Phosphorus in the Landscape

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Phosphorus in the Landscape

• Tom Smith
• Executive Director
• Michigan Turfgrass Foundation

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Phosphorus - N-P-K

• Essential plant nutrient
• Rooting
• Flowering and fruiting
• Metabolism and energy
• Fairly immobile in soils
• Binds to soil particles
• The major pollutant in surface waters
• Algal blooms and nuisance plant growth
• Erosion is a major non-point source of P

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Major sources of P

• Point Sources
• Septic systems
• Waste water treatment plants
• Dishwasher detergents
• Solid waste
• Industrial processes
• Non-Point Sources
• Agricultural soil erosion
• Stream bank erosion
• Atmospheric deposition
• Pet and animal waste

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P from Lawn and Landscape Fertilizers

• Misapplication onto hard surfaces
• Cleaning of equipment
• Fertilizer applications to frozen or saturated
  soils

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Fertilizer leaching?

• Dr. Kevin Frank - Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fate in
  a 10 Year Old Kentucky Bluegrass Turf
• Summary Points (2005 data)
• Results continue to indicate that there is little
  if any phosphorus leaching from the lysimeters.

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Fertilizer runoff?

• Dr. Brian Horgan, University of Minnesota
• In the second year of runoff data from turf,
  those plots receiving no fertilizer had the
  highest amount of P in the collected runoff
  (personal communication, February 2007)

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So whats the Big Deal?

• EPA Phase II Storm Water regulations
• If P is identified as causing an impairment in a
  water body, then a TMDL may be established
• Communities must demonstrate an effort to reduce
  P or they may lose funding
• Usually too costly to reduce point-sources any
  further
• High P in most Michigan soils

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So why local fertilizer ordinances?

• In 1992, West Bloomfield passed the first local
  fertilizer ordinance
• This became a model for other communities
• When Phase II compliance started to be required
  in the early 2000s, communities saw a local
  fertilizer ordinance as one of the easy ways to
  demonstrate an attempt at compliance, whether or
  not it effectively reduced P

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Why are local ordinances a problem for the turf
industry?

• No uniform language
• Some also regulate N
• Some set dates when you cant apply
• Fees enforcement
• West Bloomfield - 150.00 to register and 100.00
  per truck
• Must put a sticker on each truck
• All other fertilizer activities are regulated by
  MDA
• Do local communities have the expertise to
  enforce?
• Do they really protect our surface water?
• Target professional lawn care even though
  professional lawn care often uses soil tests and
  low or no P products

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Reality versus Perception

• According to the comprehensive Minnesota
  assessment, the major phosphorus sources to
  surface waters are
• Cropland and pasture runoff (26)
• Atmospheric deposition (13)
• Commercial/industrial process water (12)
• Streambank erosion (11)
• Human waste products (11)

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Reality versus Perception

• Urban runoff accounted for 4.8 of the P loading
  in surface waters in MN
• Much of this comes from organic matter
  decomposition, like leaves, in the spring and
  fall

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Reality versus Perception

• In a more detailed study of the Ramsey-Washington
  Metro Watershed District (RWMWD) where 40.1 of
  the land cover is lawns/landscapes, only 1 of
  the P loading came from fertilizer. Pet waste was
  5.
• Three sources accounted for more than 50 of the
  total load in this water district
• Residential streets (26)
• Driveways/sidewalks (15)
• Freeway/railroad (12)

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Reality

• Some local communities have passed fertilizer
  ordinances without looking at the facts. These
  ordinances will do little to reduce P in surface
  waters. Passing these impacts business, gives a
  false impression to the residents, and diverts
  energy and resources away from more effective
  programs like homeowner education. A well
  managed lawn properly fertilized is one of the
  best ways to protect surface water quality.

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State-wide legislation

• For several years, the turf industry has been
  promoting state-wide legislation to better
  protect our water resources and to help stimulate
  consumer education
• Uniform language
• Better protection, especially for downstream
  communities
• Apply to general turf only
• Exempts performance turf
• Exempts new establishment
• Establishes BMPs

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The specific language

• (2) subject to subsection (3), the following
  management practices apply only to fertilizer use
  on general turf
• Application shall be in a manner that prevents
  fertilizer from remaining on a highway, street,
  sidewalk, parking lot, concrete, or other surface
  material that obstructs or prevents the
  filtration of water into the soil.

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• Application shall be in a manner that prevents
  the discharge of wash water from fertilizer or a
  fertilizer spreader into waters of the state.
• Application shall not be made on soil that is
  frozen or saturated to field capacity.
• Application of phosphorus fertilizer shall not be
  made at a rate in excess of 0.5 pounds per 1,000
  square feet per year, except when the need for
  phosphorus fertilizer is indicated by a soil test
  conducted by a laboratory and method approved by
  the department.
• Application of fertilizer shall not be made
  within 10 feet of waters of the state unless
  approved by the department.

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• (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) and in areas
  subject to a phosphorus TMDL, a person shall not
  use or apply fertilizer containing any amount of
  phosphorus except when the need for phosphorus
  fertilizer is indicated by soil tests conducted
  by a laboratory and method approved by the
  department.

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Conclusions

• Communities are best served by
• Educating homeowners on proper lawn care
• Engage the turf industry and MSU extension in
  this effort
• Utilize the world class research at MSU
• Supporting state-wide legislation

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Michigan Turfgrass Foundation www.michiganturfgras
s.org