This document summarizes Oregon's efforts to improve agricultural water quality through strategic planning and focused implementation. It outlines Oregon's agricultural water quality management program, which aims to prevent and control water pollution from private agricultural lands. It discusses challenges and introduces two new efforts: focus areas led by soil and water conservation districts to conduct voluntary assessments and outreach, and strategic implementation areas led by the Oregon Department of Agriculture for prioritized regulatory outreach and enforcement in targeted watersheds. The document details the evaluation, outreach, and enforcement process for the strategic implementation areas and how watersheds will be prioritized for future efforts.

1. IMPROVING OREGON’S
AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY
THROUGH FOCUSED ASSESSMENT,
PRODUCER ASSISTANCE, &
ENFORCEMENT
SWCS Conference
Lombard, IL
July 29, 2014

2. What I’ll Talk About
 Where is Oregon and how do you say it
 Ag Water Quality Program Overview
 Strategic Planning
 Focus Areas
 Strategic Implementation Areas
 Prioritized Enforcement

7. Oregon Ag Water Quality
Program ‐ Background
 Agricultural Water Quality Management Act
– 1993
 Prevent and Control Water Pollution
 Federal Clean Water Act
 Nonpoint Source Pollution (primarily)
 Private land agricultural activities
 38 Water Quality Management Areas

8. Ag WQ Management Areas
 38 Basin‐wide Plans

9. Challenges

10. Strategic Planning
 Change from Outputs to Outcomes
 Measurable Objectives
 Focused Assessment
 Agency Initiated, Prioritized
Enforcement

11. Two New Efforts
Focus Areas
 SWCD‐led
 Outreach
 Assessments
 Pre and Post
 Voluntary
Strategic
Implementation Areas
 ODA‐led
 Outreach
 Assessments
 Pre and Post
 Regulatory

12. Focus Areas
 Streamside Vegetation Assessment
 Characterizes landscape conditions &
improvements
 45 Focus Areas
 One in each SWCD
 At least on in each Management Area

13. Strategic Implementation Areas
 Compliance Evaluation
 Watershed characterization of compliance
 Active, prioritized enforcement
 Two test‐run watersheds
 West‐side: Clackamas County
 East‐side: Wasco County

15. Strategic Implementation Areas
But First….Three beautiful scenes from Wallowa County
Clackamas County SWCD
Wasco County SWCD

16. Strategic
Implementation Areas
Compliance Evaluation: (Clackamas & Wasco)
 Evaluation Methods –
Publically Available
Information
 Aerial Photos
 Topographic Maps
 NHD Layer
 Property Tax Maps
 Field Surveys

17. Strategic
Implementation Areas
Compliance Evaluation: (Clackamas & Wasco)
 Threat Assessment on Ag
Lands
 Categories
 Riparian Vegetation
 Bare Ground
 Manure Piles

18. Riparian Vegetation – Potential Concern
Low Concern
Moderate Concern
Significant/Serious Concern
SPECIAL NOTE: Actual “Compliance” can only be determined by on‐sight examination

19. Not Applicable No Concern Potential Concern
Compliance Evaluation Mill Creek – Wasco County
Federal Land, Urban

20. Results
Wasco County (Mill Creek Parcels)
Total Parcels in Assessment Area = 2,032
‐ 1,717 (N/A)
315 “Evaluated”
Clackamas County (Noyer Creek Parcels )
Total Parcels in Assessment Area = 623
‐ 368 (N/A)
237 “Evaluated”
____________________________________________________________________
Special Note: In a 3‐acre Parcel, only a small area may actually be “of concern”
Strategic Implementation Areas

21. Outreach &
Enforcement
All Concern levels get
contacted
Serious Concerns =
site visit
Moderates and
Significants = several
contacts + site visit
Strategic Implementation Areas

22. Strategic Implementation
Areas Prioritization
 Post test‐run evaluation
 3000‐plus 6th Field HUCs
 Must prioritize
 How?

23. SIA Prioritization
Urban Forestry Zone Not Private LandsFarm Land

24. Geographically Stratified
Willamette Valley
6th Field HUC
Forestry
Urban
Water
Ag land
Upper Willamette
Ag WQ Management
Area

25. Upper Willamette 6th Field
HUC Characterization
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% HUC Zoned Farm % Stream Length in Zoned Farm

26. Additional Prioritization Tools
• Essential Salmon Habitat (ESH)
• 303(d)‐listed or waters with TMDL load allocations,
Ground Water Management Areas, etc.
• Partner priorities; OWEB, FSA, NRCS, ODFW, USFWS
SWCD/WSC priorities –
OTHER:
ODA staff capacity

27. Thank You
Mike Powers
Water Quality Policy Specialist
(503) 986‐4761
mpowers@oda.state.or.us