Strategic and Prioritized Implementation of Conservation and Compliance For
Improved Water Quality and Aquatic Life Habitat
SWCS ConferenceGreensboro, NC
July 28, 2015
What I’ll Talk About
Vernacular
Agricultural Diversity and Importance
Ag Water Quality Program Overview
Focus Areas
Strategic Implementation Areas
Compliance Evaluation
12 digit HUC Prioritization
Oregon’s Top 10 in 2012
Source: Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service and Oregon State University
Product Gross sales value in 2012 (millions)
Nursery/greenhouse
$745
Cattle & Calves $654
Hay $638
Milk $498
Wheat $472
Grass seed $411
Potatoes $173
Pears $134
Corn, grain & silage
$120
Christmas trees $103
• Over 220 crops
• Approximately $30 Billion Annual Economic Footprint
• 15% of Oregon’s Economy
• 12% of jobs or 1 in every 8
Background & History
Agricultural Water Quality Management Act – 1993 Prevent & control pollution and soil erosion Regulate farming practices for water quality Must meet water quality standards set by Environmental Quality
Commission
Based off of Federal Clean Water Act ODF -- private land forestry DEQ -- Urban storm water, municipal waste water, transportation system and
non-ag point sources, federally managed land ODA -- private land agricultural activities
38 Agricultural Water Quality Management Areas
Soil and Water Conservation Districts as Local Management Agencies
Water Quality Rules
(a) Pollute any waters of the state, or (b) Place wastes where they are likely to enter waters of the state.
Allow site capable vegetation to develop & establish along streams that provide stabile streambanks, shade, and filtering surface runoff.
2014 Compliance Summary
Water Quality ConcernNumber of
Investigations2014*
Number of InvestigationsTotal to Date
Potential manure runoff to surface or groundwater
29 316
Potential sediment runoff to surface water
22 196
Riparian area management concerns
40 225
Other issues 3 41
Other 468B potential violations
3 60
* If more than one issue was identified it is counted under both categories.
Strategic Focus of Resources
Need both to “tell the story” of ag and water quality
Focus Areas
SWCD-led
Outreach
Assessments Pre and Post
Voluntary
Strategic Implementation Areas
ODA-led
Outreach
Assessments Pre and Post
Regulatory
Strategic Implementation
2012--Board of Agriculture recommended that alternatives to a complaint-based agricultural water quality program are developed.
January 2014--Two test SIAs initiated. Tests systematic use of program initiated compliance across a small watershed.
December 2014--Board of Agriculture recommended that ODA in concert with other Natural Resource Agencies prioritize watersheds and develop an accelerated schedule for full-scale statewide implementation of the Departments systematic approach.
Workload and Capacity over 3,000 6th field HUCs
Threat Assessment Concern on Agricultural lands
Categories:
Manure Piles
Bare Ground
Riparian Vegetation
Compliance Evaluation:
Publically Available Information
*Aerial Photos
*Topographic maps
*Stream location maps
*Property boundary maps
*Field Survey
Riparian Vegetation, Manure Piles, and Bare Ground
Low Concern--(remote evaluation) Condition present, but unable to determine if agricultural activities causing the condition.
Moderate concern--(remote evaluation) Agricultural activity causing observed condition.
Significant/Serious Concern--Agricultural activity observed during field evaluation and appears to be causing observed condition.
If a discharge or removal of riparian vegetation is observed during the field evaluation then a compliance investigation is initiated (Serious Concern).
Outreach/Enforcement
All (No, Low, Moderate, Significant, Serious) General Informational letter, SIA/FA Info Card, Open House invitation
Moderate Category 1st Personalized Fix-it letter 2nd Personalized Fix-it letter Request for site visit
Significant Category 1st Personalized Fix-it letter Request for site visit
Serious Category Request of site visit
Low Category General Fix-it letter
2013-2014 Strategic Implementation Areas
Noyer Creek (Clackamas County)
Total Parcels in Assessment Area = 623
- 368 (N/A) (Fed. Land, Not Ag etc.)
237 Evaluated
Evaluation Categories Pre-evaluation Post-evaluation
No Concern = 200 Parcels 209 Parcels
Low Concern = 19 Parcels 26 Parcels
Moderate Concern = 16 Parcels 0 Parcels
Significant Concern = 2 Parcels 2 Parcels
Serious Concern = 0 Parcels 0 Parcels
Total = 237 Parcels 237 Parcels
SIA Prioritization
Urban Forestry Zone Not Private LandsAg Land
3121 HUCS Statewide minusHUCS without Ag or water =
HUCs WITH AG & WATER = 2174
HUCS with Ag & Water and……CRITERIA! =
HUCs with Ag and Water: (2174 HUCs)
Water Quality; (303(d) listed or TMDL:
Criteria: Temperature (10) Bacteria (10) Nutrients (10) Sediment (10)Possible WQ score (40)
Aquatic Species of Concern
Criteria: Priority 1 and 2 from ODFW Aquatic Species of Concern data layer.
Possible score (5)
Priority 1 and 2 includes salmonid species and other non-salmonid species that are endemic to Oregon.
Score is calculated based the stream feet or acres of each category divided by the total stream feet or acres in agricultural use, multiplied by the scoring factor (10 for water quality and 5 for aquatic species of concern).
HUCs with Ag, Water, and WQ Criteria = 1018
Water Quality SCORING example
Water Quality Score (303(d) listed or TMDL
Criteria:#1 - Temperature (10)#2 - Bacteria (10)#3 - Nutrients (10)#4 - Sediment (10)Possible total (40)
WQ Criteria: 1a5,000 feet - TMDL for Temperature5,000 feet / 10,000 feet = .5.5 x 10 = 5
WQ Criteria: 1b3,000 feet - TMDL for Bacteria3,000 feet / 10,000 feet = .3.3 x 10 = 3
Total WQ Score = 8
3,000 stream feetBacteria TMDL
5,000 stream feetTemperature TMDL
10,000 stream feetInside Ag Areas
Willamette Reporting Area Priority Levels
Total HUCs 412
HUCs with Ag and Water
241
Priority Level
High 33
Medium 50
Low 82
HUCs with WQ Criteria
165
HUCs with No WQ Criteria
76
Local Partner Considerations
Drinking Water Source Protection Areas
Groundwater Management Areas
Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships
DEQ long-term ambient water quality monitoring locations
Prior work--build on or potentially harm
Current Focus Area
Current partner priorities--to align resources (Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Association of Conservation Districts
2015-2016 Strategic Implementation Areas
Input from state level partners. Local SWCDs, NRCS District Conservationists, DEQ Basin Team Leaders and Coordinators, OWEB/Watershed Councils
June SIAs selected
Geographically distributed
State and local priorities
July Implementation begins—7 SIAs
Each year 6-8 new SIAs
Legislature allocated 3 new positions and 1,000,000 dollars for technical assistance and on the ground projects.
Questions??
Kevin Fenn
Compliance Lead
(503) 986-6486
Thank you: Diana Walker GIS ODA Water Quality Staff Team
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