 9 million
acres _at_ 7 per acre
30 years 300,000 acres 6,000 new acres 2.1
million per year (8.4 m 4 year cost) DATCP
2003 Funding 9.4 million (cash) 4
million (bond revenue) .2 million (NM
Research)
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Nutrient Management Initiatives

• Recommend improvements to the standard
• Update producer training
• Research management practices effects on P loss

Compare old and new 590 for implementation
changes and cost comparison
sue.porter_at_datcp.state.wi.us [phone]
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Websites For Copies / Contacts

• ATCP 50 Fact Sheets
• http//datcp.state.wi.us/arm/regulation/prop-rules
  /atcp_50.html
• 590 Nutrient Management Standard July 2002
• http//www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/fotg/print_all.asp
• Technical Note
• http//www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/technote/notes/cptn1.p
  df
• sue.porter_at_datcp.state.wi.us [phone]