SUPPORTING NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR SMALL FARMS
IN THE NEW YORK CITY WATERSHED
Dewing*, D.R., Thurgood, J.M. Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Delaware County
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R EN S SEL A ER C O U N T Y
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SC H O H A R I E C O U N T Y ALBAN Y C O U N T Y
O T SE G O C O U N T Y X
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Catskill/ Delaware
Impact:
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CO UNTY
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Oneonta Y
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Watersheds
Situation:
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Y Schoharie
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Y Reservoir Y
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C H EN A N G O
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Y Windham G R EE N E C O U N T Y Y
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Delhi
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Y ! Riv
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Li t t le D el a w ar
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K
i v
ET T
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Hudson
YO R
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S chohari
Ri v
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X e Hunter
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Cr. ! X
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HUS
e
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ar
Walton w C O LU M BI A C O U N T Y X
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X ela iv.
! W . Br. D X
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CO U N TY
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N EW
Margaretville
BRO O M E
SA C
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e
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ar
Intensive monitoring has shown significant P reductions when Nutrient
law
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De X
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M AS
Br.
E.
• The 9 million water users in New York City consume 1.3 billion gallons
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Phoenicia Y
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d so n
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! Y
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Y ! Pepacton s Woodstock
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Reservoir X
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op
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X Deposit Cannonsville !
us C
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Y Reservoir X
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v.
Ri
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k
r.
sin
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er
H u
ev iv. Y
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D E LA W A R E C O U N T Y .N k R
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B sin X
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r
r
W.
e
ve
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Br .
Ne Ashokan
l a
E Reservoir X
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!
.
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Management Plans are implemented within a suite of BMPs
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w a
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Y Kingston
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C O N N EC T I C U T
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N EW YO RK
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of drinking water per day from Catskill Region Reservoirs
r e
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Ri v Y
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Y Liberty Rondout
Neversink
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! Reservoir X
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N TY
U L ST ER CO U N T Y
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Reservoir D U T C H ESS C O U N T Y
r
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L I T C H F I ELD C O U
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New X
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X Paltz Poughkeepsie
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Y SU L L I V A N CO U N T Y
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East of Hudson X
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Watersheds Y
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N E
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Middle Branch
West Branch Reservoir Y
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Farm Level:
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Reservoir
PE
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W
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Y Boyds Corner
Reservoir
Watershed Level:
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• The Cannonsville reservoir is eutrophic due to phosphorus (P) loading
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Newburgh
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Bog
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K
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Croton Falls Brook X
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X L Reservoir Reservoir
V X
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Y A X
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Y N I Muscoot Reservoir East
A Branch
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Y Port Amawalk
Reservoir
Jervis O R AN G E C O U N T Y Reservoir X
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! Diverting
P U T N A M Reservoir X
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C O U N T Y X
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• 43% reduction in TDP
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•60% decrease in Total Dissolved
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EW New
Croton Y
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JE RK Reservoir Y
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New York City's EY Y
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• 70% of the non-point P load attributed to agriculture
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Titicus
Reservoir Y
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Water Supply System
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R O C K LA N D Y
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Y Cross River
CO U N TY Reservoir Y
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Legend: Kensico
F A I R F I E LD
CO U N TY Y
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N Reservoir
Phosphorus (TDP) loads from all sources • 29% reduction in
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X New York City Watershed Boundaries Y
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White X
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Y ! Plains
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Y Reservoir Drainage Basin Boundaries nd
So u
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X W E ST C H EST ER
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CO U N TY nd X
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X Reservoirs, Rivers, and Water Bodies la
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Hillview g Y
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Aqueducts and Tunnels Reservoir n X
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State Boundaries
• 240 commercial farms are located in the watershed, predominantly
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X Bronx X
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County Boundaries
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Particulate Phosphorus (PP)
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•45% decrease in TDP due BMPs
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New York City's Five Boroughs Manhattan X
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Miles X
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1 20 Queens N A SS A U C O U N T Y Y
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Y Brooklyn X
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small dairy farms
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X Produced by NYCDE BWS WLCP GIS (TE 05/2003
P S), At l a n t i c O c e a n X
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User Friendly Nutrient Farmer Education Incentive Programs
Balancing Accountability and Trust
Management Plans (NMPs) Relevant
For successfully implementing their NMP, farms receive a
Standardized Planning • Linked to NMP monetary credit based on acres and animal numbers. The
Protocol requirements and credits can accumulate over years and must be used to
program participation reimburse nutrient management related expenses.
• NMPs comply with
USDA/NRCS standards • Topics address
environmental needs Accountability
• Uniform format and farmer concerns • Operation and maintenance
• Using Cornell University Accessible of BMPs are reviewed with
developed tools each farm annually
Easy to use plans • Convenient times and
locations • Manure application records
•Information presented in
are submitted and reviewed
both table and map • Hands on tours and
annually
forms field meetings
coordinated with class • Farmers and funders are
•Everything necessary to
room workshops confident that only good
implement the manure Successful
stewardship is rewarded
spreading plan is on Over 25% of farms in the watershed attend at least one
one easy to read map workshop each year and 85% of Cannonsville basin farms Trust
attended a Nutrient Management Workshop in 2007. • Program managed by a
local council of farmer’s
peers
Partnership is essential for success. Our partners include:
• Program delivered by
local agencies farmers
know and trust
• Peer review and
approval assures
Soil and Water
Conservation
participants confidence
District
And the farmers within the NYC Watershed.
Abstract: Livestock manure is one of the largest potential sources of nutrient enrichment for the reservoirs in the New York City drinking water supply. The Nutrient Management Program of the Watershed Agricultural Program supports implementation of effective
NMPs in three specific ways; development of user friendly NMPs, farmer education, and Nutrient Management Credit (NMCredit) incentive program. We have developed a planning protocol and format enabling an NMP to meet all standards and requirements while being
quick and easy to interpret. All important information needed to identify manure rate, timing and application restrictions can be viewed on a laminated aerial photo map that can be easily interpreted by farm managers and employees. Targeted workshops presented at
convenient times and locations are presented annually to keep farms up to date on current issues related to crop production, crop fertility, soil health and environmental losses of nutrients. The Nutrient Management Credit program encourages heightened stewardship of
manure resources by implementing an incentive for farmers to follow their NMP closely on a daily basis. Farmers who follow their NMP earn an annual credit to be used for equipment or services that are part of their nutrient management strategy. The nutrient management
program is carried out through partnerships with County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, and funding by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.