United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative State, Research, Education and Extension Service Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality: The role.

United States Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of Agriculture

Cooperative State, Research, EducationCooperative State, Research, Educationand Extension Serviceand Extension Service

Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality:Impacts of Agriculture on Water Quality:The role of USDAThe role of USDA

Michael P. O’Neill Dale A. BucksUSDA- CSREES USDA-ARS

The Impact of Agriculture on Water The Impact of Agriculture on Water QualityQuality

• Agriculture is the leading source of non-point source pollution in the United States.– “The glass is half empty”

• Through research, education, technical and financial assistance, USDA helps agriculture become part of the solution.– “The glass is half full”

Non-Point Source (NPS) Definition Non-Point Source (NPS) Definition

Legal

from the Clean Water Act

. . . any source of water that does not meet the legal definition of point source

NPS DefinitionNPS Definition

DescriptiveNonpoint Source pollution generally results from

precipitation, land runoff, infiltration, drainage, seepage, hydrologic modification, or atmospheric deposition. As runoff from rainfall or snowmelt moves, it picks up and transports pollutants from human activity and from natural sources, ultimately depositing them into rivers, lakes, wetlands, coastal waters, and ground water.

Water PathwaysWater Pathways

Top Impairments Top Impairments (reported by states)(reported by states)

General Impairment NameImpairments

ReportedPercent

Reported

SEDIMENT / SILTATION 7448 15.44

PATHOGENS 6048 12.54

METALS 5721 11.86

NUTRIENTS 5460 11.32

ORGANIC ENRICHMENT / LOW DO 4641 9.62

PH 2546 5.28

OTHER HABITAT ALTERATIONS 2311 4.79

THERMAL MODIFICATIONS 1929 4.00

BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA 1852 3.84

FLOW ALTERATION 1665 3.45

PESTICIDES 1518 3.15

Impacts of AgricultureImpacts of Agriculture

• Sediment• Nutrients (N, P)• Pesticides• Pathogens• Salinity• Metals

• Temperature• Habitat Loss• Pharmaceuticals

Achieving Enduring Achieving Enduring Conservation on the LandConservation on the Land

Water resource protection and enhancement

Research(ARS, CSREES, EPA,

ERS, FS, USGS)

Information(All Agencies)

Education(CSREES)

Technical Assistance(EPA, FS, NRCS, CSREES)

Financial Assistance(EPA, FSA, FS, NRCS)

Regulatory Oversight(EPA, F&WS, CoE)

OtherOther

ARSARS $820

CSREESCSREES $600

FSFS $120

ERSERS $60

$50

USDA RESEARCH FUNDS--2000

Research Needs for Water QualityResearch Needs for Water Quality

• Research at the watershed scale– Build upon the sound tradition of plot and

field-based efforts

• Research led by stakeholder involvement– Solving problems at the local level– Recognize and build upon regional

differences

Research ActivitiesResearch Activities

• Agricultural Research Service (ARS)– Instrumented Watersheds– Field and Plot Investigations– Laboratory Studies

• Economic Research Service (ERS)– Costs and Benefits of Programs and Practices

• Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) – University Research

ARS Mission (Water Resources)ARS Mission (Water Resources)

• To develop innovative concepts for determining the movement of water and its associated constituents in agricultural landscapes and watersheds.

• to develop new and improved practices, technologies, and strategies to manage the Nation's agricultural water resources. 

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

• Research Focus Area (Water Resources)– Agricultural Watershed Management– Water Quality Protection and Management– Irrigation and Drainage Management

http://www.nps.ars.usda.gov/programs/programs.htm?NPNUMBER=201

Economic Research Service (ERS)Economic Research Service (ERS)

• Research Focus Area: Harmony Between Agriculture and the Environment– Irrigation and Water Use– Conservation and Environmental Policy– Agricultural Chemicals and Production

Technologyhttp://www.ers.usda.gov/Emphases/Harmony/

Cooperative State Research, Education Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES)and Extension Service (CSREES)

• Land Grant Universities (CSREES)– Basic and Applied Research– Watershed Scale Water Quality

Investigations– Combining Research with

Outreach/Extension Activities– Eight Research “Themes”

http://www.usawaterquality.org

CSREES Research ThemesCSREES Research Themes

• Animal Manure Management (AFO/CAFO)• Drinking Water and Human Health• Environmental Restoration (Aquatic and Riparian Habitat)• Nutrient and Pesticide Management• Pollution Assessment and Prevention• Watershed Management• Water Conservation and Agricultural Water Management• Water Economics and Policy

Trends during runoff events of may 1-14, 2001 at Site 4.

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1-May-01 4-May-01 7-May-01 11-May-01 14-May-01

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Q (mm/day)

NO3-N

SUMMARYInfiltration rate and degree of subsurface drainage, is critical in determining mode and amount of nutrient transport/loss.

Understanding Nutrient Transport in an Intensively Cropped WatershedJames L. Baker, Iowa State Univ.

Assessing Bacterial Loading in Estuarine Environments

Nancy White, NC State Univ.

Average Annual Bacterial Loading to Shellfish Bed

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19

64

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66

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98

Sample Events: 1964-1998

MP

N

MAR ResultsResistant: Sensitive:Woodpecker SquirrelSeptic Samples RaccoonDog CatHorse BearDeer HawkDuckOpossum

Education Needs for Water QualityEducation Needs for Water Quality

• Place-based educational programs– Tailor programs to local environments

• Connecting urban and rural audiences– Link urban consumers to food and fiber production

• Education built upon “sound science”– Assure that educational materials reflect current

state-of-the-science research and information

CSREES Water ProgramCSREES Water Program

The CSREES National Water Quality Program (www.usawaterquality.org) State anchored, regionally coordinated, national

coalition Research, education, and extension practitioners

from institutions across the United States and its territories

Focused on addressing issues related to the quality and quantity of the nation’s water resources.

www.usawaterquality.org

Education MaterialsEducation Materials

Chet Arnold Univ. of Connecticut

Daniel FagerlieWashington State Univ.

SummarySummary

• Continued research at the watershed scale is needed to understand the complex interactions among pollution sources.

• Locally relevant education programs that deliver state-of-the-science information are needed to sustain management practices that protect and improve water quality.

USDA National Program Contacts USDA National Program Contacts (Research & Education)(Research & Education)

• CSREES– Mike O’Neill

[email protected]

– Nancy Cavallaro

[email protected]

• ARS– Dale Bucks

[email protected]

• ERS– Marc Ribaudo

202-694-5488 [email protected]