2016 CSP Water Quality Enhancements
Water Quality Enhancements
An"enhancement" is a conservation activity used to treat natural resources and improve conservation performance. Enhancements are designed to maintain or exceed the quality criteria, or stewardship level, for the resource concern. Enhancements tied directly to conservation practices standards exceed the minimum treatment requirements of the standard to address additional criteria or considerations. Conservation practice standards and quality criteria for resource concerns can be found in sections II and III of the Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG).
WQL03 Rotation of supplement and feeding areas Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Rotation of supplement and feeding areas
Enhancement Description
The proper location and regular movement of livestock concentration areas such as feeding areas and mineral blocks in a manner that will improve livestock distribution, reduce localized areas of disturbances and reduce impacts on water bodies.
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WQL04 Plant tissue testing and analysis to improve mgmt Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Plant tissue tests and analysis to improve nitrogen management
Enhancement Description
Use plant tissue tests to adjust nitrogen application rates.
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WQL05 Apply nutrients no more than 30d prior to planned planting date Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Apply nutrients no more than 30 days prior to planned planting date
Enhancement Description
This enhancement is for applying nutrients from fertilizer, manures and/or compost no more than 30 days prior to the planned planting date of the crop.
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WQL07 Split N applications 50 percent after the emergence green up Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Split nitrogen applications, 50% after the crop emergence or pasture green up
Enhancement Description
Apply no more than 50% of total crop nitrogen needs within 30 days prior to planting or in the case of pasture or hay after green up of the dormant grasses. Apply the remaining 50% or more of the total nitrogen needs after crop emergence or pasture green up.
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WQL09 Apply phosphorus fertilizer below soil surface Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Apply phosphorus fertilizer below soil surface
Enhancement Description
This enhancement is for the application of all phosphorus fertilizer at least 3 inches deep, including manure, or as a 2X2 row starter. Note: the use of this enhancement may require a revised Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) plan.
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WQL10 Plant a cover crop that will scavenge residual N Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Plant a cover crop that will scavenge residual nitrogen
Enhancement Description
Plant a cover crop that will scavenge nitrogen remaining in the soil after the harvest of a previous crop. Suitable cover crops include those with at least a “Very Good” rating for scavenging nitrogen as documented in “Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Edition” (Sarrantonio, 1998), Chart 2 Performance & Roles, pg 67. Examples include cereal rye, barley, forage radish and sorghum sudan.
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WQL11 Precision application technology to apply nutrients Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Precision application technology to apply nutrients
Enhancement Description
The use of precision agriculture technologies to apply nutrients to fit variations in site-specific conditions found within fields.
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WQL18 Nonchemical pest mgmt for livestock Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Non- chemical pest management for livestock
Enhancement Description
The use of management, monitoring, and prevention techniques to manage external livestock pests without the use of pesticides.
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WQL19 Transition to organic grazing system Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Transition to organic grazing systems
Enhancement Description
"Transition to Organic Grazing Systems" supports the conversion of a conventional to an organic livestock grazing system. Key to the enhancement activity is following ecological and pasture-based grazing requirements, applying materials according to the National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Natural Substances, and managing livestock according to National Organic Program (NOP) rules (Subpart C – Organic Production and Handling Requirements) for organic certification. This enhancement activity facilitates compliance with NOP rules for organic certification.
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WQL20 Transition to organic cropping system Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Transition to organic cropping systems
Enhancement Description
"Transition to Organic Cropping Systems" supports the conversion of a conventional to an organic cropping system. Key to the enhancement is the inclusion of management activities that improve water and soil quality in an “Organic System Plan (OSP)” that adheres to the National Organic Program (NOP) 205.201 criteria. Included in the plan are specifics on how producers will manage pests, weeds, diseases, and plant nutrients by following a crop rotation that incorporates cover crops and by using other cultural, biological and physical methods. The OSP also covers uses of manure and compost, measures to prevent exposure of organic crops and soils to NOP-prohibited substances, and seed sources.
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WQL22 Onfarm composting farm organic waste Click for summary
Enhancement Name
On-farm composting of farm organic waste
Enhancement Description
This enhancement consists of composting organic waste generated from the agricultural operation(s) on-farm. This includes animal manures, livestock mortality (where state or local laws allow), and waste from on-farm processing of agricultural products (e.g., slaughter by-products or vegetable culls removed from the field during harvest). It does not include any hazardous household waste, any general hazardous waste products or bio-hazard waste products. Yard waste such as grass clippings and leaves can be included but are not required. Composted products must be used in compliance with all federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
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Download WQL22 (PDF, 88KB)
WQL25 Split applications of N based on PSNT Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Split applications of nitrogen based on a PSNT
Enhancement Description
Use pre-sidedress soil nitrate test (PSNT) to determine the need and/or amount of additional nitrogen to be applied during a sidedress/topdress N application.
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WQL26 Reduce concentration of nutrients imported on farm Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Reduce the concentration of nutrients imported on farm
Enhancement Description
Grow at least 75% of feed for livestock on the farm and use manure from the livestock to supplement up to 50% of N, 90% of P and 90% K for crops grown on the farm.
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WQL27 Drainage water mgmt for nutrient pathogen or pesticide reduction Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Drainage water management for nutrient, pathogen, or pesticide reduction
Enhancement Description
This enhancement consists of managing soil and/or surface water levels during the non-cropping season in order to reduce the loss of nutrients, pathogens, or/and pesticides from a crop field through drainage systems and into downstream receiving waters. This enhancement may also be utilized to reduce the oxidation of organic matter in the soil and/or reduce wind erosion or particulate matter (dust) emissions.
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WQL28 Biological suppression nonchem techniques manage brush invasives Click for summary
Enhancement Name
High level integrated pest management to reduce pesticide environmental risk
Enhancement Description
This enhancement is for the reduction of woody brush, herbaceous weeds and invasive plants using non-chemical methods. Physical methods include burning, hoeing, mowing, mulching, pulling or other similar techniques. Biological methods include targeted livestock grazing, the use of natural enemies either introduced or augmented and planting desired species after weed/brush control measures. The addition of mineral amendments to favor desired plant species is recommended. Use of chemicals is prohibited with this enhancement.
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WQL29 High level IPM to reduce pesticide environmental risk Click for summary
Enhancement Name
High level integrated pest management to reduce pesticide environmental risk
Enhancement Description
Utilize advanced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression techniques to eliminate or minimize the need for pesticide while maintaining satisfactory pest control. Apply pesticides in an environmentally sound manner only when monitoring indicates an economic pest threshold has been exceeded and other measures are not sufficiently effective. Choose the lowest risk pesticide available labeled for and effective against the target pest(s), and implement appropriate mitigation techniques to minimize environmental risks. Pesticide applications must follow all label requirements.
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WQL30 IPM for Organic farming Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Integrated pest management for organic farming
Enhancement Description
Managing pests on an organic farm, including farms transitioning to organic, with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system that relies on high level prevention, avoidance, monitoring, and suppression techniques that are based on an understanding of pest ecology. Organic IPM relies primarily on ecologically-based cultural and biological practices that result in healthy soil, healthy plants and habitat for beneficial organisms. Appropriate mitigation techniques are utilized to reduce environmental risks from selected suppression techniques.
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WQL30 IPM for Organic farmingDownload (PDF, 73KB)
WQL31 Land application of treated manure Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Land application of treated manure
Enhancement Description
This enhancement is for the use of manure that has been treated to reduce odors and/or pathogens prior to land application. Acceptable practices include controlled temperature anaerobic digestion (mesophilic or thermophilic), composting, and chemical treatment or amendment. Waste treatment lagoons and injection of manure alone do not qualify as acceptable practices.
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WQL32 Apply enhanced efficiency fertililzer Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Apply enhanced efficiency fertilizer products
Enhancement Description
At least 50% of the pre-emergent and early post emergent nitrogen fertilizers, phosphorus fertilizers or manure used for production must include enhanced efficiency formulations.
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WQL33 Use of nonchemical methods to kill cover crops Click for summary
Enhancement Name
Use of non-chemical methods to kill cover crops
Enhancement Description
Use non-chemical methods to kill cover crops prior to no-tilling, direct seeding or strip-tilling the normal production crop. These methods include mowing, rolling, undercutting and weather kill.
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