Em4885 irrigation management practices to protect ground water

4 CHAPTER
IP 4.01.11 - Consider Conservation Tillage Methods to Reduce Erosion
Objective
Reduce sedimentation that in itself is a contaminant, but is also a transport mechanism
for those chemicals that adsorb tightly to soil particles.
Discussion
Conservation tillage options include mulch tillage, ridge tillage, strip tillage, and no till.
These are all intended to leave crop residues in the field to some extent so as to reduce
erosion. Other conservation practices to consider include farming on contours on steeply
sloped fields and cover crops. Overall Management Objective 5.0 contains a list of
Practices to reduce erosion.
IMPORTANT!!! Practices which reduce erosion generally also increase infiltration rates.
Be aware of the potential for increased leaching when reducing erosion.
SECTION 2 - APPLY CHEMICALS PROPERLY
(NOTE APPLICABLE WAC REQUIREMENTS)
IP 4.02.01 - Calibrate Application Equipment
Objective
Make sure the amount desired is applied uniformly in the field.
Description
The application equipment should be calibrated so as to apply a known amount of
chemical uniformly across the equipment’s application path. Most application equipment
comes with instructions and calibration charts from the manufacturer. However, for
accuracy, testing should be done in the field.
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