Protecting Our Shared

Water Resources

Is an educational tool

Promotes water quality awareness

Can recognize environmentally courteous farmers

MANAGEMENT OF SITE CONDITIONS

4 3 2 1 RANKBest Good Fair Poor (up to 3 wells)

Site IdentificationLOCATION OF WELL #1 #2 #3

1. Type of well Off-site private or Drilled well. Driven well. Dug well (has the municipal source potential for the (therefore site most pollutantsconditions or manage- to enter into the ment practices do not water flow).affect your well quality).

2. Position of Upslope from all Downhill from sources Downslope from Well is located in a water well in sources of contam- of contamination, most sources of depression. Ponding relation to ination, and all surface and surface water contamination, and occurs around the potential sources water is diverted away runoff is diverted some surface water well during storms.of contamination from well.a from casing. runoff reaches well.

3. Distance More than 300 feet 150-300 feet from a 75-150 feet from a Less than 75 feetbetween well and from a contamination contamination contamination from a contaminationpotential sources source. source. source. source.of contaminationa Sources of contamination include septic system absorption areas, pesticide and fertilizer handling areas, barnyards, and other similar areas.

Site Identification #1.

MANAGEMENT OF SITE CONDITIONS

4 3 2 1 RANKBest Good Fair Poor (up to 3 wells)

Site IdentificationLOCATION OF WELL #1 #2 #3

1. Type of well Off-site private or Drilled well. Driven well. Dug well (has the municipal source potential for the (therefore site most pollutantsconditions or manage- to enter into the ment practices do not water flow).affect your well quality).

2. Position of Upslope from all Downhill from sources Downslope from Well is located in a water well in sources of contam- of contamination, most sources of depression. Ponding relation to ination, and all surface and surface water contamination, and occurs around the potential sources water is diverted away runoff is diverted some surface water well during storms.of contamination from well.a from casing. runoff reaches well.

3. Distance More than 300 feet 150-300 feet from a 75-150 feet from a Less than 75 feetbetween well and from a contamination contamination contamination from a contaminationpotential sources source. source. source. source.of contaminationa Sources of contamination include septic system absorption areas, pesticide and fertilizer handling areas, barnyards, and other similar areas.

Site Identification #1.

A cooperative effort among:

Penn State Cooperative Extension

Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

System Includes:

Introduction

PreliminaryScreening Quiz

Farmstead Map

Worksheets

Wrap-up Activities

Preliminary Screening Quiz:

Short series of questions for each worksheet category

Quickly target most appropriate worksheets for a specific situation

Farmstead Map:

Sketch of farmstead/farm to locate significant features related to water quality

Source of useful information for completing worksheets

Farmstead MapFarmstead Map

Pasture

Stream

Driveway & parking

area

Pesticidestorage area

Exercisearea

Heifer barn

Barn

WellHouse

Septic tank

Absorption field

Direction

of surface

water flow

Ab

and

on

edw

ell

Highway

Worksheets:1. Water Well Condition and Construction2. Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage and Handling3. Household Wastewater Treatment System4. Barnyard Conditions and Management5. Milkhouse Waste Management6. Stream and Drainageway Management7. Petroleum Storage and Handling8. Silage Storage Management9. Animal Waste Storage and Management10. Animal Waste Land Application Management

Worksheet Contents: Why be concerned? How to rank groundwater and surface

water protection using this worksheet How to complete the worksheet Ranking matrix How to use these ranks Glossary Acknowledgements

Wrap-up Activities:

Overall Farmstead Ranking — evaluation of conditions and options for improvement

Post-Evaluation Survey — to be used as part of an educational program

Separation DistancesSeparation Distances

Well

Septic Tanks50 feet

Septic Leach Fields

100 feet

Barnyards300 feet

Casing HeightCasing Height

1 foot

Well Condition and Well Condition and ConstructionConstruction

Type of well

Age of well

Position

Separation distances

Condition of casing and cap

Well sealing

Casing depth

Casing height

Backflow

Abandoned wells

Water well

300 feet minimumseparation distance

Storage & Handling Area

Location Geologic materials Amounts and types Length of storage Clean-up Security of storage

Containers Mixing areas Water source Backflow prevention Supervision Container disposal Clean-up

Pesticide and Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage Fertilizer Storage

and Handlingand Handling

Septic system drain field

Wellhead

100 feet separation distance

Age of system

Separation distances

Quality and quantity

Household WastewaterHousehold Wastewater

Treatment system

Septic tank pumping

Disposal of septage

Water well

100 feet minimumseparation distance

Barnyard

Separation distances

Clean water management

Runoff control

Scraping practices

Vegetative cover

Animal access

Animal density/size

BarnyardBarnyardManagementManagement

Discharge path

Clean-up practices

Tank condition

Tank cleaning

Storage period

Separation distances

Land application

Milkhouse WasteMilkhouse WasteManagementManagement

Frequency of flow

Surface water entry

Buffer strips

Drain outlets

Maintenance

Streambank conditions

Fish cover

Overstory cover

Adjacent vegetation

Channel alteration

Livestock access

Stream bottom

Stream and Stream and DrainagewayDrainagewayManagementManagement

Petroleum Storage Petroleum Storage and Handlingand Handling

Soil drainage

Slope of land

Separation distances

Tank installation

Spill protection

Piping

Type and age of tank

Corrosion protection

Tank location

Tank support

Tank enclosure

Secondary containment

Integrity testing

Inventory monitoring

Unused tanks

Fueling procedures

Fire safety

Disposal of petroleum fluids

Silage Storage Silage Storage ManagementManagement

Crop moisture content

Separation distances

Clean water management

Subsurface drainage

Traffic areas

Floor and roof condition

Lining

Management

Effluent collection system

Animal Waste Storage Animal Waste Storage and Managementand Management

Storage structure

Storage pond

Stack facility

Separation distances

Location of floodplains

Storage capacity

Storage status

Reception and transfer system

Water diversion

Inspections

Unloading and handling

Emergency action plan

Dead animal disposal

Animal Waste Land Animal Waste Land Application ManagementApplication Management

Soil testing frequency

Soil sampling patterns

Animal waste sampling

Nutrient management

Allocation to fields

Use of records

Actual application rates

Supplemental fertilizer

Calibration of application equipment

Application areas

Record keeping

Uniformity of land application

Timing of application

Treatment after application

Field runoff protection

Perennial stream protection

Conservation plan

Overall Farm RankingOverall Farm Ranking

OverallOverall

RankingRanking

AverageAverage

ScoreScore

RankingRanking

44 33 22 11

Water WellsWater Wells 3.13.1 x x

ChemicalsChemicals 2.52.5 x x

HouseholdHousehold 3.03.0 xx

BarnyardBarnyard 1.51.5 xx

MilkhouseMilkhouse 3.53.5 xx

Overall RankOverall Rank 2.72.7 x x

Conditions andConditions andImprovementsImprovements

EVALUATING CONDITIONSEVALUATING CONDITIONSBest or Good RankingBest or Good Ranking Fair or Poor RankingFair or Poor Ranking1. 1. ____________________________________________ 1. ______________________ 1. ______________________2. 2. ____________________________________________ 2. ______________________ 2. ______________________

PLANNING IMPROVEMENTSPLANNING IMPROVEMENTS1.________________________________________________________ 1.________________________________________________________ 2.________________________________________________________2.________________________________________________________

IMPLEMENTING IMPROVEMENTSIMPLEMENTING IMPROVEMENTS TIMING TIMING (circle one)(circle one)

1.________________________________________________________1.________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________2.________________________________________________________

Within aWithin a Within two toWithin two toImmediatelyImmediately monthmonth This yearThis year five yearsfive years

Within aWithin a Within two toWithin two toImmediatelyImmediately monthmonth This yearThis year five yearsfive years

CONFIDENTIALITY

It is not the intent of this educational program to keep records of individual results. However, the landowner may share them with others who can help develop a resource management plan.

Project Coordinators:

Barry Frantz, PA Association of Conservation Districts and USDA NRCS

Les Lanyon, Penn State Department of Agronomy and Cooperative Extension

Jerry Martin, Penn State Cooperative Extension

Support for this program provided by:

Department of Environmental Resources 319(h)

Chesapeake Bay Program

USDA Special Project No. 91-EHUA-1-0061

Slide set developed by: Les Lanyon, Penn State Department of Agronomy

and Cooperative Extension Jerry Martin, Penn State Cooperative Extension Shelly Ogline, formerly Penn State Cooperative

ExtensionAdditional slides provided by:

National Farm*A*Syst office Frank Lucas, USDA-NRCS, Pequea-Mill Creek Project