Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer: Threatening Indiana's Water from Lawn to Lake
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
0 likes•2,153 views
![Indiana Wildlife Federation ,[object Object]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer: Threatening Indiana's Water from Lawn to Lake
Similar to Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer: Threatening Indiana's Water from Lawn to Lake (20)
More from Indiana Wildlife Federation
More from Indiana Wildlife Federation (9)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer: Threatening Indiana's Water from Lawn to Lake
- 1. Phosphorus in Our Lawn Fertilizer: Threatening Indiana’s Water and Wildlife from Lawn to Lake indianawildlife.org 1
- 3. Common Sense Conservation: Continuing with Roosevelt’s idea to enjoy nature, while preserving its resources
- 4. Leadership since 19382 indianawildlife.org
- 6. Movement: held by soil; flows into lakes and streams from urban, suburban, and agricultural areas
- 8. Effects: decline in wildlife diversity; health risks; economic losses
- 9. Fertilizer analysis: N-P-Kindianawildlife.org 3 treehugger MN Dept of Ag www.lesco.com
- 10. Surface Runoff indianawildlife.org 4 As the percent of impervious surfaces increases from natural ground cover to 75% impervious, more water will runoff the surface during storms and less water will infiltrate the ground. Hard, impervious surfaces will compact soil slowing plant growth, deplete groundwater resources, and accelerate stormwater runoff. USDA NRCS
- 11. Land Use + Water Quality indianawildlife.org 5 Chesapeake Ecocheck (http://www.eco-check.org/)
- 12. indianawildlife.org 6 Sources of Nutrient Pollution
- 13. Nutrients in Water indianawildlife.org 7 In this process of eutrophication, nutrient overloading causes excessive algal growth. Algae covers the surface of lakes and reservoirs, shading life underneath and inhibiting photosynthesis. When algae dies, oxygen resources are drained, harming aquatic life. City of Lincoln & Lancaster County, NE
- 14. Nutrients in Water indianawildlife.org 8 For healthy turf, 20ppm P is recommended whereas 25ppb (1,000x less) can contribute to algal blooms. Established lawns do not need P, much of the turfgrass in Indiana has plenty! University Lake Indiana Clean Lakes Program, 2009 Palestine Lake
- 16. Fierce competition against any species
- 17. Change in habitat – lack of viable food resources & habitat spacesindianawildlife.org 9 http://www.hrwc.org/ Photo by: Ted Somerville www.nuvo.net
- 19. Heat island effect – slows metabolism, reduces reproduction
- 20. Reduced biodiversity from loss of critters and flora more sensitive to pollutionindianawildlife.org 10 Stonefly (left) and dragonfly (right) are sensitive to pollution, thereby their presence can indicate good water quality.
- 22. IDEM draft 303d list, 2010: Number of impaired waters has increased by 200 to 2,882. Impairments: E.coli, impaired biotic communities, nutrients, algae, taste and odor, etc. indianawildlife.org 11 Depending on the species of algae, different toxins can be produced. Not all algal blooms are evident with a mucky green cover across the surface, but can still be harmful. Microcystin, an algal toxin Indiana Clean Lakes Program, 2009
- 24. Nutrients travel downstream… indianawildlife.org 13 USGS: While the smallest state in the Mississippi River Basin Watershed, Indiana is the 3rd largest contributor of phosphorus to the Gulf of Mexico. USGS
- 25. And contribute to an area devoid of life! indianawildlife.org 14 Oceandoctor.org LUMCON: In 2011, this zone was the 2nd largest in size (6,765 mi2) worldwide after Baltic Sea. blog.nola.com
- 28. Jan. 2011, Rep. Dodge filed HB1425, restricting use of fertilizer with P. Not heard in the NR Committee nor added to the language of any Senate bills. indianawildlife.org 17 Using P-free fertilizer And many more! Lake County, IL www.lakecountyil.gov
- 30. Education will include BMPs for fertilizer use, but does not restrict how much P can be applied.
- 33. Remove invasive plant species
- 34. Select native species to plant
- 35. Harvest rainwaterindianawildlife.org 19 Let’s turn this murky, slimy green water into… clean, clear, and healthy water! Photo by: Michael Mill Sciencedaily.com
- 37. Make sure N is slow-release
- 42. Keep nutrients off impervious surfaces & away from water
- 43. Clean up pet wasteMichigan State University Extension
- 47. Use grass clippings to prevent weeds
- 52. Maintain annually or more frequently as neededExamples Autumn olive Canada thistle Common reed Garlic mustard Japanese honeysuckle Kudzu Oriental bittersweet Purple loosestrife Reed canary grass Spotted knapweed Tree-of-heaven indianawildlife.org 22 Garlic mustard National Park Service Spotted knapweed Midwest Invasive Plant Network Tree-of-heaven
- 54. Create a vegetated buffer of wildflowers and grasses near water
- 55. Plant a rain garden to reduce lawn size where possible
- 56. Certify your property as wildlife friendly!indianawildlife.org 23 National Park Service To date, IWF has certified 500 acres including prairie plantings, wetland enhancements, tree & shrub plantings, invasive species control. More than 300 acres is being managed.
- 58. Use timers for sprinkler systems
- 59. Add rain barrels to downspouts
- 60. Build vegetated bioswales or bioretention features
- 61. Use pervious surface indianawildlife.org 24 sbprojectcleanwater.org
- 62. Create an Oasis for Wildlife indianawildlife.org 25 From wetlands for amphibians, fish, insect pollinators, and birds…
- 63. indianawildlife.org 26 Cornell Lab of Ornithology (allaboutbirds.org) To prairies full of unique native grasses & wildflowers for birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals
- 65. Encourage your community to go P-free!
- 66. To promote Common Sense Conservation and become an IWF member, visit www.indianawildlife.org27 indianawildlife.org
- 68. To Our Partners: ECWA, Engledow Group, Hamilton County SWCD, HEC, Hoosier Heartland RC&D, ILMS, INPAWS, IU Clean Lakes Program, IUPUI CEES, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Sierra Club, TruGreen, UWRWA, and White River Watershed Projectindianawildlife.org 28 Contact information: Marija Watson Indiana Wildlife Federation watson@indianawildlife.org 317.875.9453
Editor's Notes
- Picture is of Jackson Creek in Yellowwood State Forest, located in Brown County, IN
- As the largest irrigated crop, turfgrass covers approximately40 million acres in U.S. according to the journal Environmental Management.Additionally, tens of millions of pounds of fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides used on our lawns annually (Source: http://oceandoctor.org/want-to-help-the-gulf-of-mexico-kill-your-lawn/).~~Specific details:According to Ecological Engineering, “U.S. lawn maintenance annually consumes about 800 million gallons of gasoline, $5.2 billion of fossil-fuel derived fertilizers, and $700 million in pesticides. Up to two thirds of the drinking water consumed in municipalities goes to watering lawns”. You become the life support for a monoculture of conventional turf grass.
- A watershed – an area of land that drains to one location. Land use is directly connected to water quality. As little as 10% impervious surfaces can result in stream degradation. An increase in impervious surfaces, especially in urban areas will compact soil, which restricts plant growth because the roots struggle to reach nutrients.In an area of 75-100% impervious surfaces, water will move through: 30% evapotranspiration, 55% runoff, and 15% infiltration vs. an area of natural ground cover: 40% evapotranspiration, 50% infiltration, 10% runoff (Source: according to USGS in Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices).
- There are many sources of nutrient pollution including commercial, industrial discharge, urban (fertilizer use, pet waste, municipal wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer systems, vegetation, chemicals), highways, agricultural (cropland & livestock operations, manure, insecticides), construction work, soil erosion, air pollutants (dust, fossil fuels). Fertilizer use is only one of those sources, but an important way for each individual homeowner and landowner to feel connected in their watershed and actively choose to curb nutrient overloading. The #1 contributor of pollution to water is sediment.~~Sources:Septic system (http://www.bellinspection.com/sitebuilder/images/drainfield-570x379.jpg)Pesticide Plane (Roger Smith, courtesy Flickr,www.betterlivingshow.org)Fertilizer bag (NC State University,ces.ncsu.edu)Construction (http://prairierivers.org/articles/2008/09/construction-monitoring/)Soil Erosion (Lynn Betts, USDA/NRCS, http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/September04/Features/measuringsuccess.htm)Cows (http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=87401.0)Pipe (https://www.wecanlivegreen.com/greenliving/environmentalissues/pollution.html)Geese (http://www.lakecountryjournal.com/node/654)Snow Plow (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090210125424.htm)Pet waste (http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-owner-topics/5-Ways-to-Dump-Pet-Poop.aspx)
- Eutrophication is a process of nutrient overloading, resulting in excessive growth of algae. Phytoplankton will also thrive with the additional nutrients, providing necessary food to all aquatic life including macroinvertebrates and fish. The problem is encountered when algae covers the surface of lakes and reservoirs, shading the underwater plants. The lack of sunlight inhibits photosynthesis, or the process plants use to create oxygen and convert sunlight into energy for growth. Consequential oxygen depletion adversely affects aquatic life and often results in massive fish kills. Algal blooms also impair water quality and disrupt healthy populations by altering natural food webs, and some algae create toxins that can be dangerous to human and wildlife health.
- Bioaccumulation of algal toxins-Toxins like microcystin will accumulate in fish.
- Heat islands (localized areas of especially warm temperatures)Benthic macroinvertebrates, such as this stonefly and dragonfly are biological indicators of good water quality. When water is clean, healthy, and free of pollution, species such as stonefly, mayfly, and caddisfly will be present. Species that are moderately intolerant of pollution include damselfly, dragonfly, and clam/mussel. As water quality declines, species that can tolerate pollution will be prevalent. ~~(Source: Stonefly nymph, http://flytying123.com/entomology/stonefly-life-stages/)
- US EPA, National Lakes Assessment of Temperate Plains: 45% hypereutrophic based on chlorophyll a (Source: http://water.epa.gov/type/lakes/lakessurvey_index.cfm)
- 40% of U.S. drains into Gulf of Mexico illustrating the magnitude of the problem.
- 2011: Dr. NancyRabalais and her team from LUMCON documented the size of the dead zone as 6,765 square miles, bigger than the state of Connecticut. It remains the 2nd largest hypoxic zone worldwide. This year, the size was smaller than expected because of tropical storm Don that mixed the waters, but yet still large. (Source: Dead Zone Large But Not Record Size. (2011). Retrieved August 15, 2011, from Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium: http://www.lumcon.edu/UserFiles/File/ DeadZonePressRelease.pdf).2010: Dr. Nancy Rabalais and her team from Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) determined the size of the dead zone – 7,722 square miles, size of Massachusetts, 2nd largest hypoxic zone worldwide only behind Baltic Sea. (Source: Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/named/msbasin/index.cfm)
- As of August 2011, 12 states have active legislation restricting phosphorus use in turf fertilizers.~~Specific details:MI - 2006, Ann Arbor, MI adopted a P ban; levels in Huron River dropped 28% (Source: Lehman, Bell, and McDonald, 2009 Lake and Reservoir Management) MN - 2002, MN eliminated P in lawn fertilizer; reduced export into streams by 12-16% (Source: Barten and Johnson, 2007, Lakeline)FL - EPA developed criteria for the amount of nutrients entering FL’s waterways.
- In this case, the petitioners were the following: Commissioners of the County of Steuben and Town Council of the Town of Clear Lake. In a county that has 101 lakes, water quality is of utmost importance to residents. The following were reasons that the Office of the State Chemist denied the requests:Insufficient scientific evidence to support that ordinance would improve water condition.Absence of a special case in Steuben that would dictate ordinances as the proper remedy. Education outreach was concluded to be the best approach as opposed to a ban.
- ~~In Fall 2010, there hadbeen no discussion of phosphorus legislation in the Water Resources Study Committee (WRSC). Although, in the Natural Resources Study Committee (NRSC) and the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC), the topic of phosphorus had been discussed as described below:NRSC: report presented from LMWG highlighting phosphorus. EQSC: presentations by IUPUI CEES, IDEM, and HEC.OPPOSED:1. Indiana Corn and Soybean Growers: Main concern is “how will this bill affect agricultural crops in the long run?” This bill will not include fertilizer applied on agricultural lands and will not be a next step.2. Green Industry Alliance & Professional Lawn and Landscape Commission: No manufacturers or distributors have agreed to a ban, but have voluntarily adjusted because of product availability. They do not believe there is sufficient scientific evidence to support a statewide ban.3. Indiana Professional Lawn & Landscape Association: They have encouraged phosphorus-free education and outreach, but it’s becoming harder to find phosphorus-enriched fertilizer. Therefore, legislation is unnecessary as the movement so far has been voluntary. They do not want soil tests to be required. 4. Golf Courses
- Clean and clear water has many economical benefits including the following: reduce flooding risk/ property damage, increase property value, aesthetic value, public space & participation in recreation, and improved quality of life. Low-impact development practices are designed to mimic the natural hydrological cycle. If implemented, they can help manage stormwater runoff. Examples of these practices include pervious pavers, rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, etc.
- Reduce your lawn size by planting more native trees, wildflowers, and prairie grasses. By incorporating diversity into your landscape, native bird and wildlife species will benefit from the added food, water, and habitat resources. Besides the advantages for wildlife, there are lower maintenance costs associated with native plants. Redesigning your landscape can reduce the need for fertilizer, water, and mowing.