scholarly journals (353) University of California Water Quality Program for Floriculture and Nursery Growers in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1017C-1017
Author(s):  
Julie Newman ◽  
Kristine Gilbert ◽  
Ben Faber ◽  
Donald Merhaut ◽  
Laosheng Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cost Share ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Flow Monitoring ◽  
California Water ◽  
Quality Program ◽  
On Farm

Nursery growers must implement “Best Management Practices” (BMPs) to mitigate runoff and leaching of pollutants. However, there is little data on the effectiveness of BMPs, and further research is needed. Growers require training to minimize runoff and capital to comply with evolving regulations. We collected irrigation efficiency data at 26 nursery sites using catch cans. Uniformity value was calculated as: DU = 100 × (Average of the “Low Quarter”/Average of All Measurements). Results showed that one-third of the nurseries had irrigation uniformities below 67%, and only one nursery exceeded 82%. Continuous flow monitoring at 10-minute intervals was conducted at three nursery sites to determine daily and monthly variation. One hundred samples of the runoff were taken four times at each nursery and analyzed for nitrate, chloride, and sulfate. We developed a 29-page checklist of BMPs to reduce runoff, which we used to survey 53 growers in Ventura County. After completing the survey, 20 growers applied for funds from a 1.2 million dollar cost-share program that we initiated. This program provides funds to implement improved technologies to reduce runoff and/or conserve water; funds were awarded to 18 nurseries. We are collecting monitoring data from each cooperating nursery implementing improvements. These data measure the number of BMPs used by growers, provide a current “snapshot” of the industry, and document the effectiveness of future BMP implementation. We offer on-farm consulting, and conducted eight water quality/irrigation educational programs—four in Spanish. We elevated grower awareness concerning regulations and options for reducing runoff, and the data will be useful in evaluating future improvements.

scholarly journals Implementation of Best Management Practices to Reduce Agricultural Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Calleguas Creek and Santa Clara River Watersheds: A Case Study of Water Contaminant Mitigation in California

HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 1109-1112
Author(s):  
Donald J. Merhaut ◽  
Lea Corkidi ◽  
Maren Mochizuki ◽  
Toan Khuong ◽  
Julie Newman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
University Of California ◽  
Agricultural Water ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Ventura County ◽  
The University ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Regional Water

Agriculture is a major industry in California, with cool-season crops grown along the state’s coasts, warm-season crops grown in the hot deserts, and many temperate crops grown in the state’s valleys. In coastal communities such as Ventura County, the Calleguas Creek and the Santa Clara River watersheds have 50,000 and 60,000 irrigated acres of farm crops, respectively. These watersheds are considered impaired by nutrients, salts, pesticides, and other agricultural contaminants. Mitigation of chemical and sediment runoff through grower-implemented best management practices (BMPs) is therefore one of the highest priorities in the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Basin Plan. A 3-year project was designed to assist Ventura County growers in meeting regional water quality objectives. The University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura County and the University of California, Riverside, collaborated with the Ventura County Resource Conservation District and the Ventura County Agricultural Irrigated Lands Group (VCAILG) to address three project goals: increase grower and landowner understanding of local agricultural water quality issues; identify gaps or deficiencies in current management practices in agricultural operations; and reduce the contribution of nutrients, pesticides, and other pollutants to impaired water bodies. To achieve these goals, 469 surveys of agricultural water quality management practices were collected to assess the extent of current adoption of BMPs. Over 160 growers who farm more than 14,000 acres that drain into Calleguas Creek and 7,000 acres that drain into the Santa Clara River watersheds were assisted. Using the survey, growers developed site-specific farm water quality plans and received on-farm recommendations for BMPs. Additionally, 12 water quality educational programs, “including demonstrations of successful BMPs,” were developed and more than 2500 copies of educational materials published by the University of California, the Resource Conservation District, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture were distributed at on-farm visits, workshops, and other grower events. The project resulted in improved understanding, by growers and landowners, of water quality issues and significantly increased the implementation of appropriate on-farm BMPs to protect water quality. Nearly 100 new BMPs primarily aimed at managing erosion, sediment movement, and irrigation runoff were identified and documented through annual reassessments for more than 8000 acres draining into Calleguas Creek. A total of 518 people attended the educational programs, and over 90% of participants who completed evaluations rated the programs highly. In the final year of the project, 75% of attendees indicated they plan to implement new BMPs within the next 5 years, especially in the areas of irrigation, erosion, and pest management.

A Survey of Nursery Water Quality Best Management Practices

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 501e-502
Author(s):  
Cody J. White ◽  
Michael A. Schnelle ◽  
Gerrit W. Cuperus
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Employee Safety ◽  
Current Water ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Environmentally Sound

A survey was designed to assess high-risk areas with respect to environmental contamination, specifically how it relates to water quality. Oklahoma growers of all economic levels, retail and/or wholesale, were queried at their place of business for their current state of implementing best management practices (BMPs) and other strategic actions that could potentially affect current and future water quality standards. Specific areas such as the physical environment of the nursery, primary pesticides and fertilizers used, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, and employee safety training were covered as well as other aspects germane to preserving and protecting current water quality and related environmental issues. More than 75 nurseries were surveyed and given the opportunity to participate in future training at Oklahoma State Univ. Results indicated that nurseries have not fully implemented many BMPs, but have adopted fundamental IPM approaches. The stage is set for the implementation of the next phase of expansion and refinement into ecologically based programs such as propagation and sale of low pesticide input plant materials, improved cultural practices, and the integration of environmentally sound management approaches. As an example, many growers are in the process of phasing out calendar-based pesticide application programs in favor of aesthetic and/or economic threshold-driven pesticide spray programs.

Long-term Water Quality Trends after Implementing Best Management Practices in South Florida

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1683-1693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira H. Daroub ◽  
Timothy A. Lang ◽  
Orlando A. Diaz ◽  
Sabine Grunwald
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Water Quality Trends

scholarly journals Using Video Messages to Promote Residential Adoption of Fertilizer Best Management Practices

EDIS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda D. Ali ◽  
Laura A. Sanagorski Warner ◽  
Peyton Beattie ◽  
Alexa J. Lamm ◽  
Joy N. Rumble
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Diffusion Of Innovations ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Extension Programs ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Homeowner Associations ◽  
Quality Water

Residents are inclined to over-irrigate and over-fertilize their lawns to uphold landscape appearances influenced by homeowner associations and neighborhood aesthetics (Nielson & Smith (2005). While these practices affect water quantity and quality, water quality is most impacted by fertilizer runoff (Nielson & Smith, 2005; Toor et al., 2017). Supporting water programs and engagement in fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) can have positive impacts on water quality. The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory can be used to explain how a population accepts and adopts fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) over time (Rogers, 2003). Adoption can be understood through a population's perception of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and trialability of fertilizer BMPs. The information presented here is an exploration of how extension can use video messages to influence residents' perception of these factors which influence adoption. The videos positively influence residents' perceptions of fertilizer BMPs, and recommendations are offered for applying this research to extension programs. 

scholarly journals Benefits and Costs of Forestry Best Management Practices in Virginia

1996 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Aust ◽  
R. M. Shaffer ◽  
J. A. Burger
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Water Quality Protection ◽  
Program Compliance ◽  
Plain Region ◽  
Benefits And Costs

Abstract Benefits and costs of Virginia's forestry best management practices (BMPs) were estimated for the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions using three actual nonregulatory phases and one theoretical regulatory phase of forest water quality protection. The four phases ranged from passive, nonregulatory to regulatory BMPs with increasingly restrictive provisions. As the level of regulation increased, the benefit:cost ratio decreased, indicating that costs were accruing at a proportionately greater rate than benefits. This pattern was most pronounced in the Coastal Plain region where average erosion rates were low, and substantial acreages were harvested. Results suggested that an aggressive, nonregulatory BMP program is the most efficient approach to forest water quality protection assuming that overall program compliance levels are sufficient to satisfy society's needs. South. J. Appl. For 20(1):23-29.

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