ProtectingLouisiana’s

WatersusingBBBBBest

MMMMManagementPPPPPractices(BMPs)

INTRODUCTION

American agriculture enjoys an international reputation for efficient,high-quality food production. Louisiana farmers play an important role in thatsuccess. In addition to assuring an abundant and affordable food supply, Louisi-ana farmers must strive to protect the environment. In Louisiana we are blessedwith beautiful and abundant waters to enjoy fishing, hunting, boating or justrelaxing on the shore of a lake, river or bayou.

Most of the water in Louisiana rivers and lakes comes from rainfallrunoff. As this runoff travels across the soil surface, it carries with it soil par-ticles, organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Excessiveamounts of these materials entering surface or groundwater are called nonpointsource pollutants. Agricultural activities contribute to the amount of nonpointsource pollutants entering streams, lakes, estuaries and groundwater. Runofffrom urban areas also contributes to nonpoint source pollution problems. Thesame technology that helps feed the world has brought increasing pressures onour natural resources. The solutions to controlling runoff will require the effortsof agricultural producers, landowners, government and private organizations.

Research and educational programs on environmental issues related tothe use and management of natural resources have always been an importantpart of the LSU AgCenter’s mission. Working with representatives from theagricultural commodity groups, the Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS), the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), theLouisiana Farm Bureau Federation (LFBF) and the Louisiana Department ofAgriculture and Forestry (LDAF), the LSU AgCenter has taken the lead inassembling a group of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for each agriculturalcommodity in Louisiana.

BMPs are practices used by agricultural producers to control thegeneration and delivery of pollutants from agricultural activities to water re-sources of the state, thereby reducing the amount of agricultural pollutantsentering surface and ground waters. Each BMP is a culmination of years ofresearch and demonstrations conducted by agricultural research scientists andsoil engineers. BMPs and accompanying standards and specifications are pub-lished by the NRCS in its Field Office Technical Guide.

Agricultural BMPs focus on five main areas: nutrient management,pesticide management, soil and water management, pasture management andgeneral farm BMPs.

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT

The objective of nutrient management is tobalance all sources of nutrient inputs with acrop’s requirements for producing a realisticyield. Although nutrients such as nitrogen andphosphorus are essential for crop production,overabundance of these nutrients in lakes andstreams can cause water quality problems.

BMP OBJECTIVES:1.1.1.1.1. Supply plant nutrients for optimumforage and crop production based onrealistic yield goals and soil test analysis.

2.2.2.2.2. Minimize nutrients entering surfaceand groundwater from agricultural land.

Pesticides help to increase agriculturalproductivity by reducing competition fromweed, insect and disease pests. Pesticidesaffect the quality of Louisiana’s waterresources through runoff into streams or byleaching into groundwater. Pesticides thatdrift from the application site may affectnontarget plants, fish, birds and beneficialinsects negatively.

BMP OBJECTIVES:1.1.1.1.1. Maximize benefits from soundpesticide management and, at the sametime, reduce environmental risk.

2.2.2.2.2. Develop pesticide managementprograms that are based on pestpopulations and economic thresholds.

Regular soil testing is the key to propernutrient management.

Properly calibrated spray equipment ensures a uniform spraypattern and minimizes the risk of overapplication of pesticides.

By using GlobalPositioning System(GPS), pesticidescan be appliedevenly to a field withminimum overlap ofeach pass of theaircraft.

SOIL AND WATER MANAGEMENT

Filter strips adjacent toplowed fields reducepollution and protect waterbodies by removing sedimentand other pollutants fromrainwater runoff.

Pipe drops conserve irrigationwater, control erosion and reducepollution of surface water fromagricultural sources.

Conservation tillage practices can reducesoil erosion by as much as two-thirds.

Sediment is the number onewater pollutant from nonpointsources in Louisiana. Sedimentcauses water to become muddy,creating a sometimes unsuitableenvironment for many aquaticspecies, including fish and evenplants. Exposed soil is suscep-tible to erosion by environmen-tal factors such as rain. Keepingsoil on the field and out ofsurface waters is a top priorityfor Louisiana farmers.

BMP OBJECTIVES:1. Promote conservationtillage and cover crops toprotect the soil from erosion.

2. Promote the use of grasswaterways and vegetativefilter strips around streamsand ponds to slow runoff,allowing time for sediment tosettle out before reachingsurface waters.

GENERAL FARM

BMPS

Farm*A*Syst andHome*A*Syst areconfidential, self-

assessmentprograms you can

use to evaluateyour home and

property forpollution and

health risks.

PASTURE MANAGEMENTBMP OBJECTIVES:1.1.1.1.1. Promote the fencing out oflivestock and the use of cattlecrossings in riparian areas onstreambanks and in streambeds,to allow for re-establishment ofvegetative cover. This vegetationwill secure streambanks and trapsediments and eliminate directpollutant loading from manuredepositions in the stream.

2.2.2.2.2. Develop nutrient managementplans for livestock manure appli-cation to pastures.

Livestock wateringtroughs provide

high quality waterfor livestock and

reduce waterimpairment by

excluding livestockfrom streams.

Livestock crossings protect streambanks from beingeroded by trampling and reduce the risk of nutrientoverenrichment, bacteria and turbidity in waterways.

Livestock with free access to streams can cause local and down-stream environmental problems. Reduced vegetative cover onstreambanks increases the potential for soil erosion and threatensinstream water quality. Manure deposition in streams may causenutrient and bacterial problems downstream. The overapplicationof livestock manures to pastures, as a source of fertilizer, can leadto overenrichment of nutrients in streams as well as bacterialproblems.

Agricultural producers rely on many products to keepequipment and buildings in good condition. These includemotor oil, fuels, antifreeze, batteries, tires, paints andwood preservatives. Improper storage and disposal ofthese products can lead to environmental contaminationproblems. Fuel storage tanks must comply with stateregulations. These include regular inspection as well as acontainment wall to capture all fuel in case of a spill.

BMP OBJECTIVES:1.1.1.1.1. Promote the proper storage and recycling of usedengine oil, antifreeze, batteries, tires and paints.

2.2.2.2.2. Promote compliance with state regulations for fuelstorage tanks.

A containmentwall will ensure

that surfacewater will not becontaminated in

the event of atank rupture.

SUMMARY

The complex nature of nonpoint pollution meansprograms designed to reduce its impact on theenvironment will not be easy to establish or main-tain. Controlling these contaminants will requiresolutions as diverse as the pollutants themselves.Through a multi-agency effort, led by the LSUAgCenter, these BMP manuals are targeted atreducing the impact of agricultural production onLouisiana’s environment. Agricultural producers inLouisiana, through voluntary implementation ofthese BMPs, are taking the lead in efforts to protectthe waters of Louisiana. The quality of Louisiana’senvironment depends on each of us.

Fred S. Sanders Jr., Ph.D., Environmental Science

Visit our website: lsuagcenter.com

Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, William B. Richardson, ChancellorLouisiana Cooperative Extension Service, Jack L. Bagent, Vice Chancellor and Director

Pub. 2800 1/01 (5M) Rev.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture. The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.