Conesus Lake – Agricultural Implications

•Mandatory on all CAFO sized farms, over 1000 animal units

•Voluntary on dairy/livestock farms with 300 - 999 animal units

•Will be required (voluntary compliance) on all farms with animals by 2009

AEM Planning

Key Elements of Plan

•Nutrient Management – soil fertility, fertilizers, manure, bio-solids, legume or cover crop generated nutrients

•Farmstead water management – roof water, open barnyards, silage storage

•Soil management/erosion control

P application using inorganic P and/or manure shall be consistent with either:

• P index - risk determination.

• P threshold - if soil test P (STP) > saturation, no P.

• Agronomic soil test - if soil test says no P needed, then no P is to be added.

The P index gives the greatest flexibility.The P index is a better risk indicator than STP and

threshold.

P Index

NRCS Code 590:

P indices are being developed in many states.

NY, MD, PA, DE and VT all have draft P indices.

A regional group is working on unification of the P index for the NE.

Sharpley and Beegle, 1999.

P Index

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

<1 very low

1-3 low

4-8medium

9-19 high

20-39high

>40 very high

Soil Test P (Morgan in lbs P/acre)

% o

f th

e to

tal s

ampl

e si

ze

Soil test P (Morgan in lbs P/acre)

Dis

trib

utio

n (%

of

tota

l sam

ple

size

)

New York State (72669 samples)

50.5%

P Index

Just because soil P is high, does not mean it reaches ground and/or surface water.

90% of soluble P comes from 10-20% of a watershed (Gburek, USDA-ARS).

The P index allows for the identification (and subsequent management) of these high risk fields.

P Index

Source/Transport Concept

High PSource Level

HighTransport Risk

Critical Source Area

P Index

Sharpley and Beegle, 1999.

Soil test as “source” indicator.

Stream proximity as “transport” indicator.

P Index

Soil Test Results

• Phosphorus levels – low to very high

• Soil pH

• Organic matter

• Calcium – Magnesium; buffer capacity

• Other elements

Manure Systems

Daily spread vs. storage

Manure Systems

Daily spread vs. storage