Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer:Threatening Indiana’s Water and Wildlife

from Lawn to Lakeindianawildlife.org 1

Indiana Wildlife Federation IWF Mission IS TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION, SOUND

MANAGEMENT, AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF INDIANA'S WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND ACTION.

Common Sense Conservation: Continuing with Roosevelt’s idea to enjoy nature, while preserving its resources

Leadership since 1938

2indianawildlife.org

Phosphorus OVERLOAD Function: store energy &

establish a strong root system Movement: nutrients flow into

lakes and streams from urban, suburban, and agricultural areas

Problem: increased growth of algae & invasive species

Effect: damaged quality habitat; reduced food availability; fish kills from dramatic reductions in dissolved oxygen; decreased biodiversity; health risks; economic losses 3indianawildlife.org

IUPUI Center for Earth and Environmental Science, 2009

Photo by: Ted Somerville www.nuvo.net

indianawildlife.org 4

California State University, Stanislaus (http://arnica.csustan.edu/)

Phosphorus Cycle

The Problem

indianawildlife.org 5

University Lake

CLP: 20ppm P is required for healthy turf, whereas 25ppb

(1,000x smaller) can contribute to algal blooms!

Indiana Clean Lakes Program, 2009Palestine Lake

City of Lincoln & Lancaster County, NE (http://lancaster.ne.gov)

Impacts of Pollution on a Watershed

indianawildlife.org 6

Chesapeake Ecocheck (http://www.eco-check.org/)

Land Use & Water Quality

indianawildlife.org 7

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ sbprojectcleanwater.org/

Sources of Pollution Commercial Industrial discharge Urban: fertilizer use, pet waste,

municipal wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer systems (CSOs), vegetation, chemicals

Highways Agricultural: cropland & livestock

operations, manure, insecticides Construction work Soil erosion Air pollutants: dust, fossil fuels

indianawildlife.org 8

Status of Phosphorus in Indiana Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, produces dangerous

toxins, such as microcystin.

indianawildlife.org 9

US EPA: 68% of Indiana lakes had high levels of microcystin with a national average of 32%.

IDEM draft 303d list, 2010: Number of impaired waters has increased from 2,682 in 2008 to 2,882.

MicrocystinIndiana Clean Lakes Program, 2009

Status of Phosphorus in Indiana The World Health Organization

ascribes a “high risk for adverse effects,” to a cyanobacteria concentration of 100,000 cell/mL of water.

IUPUI CEES, 07.26.10: The following reservoirs were above 100,000 cells/mL - Eagle Creek, Geist, Morse, Mississinewa, Patoka; Wawasee Lake had 717,000 cells/mL.

indianawildlife.org 10

Ocean Shores, WA (osgov.com)

Indiana: A leader in phosphorus restriction?

1972: Indiana led the nation in efforts to reduce the use of P in laundry detergents.

2008: Statute bans P in dish soap, effective since July 2010.

indianawildlife.org 11

Photo by: Michael MillSciencedaily.com

Scientists determined neither product benefits from P, but contributes to water quality problems!

Scotts Miracle-Gro, Engledow, & TruGreen feel the same way about lawn fertilizers, so they use P-free products!

Local Fertilizer Ordinance

Jan. 2010, OISC denied both. Why?1. Insufficient scientific evidence2. Absence of a special case

indianawildlife.org 12

2007, in Steuben County, Clear Lake attempted to restrict the use and sale of P-enriched fertilizer with a local ordinance. A county-wide ordinance was passed.

kpcnews.net

Revised 3B License Certification for Fertilizer Applicators

Nov. 2010, from OISC: All commercial applications of fertilizer

material for turf maintenance must be applied by a certified or supervised applicator employed by a licensed business (LSA Document #10-565).

indianawildlife.org 13

Includes ag fertilizer use by commercial applicators. Education will include BMPs for fertilizer use, but

does not restrict how much P can be applied. Excludes private landowners.

agriturf.net

Development of Nutrient Criteria for Indiana’s Lakes and Reservoirs

Fall 2009, EQSC directed state agencies to devise a strategy for monitoring algae levels.

IDEM is developing criteria to protect lakes & reservoirs from adverse impacts of too much nutrients.

Candidate endpoints for chl a and TP are being derived using multiple lines of evidence.

indianawildlife.org 14

IDEM

Topic of Discussion States including FL, IL, ME, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NY, VA,

WA, and WI are working on policies or already have an active law in place to restrict use of fertilizers containing phosphorus.

Indiana is falling behind…. Feb. 2010, House Res.0027 was introduced to

request NRSC and EQSC form a committee to address P in lawn fertilizers.

Jan. 2011, Rep. Dodge filed HB1425, restricting use of fertilizer with P. The bill was not heard in the House Committee on Natural Resources nor did it get added to the language of any Senate bills.

indianawildlife.org 15

Phosphorus’s Partner: Nitrogen Fertilizer analysis: N-P-K Forms: nitrate, nitrite, organic

nitrogen, ammonium Function: basis for proteins,

found in chloroplasts (location of photosynthesis)

Movement: through runoff and leaching can travel to water resources

Effects: eutrophication, ammonia toxicity, blue baby syndrome, can be formed into greenhouse gas

indianawildlife.org 16

www.lesco.com

indianawildlife.org 17

http://www.physicalgeography.net/

Nitrogen Cycle

Nutrients Nationwide

indianawildlife.org 18USGS

USGS: While the smallest state in the Mississippi River Basin,

Indiana is the 3rd largest contributor of phosphorus to

the Gulf of Mexico.

How Can You Help? Use the 4R’s for a guideline

before fertilizing: 1. Right product2. Right rate3. Right time4. Right place

19indianawildlife.org

Reduce your lawn size Plant native grasses, trees,

and wildflowers Recycle grass clippings or

leaves as mulch Pick up pet waste Travis Stoelting

Lake County, IL www.lakecountyil.gov

Use Sustainable Lawn Care

indianawildlife.org 20

Clear Choices, Clean Water, June 2010

Start Today!

Join our IWF team in the Clear Choices, Clean Water Campaign by pledging to be P-free at www.indianawildlife.org/phosphorus.htm

Tell family and friends about the problems of excess phosphorus. Challenge your community to go P-free!

To promote Common Sense Conservation and become an IWF member, visit www.indianawildlife.org

21indianawildlife.org

Thank You! To Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust for a grant that

has made this project possible.

indianawildlife.org 22

To Our Partners: ECWA, Engledow Group, Hamilton County SWCD, HEC, IUPUI CEES, ILMS, INPAWS, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Sierra Club, TruGreen, UWRWA, and VeoliaTravis Stoelting