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Middle Willamette Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan Biennial Review Report Polk and Benton Soil and Water Conservation Districts February 23, 2012
Committee Meeting Summary The Middle Willamette Local Advisory Committee (Committee) met on February 23, 2012, to review the Middle Willamette Agricultural Water Quality Plan and Rules. At this meeting, the Committee was provided with updates from the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Water Quality Program (Department), and the Polk and Benton Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Districts). The Committee expressed their appreciation for the Districts’ efforts to implement the strategies in the Area Plan. The Committee discussed the need for baseline water quality data to understand current conditions and have data to compare to in the future. The Committee was supportive of the Middle Willamette Water Quality Characterization Project but questioned if there was enough baseline temperature data available.
LAC Member for 2012 Mike Gamroth, Chair Eric Horning, Vice Chair Frank Bricker Don Schellenberg Madeline Hall
Frank Nusbaum Michael Calef Jeff Mitchell Ron Quring Larry Venell
The Committee requested the following related to temperature monitoring: 1) Review existing monitoring data for baseline temperature data. 2) Evaluate existing data to determine if there are gaps or needs. Continued on page 3
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Area Plan and Rules Background The Committee advised the Department on development of the Middle Willamette Area Plan and Rules. After review by the state Board of Agriculture, the director of the Department approved the Area Plan and Rules in December of 2002. Since approval, the Committee met in 2004, 2008, and 2010 to review the Area Plan and Rules. The Area Plan encourages good stewardship of natural resources and depends upon landowners volunteering to implement conservation and pollution reduction measures on agricultural lands.
Area Plan Goal
Area Plan Objectives •
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To ensure that water quality goals are met while promoting the flexibility and economic viability of agriculture. The Area Plan identifies resource management practices for field and vegetable crop production, livestock, nurseries, streamside areas, vineyards, berries, Christmas trees, and orchards.
Education—Create awareness among the agricultural community, rural landowners, and the public of conditions that cause water quality concerns or problems. Resource Management—Promote awareness of conditions that result in improvement of water quality. Funding—Secure adequate funding for administration and implementation to achieve the Area Plan’s goal, objectives, and strategies. Evaluation—Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Area Plan and Rules.
Regulations •
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Landowner’s actions may not cause pollution to waters of the state or place any wastes in a location where such wastes are likely to escape or be carried into waters of the state by any means. Riparian vegetation along perennial streams must provide the water quality functions of shade, streambank stability, and filtration of pollutants. 2
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The Middle Willamette Agricultural Water Quality Management Area has water bodies that are ‘water quality limited’ for temperature, bacteria, mercury, dissolved oxygen, and pH.
Continued from page 1
Committee Meeting 3) Develop and implement a temperature-
monitoring project to fill the identified gaps and needs. At a minimum, the Committee requests that continuous digital temperature monitoring is added to the seven monitoring sites in the Middle Willamette Agricultural Water Quality Characterization Project. The Department introduced the Committee to the idea of focusing efforts to demonstrate Area Plan effectiveness and the Department’s priority area concept. The Committee felt that focusing effort within a small-defined geographic area provides greater potential to evaluate implementation of the Area Plan and Rules.
The Department’s Priority Area Concept The Department believes that its water quality program effectively prevents and controls water pollution from agricultural activities. The Department relies predominantly on improvements in agricultural land and conditions to show that agriculture is fulfilling its responsibility to protect water quality. Measuring progress in land conditions will be attempted by identifying priority areas. Priority areas are relatively small geographic regions within each agricultural water quality management area that are identified jointly by the Department, SWCDs, and other partners. Outreach, technical assistance, and project development and implementation will be focused in these areas, and every landowner with potential land condition concerns will be contacted with an offer of voluntary assistance. The Department will evaluate the success of these efforts by assessing how much progress it can show in implementing the local area plan by assessing land conditions on a small scale over a relatively short amount of time. Priority areas are an opportunity for agriculture to show success in improving water quality.
Compliance Investigations Since the last review in February 2010, the Department has investigated seven agricultural water quality complaints. Complaint Type:
Resulting Action:
Livestock/Manure Management
Letter of Compliance
Christmas Tree Erosion
Initial: Water Quality Advisory Follow-up: Letter of Compliance
Livestock/Manure Management
Letter of Compliance
Riparian Vegetation Removal
Initial: Letter of Warning Follow-up: Water Quality Advisory
Riparian Vegetation Removal
Letter of Compliance
Livestock/Manure Management
Water Quality Advisory
Soil Erosion
Initial: Letter of Warning Follow-up: Letter of Compliance
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MIDDLE WILLAMETTE MANAGEMENT AREA
SPRING 2012
Benton District Highlights NRCS 2010 SWCD District Partnership Award In October of 2010, at the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting, the Benton SWCD was awarded the Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) District Partnership Award. This award is intended to recognize the best of the 45 Oregon Districts that has provided outstanding conservation assistance and service as a partner to NRCS over the previous year. The District’s technical resources projects have been focused on improving water quality. The District helped landowners obtain $117,671 in funding through incentive programs for irrigation efficiency projects, three-bin horse manure compost facilities, rocked areas for horses/cattle to winter, grassed waterways, cross fencing for better cattle management, and over 50 acres of riparian plantings and fencing to keep livestock out of riparian areas.
Soil Quality Project
(from winter 2012 TAKEROOT magazine, Teresa Mattson)
In 2009, the USDA NRCS awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant to the Benton District for the Soil Quality Project. This two-year pilot was fashioned after the Cornell University Soil Health Program to create an assessment package that will encourage farmers to make informed soil management decisions that improve rather than degrade this vital natural resource. Over 70 farmers, researchers, volunteers,
consultants, students and conservationists have helped to develop and implement the activities. In-field measurements and soil classification are coupled with physical, biological, and chemical lab tests to generate a color-coded soil quality report that highlights cropping constraints for parameters rated as poor. This report format serves as a powerful technical assistance tool for agricultural professionals and helps farmers understand how the condition of their soil is relevant to crop production. 4
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Polk District Highlights Nutria Control Program The Polk District takes a proactive approach to water quality. One of the District’s goals is to address water quality issues before there is a complaint. The District has an extensive education and outreach program to raise awareness of water quality issues. In addition, the District has implemented projects for erosion control, riparian restoration, and mud and manure management. To further the District’s proactive approach, an innovative program to address the impact that nutria has on water quality has been implemented by the District. Currently, the District has the only nutria bounty and control program in the state of Oregon. Captured nutria are taken to either Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine or the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Nutria taken to the veterinary lab are tested for a number of diseases potentially affecting water quality including: Johne’s disease, Leptospria, and Giardia. All but one of the nutria tested have been positive for Giardia. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife use the nutria for population studies to determine ages and litter sizes. Look for the final report of the Nutria Control Program at the end of the year.
Middle Willamette Water Quality Characterization Project
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Middle Willamette Water Quality Characterization Project (cont. from page 5) In 2010, results from this workgroup were reported back to the Committee. The Committee suggested additional water quality monitoring in agricultural areas. The Committee also suggested stream reach specific monitoring to identify potential pollution sources and prioritize restoration activities. In response to the suggestions from the Committee, the monitoring workgroup developed a monitoring plan to meet the suggested needs. This past year, the Polk District partnered as the lead with the Department, the Benton District, Marys River Watershed Council, Luckiamute Watershed Council, and Western Oregon University (WOU) and received a grant through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to begin monitoring. The Mid-Willamette Water Quality Characterization Project goal is to gain baseline knowledge of water quality in four agriculture waterways in Benton and Polk counties. The monitoring plan includes sampling at seven sites in the Management Area. This includes three sites on Muddy Creek, two sites on the Luckiamute River, one on the Tum Tum River, and one on the North Fork Ash Creek to be monitored 12 times over two years. District staff, along with volunteers from WOU and other project partners, is collecting samples. The sites will be monitored for bacteria, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, pH, phosphorus, temperature, turbidity, and conductivity six times per year for two years. Preliminary data analysis will be completed in the summer of 2012 and final data analysis will be in the summer of 2013. Data analysis will allow better identification of water Water Quality Program quality issues in agricultural areas. 635 Capitol St. NE Salem, OR 97301 For more assistance, you can also contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District office: Benton SWCD Polk SWCD 456 SW Monroe Ave., Suite 110 580 Main Street, Ste. A Corvallis, OR 97333 Dallas, OR 97338 (541) 753-7208 (503) 623-9680 www.bentonswcd.org www.polkswcd.org
Regional Water Quality Specialist Kevin Fenn Phone: 503-986-6486 Fax: 503-986-4730 E-mail: kfenn@oda.state.or.us
Attachment A: Summary Of Progress Toward Area Plan Objectives, Strategies, And Targets. Local Management Agency, Benton And Polk Districts January 1, 2010 To December 31, 2011
Education and Outreach Benton SWCD: ! Organized 57 workshops, demonstrations, presentations, and tours to over 2,000 adults. Water quality information presented to Farm Bureau, Small Farms Conference, Corvallis Natural Resource Leadership Tour, Corvallis Market, District Native Plant Sale, Benton County Riparian and Wetlands Project, Farmers Market, Corvallis Sustainability Forum, Oregon Green Schools, Water Faire, Spring Garden Festival, DaVinci Days, Outdoor School, and OSU Extension’s Ties to the Land. ! Staffed informational booths at eight venues (500 visitors). ! Provided soil and water quality information to over 2,600 Benton County students in 15 classes, including Envirothon Soils competition, Corvallis Outdoor School, Spring Field Day, RESTORE Educators Workshop, Water Fair, Green Schools Summit, Weedspotters, soil painting and soil texture, Wildlife Stewards Summit, Kids Day for Conservation, and Salmon Watch. ! Assisted the Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area and Department to host an Agricultural research for ground water quality workshop (40 attendees). Participate in the GWMA by providing technical assistance and researching funding opportunities for agricultural landowners to implement nutrient management practices. ! Published three newsletters annually and distributed to over 1,800 Benton County residents. ! Served on the Technical Advisory Board for the Benton County Riparian and Wetlands Inventory Project to identify significant riparian and wetland areas to protect in rural residential areas in Benton County including exploration of voluntary rather than regulatory approaches. Polk SWCD: ! 11 presentations made reaching 380 people. ! Over 3,000 landowners were contacted through direct mailings, site visits, and one-on-one visits. ! Seven mailings of “The Conservation Voice” newsletter were mailed (~642 each mailing). ! 2,346 fact sheets distributed (seven new developed). ! 22 news articles were published related to Polk District programs. ! 30 workshops/presentations hosted with over 514 attendees. ! Four sessions of Outdoor School and numerous one-day outdoor lessons were hosted reaching over 1,450 youth and high school students.
Resource Management Benton SWCD: ! Over 200 water quality technical assistance through telephone contacts, office visits and emails. ! Over 106 site visits and on-site evaluations for water quality resource concerns. ! Attended over 100 meetings with partner agencies to discuss water quality issues. ! Completed six conservation plans, including over 100 acres of riparian forest buffer through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). OSU Soap Creek CREP project was implemented with 200 acres or riparian forest buffer, two miles of fence, four livestock crossings and several off channel watering facilities. Thirty-six acres of riparian buffer were implemented in Kings Valley with one mile of fencing. Over fifty acres were planned along the main stem of the Alsea River. ! Worked with NRCS to identify the GWMA area as a target for Environmental Quality
Attachment A: Summary Of Progress Toward Area Plan Objectives, Strategies, And Targets. Local Management Agency, Benton And Polk Districts January 1, 2010 To December 31, 2011
Incentive Program (EQIP) funding through the Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) grant. EQIP funds were spent there through the last few years through a focused effort to target irrigation efficiency. Polk SWCD: ! 210 site visits were made by staff to landowners. ! 16 water quality projects were implemented. ! Worked with multiple landowners to help with weed infestations through small grants. ! 40 certified landowners enrolled in the Nutria Bounty Program to assess nutria impact on water quality issues and document damage. ! 5,016 plants were sold to landowners at Polk SWCD’s native plant sale to help improve water quality. ! Vole Control Program continued by selling bird boxes and providing designs and specifications of bird boxes to landowners. ! One new conservation plan written to convert a grass seed farm into wildlife habitat. Plan involves controlling and removing invasive plants and planting natives.
Funding and Administration Benton SWCD: ! The District received a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) grant to target outreach to Oak Creek riparian landowners to plant native trees/shrubs in buffer areas, fence out livestock and improve septic systems. ! The District and partners were successful in obtaining an OWEB grant to fund 2 FTE regional CREP planners (Benton SWCD to receive 0.3-0.5 FTE funding). ! The District and partners were successful in obtaining an OWEB Special Investment Partnership grant to hire a project manager to begin Willamette River Riparian restoration from Corvallis to Albany Reach. ! Developed four OWEB small grants for water quality improvement. Project types include wetland and riparian restoration, and irrigation water efficiency. ! Used the District Conservation Incentive Program funds to help seven landowners purchase native trees and shrubs to plant along riparian areas in smaller projects. ! The Soil Quality Project recently received a Western SARE Grant to expand into a regional program and is working with OSU extension to include this program with the Small Farms Program. ! In partnership with the Department, Linn, Upper Willamette, and Benton Districts received funding through a 319 grant to reduce agricultural nitrate contribution in the GWMA and Total Maximum Daily Load reduction in the Willamette Valley. Fifteen water quality projects were implemented including two manure compost facilities, five heavy use areas, eight acres of riparian restoration, 2100 feet of fencing, and 250 feet of grassed waterway. Polk SWCD: ! Fifteen small grants (OWEB) addressing water quality issues through wildlife, habitat, and manure area were funded ($136,417.88) ! Five Wildlife Habitat Incentive plans were funded ($16,006.99) ! CREP funding totaled ($60,000) ! Outdoor School received funding from multiple sources ($95,158) ! Nutria Bounty Control Program through NFWF was awarded ($22,500) ! Assisted landowners through an NRCS contribution agreement ($7,330)
Attachment A: Summary Of Progress Toward Area Plan Objectives, Strategies, And Targets. Local Management Agency, Benton And Polk Districts January 1, 2010 To December 31, 2011
Monitoring Benton SWCD: ! Conducted three site visits with the Department on Agriculture Water Quality complaints. Developed letter to send to landowner who might be out of compliance where a neighbor has complained to us directly. ! Partner on the Middle Willamette Monitoring Workgroup. ! Conducted an analysis of Oak Creek for the Department’s agricultural priority areas. Identified areas in need of riparian planting and protection based on agricultural/residential land uses and perennial and seasonal streams. ! The District received the 2010 NRCS District of the Year Award, “in recognition of your dedication and leadership in conservation.” Polk SWCD: ! Worked with the Middle Willamette Monitoring Workgroup to apply and receive a grant for the Middle Willamette Water Quality Characterization Project. ! Three sampling events at seven sites took place, and completed data was made available to project partners. ! Responded to three agricultural water quality concerns and referred on to the Department. ! Assisted the Department in three agricultural water quality complaints.