Land Treatment and the Conservation Planning Process

CNMP Core CurriculumSection 3 — Land Treatment Practices

CNMP Development Core Training Curriculum

These course materials have been developed as a cooperative effort between five land-grant universities and The Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111.

Copyright © 1995-2006, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.

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Objectives

• To gain an understanding of how Land Treatment fits into the CNMP.

• To understand the concept of identifying risks from land treatment and implementing conservation practices to mitigate the risks.

• To gain an understanding of what the NRCS planning process consists of and that it is the preferred method of planning for natural resource problems.

Required Materials• NRCS, National Planning Procedures Handbook, Part

600.5, Part 600.3 Plan Format and Content, and Part 600.2, NRCS Planning Process

• Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning Technical Guidance

• NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, Section II• Nitrate Leaching Index• NRCS General Manual, Part 402, Policy for Nutrient

Management; • Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation 2• http://fargo.nserl.purdue.edu/rusle2_dataweb/

RUSLE2_Index.htm• National Agricultural Pesticide Risk Analysis (NAPRA),

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/pestmgt/napra.html• TechReg website, http://prs.sc.eaov.usda.qov

Supplemental Materials

• NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, Section IV

• NRCS, National Planning Procedures Handbook, Part 600.4 Planning Fundamentals

• NRCS Field Office Technical Guide Section IV, Conservation Practice Standards.

Purpose of Land Treatment• How does Land Treatment fit into the CNMP?

– The land treatment section identifies the risks resulting from spreading manure on the land.

Purpose of Land Treatment• The land treatment section identifies conservation

practices that need to be used on the land to mitigate the risks identified.

Purpose of Land Treatment

• Land treatment plans are site specific.

Walk over the land

and identify problem

areas.

Kneel down in

the field, chew on

a blade of grass

with the farmer

and discuss the

plan.

Purpose of Land Treatment• The land treatment section

includes– Review & assessment of all

land application sites– Identification of risks

– Use tools such as P-index, RUSLE2, N Leaching Index, WEQ, to evaluate risks

– Develop site specific conservation plans to address risks presented by land treatment

The Planning Process• The 3 Phase, 9 Steps of the

Conservation Planning Process is used by NRCS to develop land treatment plans

• The 9-step process consists of:

• Determine Objectives1. Identify problem2. Determine objectives3. Inventory resources4. Analyze resources

• Evaluate Alternatives5. Formulate alternatives6. Evaluate alternatives7. Make decisions

The Planning Process

• Apply & Evaluate8. Implement plan

9. Evaluate plan

(Includes monitoring of progress and reporting in NRCS reporting system.)

Apply Planning Process to Land Treatment

1. Identify the Problem • What Are the Risks From

Land Application of Manure?

– Consider the risks to soil, water, air, plants, animals & humans.

1. Identify the Problem• Soil

– Erosion– From water & wind,

control erosion to “T”

– Soil quality

1. Identify the Problem• Water

– Surface & groundwater

– Nutrients & pathogens

1. Identify the Problem• Air

– Gaseous emissions– Particulates– Greenhouse gases– Odor

1. Identify the Problem

• Animal health– Identify animal health issues associated

with land application of manure- Transmission of disease- Protection of wildlife

1. Identify the Problem• Human health

– Pathogens– Heavy metals– Nitrates in drinking water

2. Determine Objectives

• Objectives That Must Be Met With the Land Treatment Plan– Farmer objectives– Limit off-site impacts from land application of

manure– Federal, state and local water quality rules– Permitting requirements– NRCS Quality Criteria for soil erosion and water

quality-Field Office Technical Guide Section III

3. Inventory the Sites

• Sources of Info– Soil surveys– GIS data layers– Topo maps– Aerial photos– TMDLs

3. Inventory the Sites

• Sources of Info– Geology maps– Watershed maps– Well head protection areas– Existing conservation plans– Existing nutrient management plans

3. Field Observations• Walk over each land application field• Identify problem areas

– Distance to surface waters– Groundwater recharge areas– Eroding areas

3. Field Observations

• Identify problem areas

– Identify setbacks required by state or federal rules

– How does runoff leave the field?

– Drainage ways

– Subsurface drain inlets

3. Field Observations• Farmer Interview

– Local knowledge of the land

– Existing conservation work

– Existing and past manure application practices

– Current equipment limitations

– Soil tests– Manure tests

4. Analyze Resources• With data collected,

need to analyze the data to understand the risks.

– Some risks may be obvious, such as direct runoff into streams.

– Other risks, such as threats to ground water, may be less obvious.

• Many assessment tools are available to help determine the risks of land applying nutrients.

4. Analyze Resources

• Nitrate leaching index– Allows the user to compare

the potential for nitrate loss on different soils

– Allows the user to determine quantitatively how much nitrate might leave a site

– Section II of the FOTG– Not available in all states

4. Analyze Resources• P Management

– Varies from state to state. » P-Index» P threshold levels » Agronomic soil test P levels.

– P-Index reflects the potential for P movement or loss from a field.

– The answer from the P-index determines the maximum P application rate and/or the practices necessary to mitigate the risks from P application.

4. Analyze Resources

• P Management– P-indices consider source, transport

mechanisms by water and erosion, soils, slope, proximity to water bodies, and rate and timing of manure applications.

– Refer to each state NRCS office to determine the P-index used in the state.

4. Analyze Resources• RUSLE2

– The latest version of the Universal Soil Loss Equation developed by ARS at the National Soil Erosion Lab at Purdue.

– Windows-based.– Calculates soil loss from sheet

and rill erosion from cropland.– Has been implemented by NRCS

nationwide. Contact the local NRCS office or the NRCS State Agronomist in the state.

4. Analyze Resources

• Wind Erosion Equation (WEQ)– Used to calculate soil loss from wind erosion– Only used on soils prone to wind erosion– WEQ was first released in 1963– Currently an EXCEL spreadsheet– Follow this link for more information on the use of

the WEQ spreadsheet to calculate wind erosion:• http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ECS/agronomy/WEQGuidance.doc

– Contact the State Agronomist for assistance

4. Analyze Resources

• NAPRA (National Agricultural Pesticide Risk Assessment)– Can also be used for nutrient

loss risk assessment.– Based on the GLEAMS

model.– Determines a quantitative

amount for nutrient and pesticide loss.

6. Formulate Alternatives 7. Evaluate Alternatives

• Develop alternatives to address the risks and meet the objectives identified in the first 4 steps.

• Evaluate the alternatives with the farmer to develop the best plan that can be implemented by the farmer.

7. Evaluate Alternatives• Put the plan on paper. The

plan should consist of:– Aerial photos or maps

that identify each field where land application will take place.

– The location of all practices that need to be in place to address the risks identified.

– A schedule of when & where the practices will be installed.

7. Evaluate Alternatives• Put the plan on paper.

The plan should consist of

– A narrative describing each practice and how it should function

– O&M information that the farmer should follow to ensure that the practices function properly over time.

Apply and Evaluate

• Evaluation of the plans include:– The steps should be followed

after the plan is implemented.– Make adjustments to the

plan to fit the changing needs of the land and the farm operation.

Apply and Evaluate• Reporting of progress on

the plan in the NRCS reporting system– TSPs are required to

report the results of their work to NRCS.

– Check with the applicable state for reporting requirements and methods.