Em4885 irrigation management practices to protect ground water

CHAPTER 5
DEVELOPING AN ON-FARM WATER QUALITY PROGRAM
Purpose
The Overall Management Objectives presented in Chapter 4, if achieved, should minimize the
potential for contaminants to move off the field or out of the root zone to surface or ground water
bodies. If a water quality problem exists and it can be traced partially or in whole to agricultural
practices, it may be that one or more of the Objectives are not being achieved. Again, however, it is
important to realize that in some cases, achieving the Objectives may not be sufficient to reduce or
control nonpoint source pollution to the degree necessary.
Knowing whether a farming operation is achieving the Objectives requires that a
comprehensive analysis of on-farm activities be performed. The results of the analysis will
then guide the choice of the various Implementation Practices to minimize the current and future
movement of contaminants to surface and ground water bodies.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance to farm operators and government personnel in
developing a program to protect surface and ground water quality.
Analysis and Planning Procedure
The following steps are a recommended process of analysis and planning:
1. Determine if there are current water quality problems, or what potential
problems need to be addressed.
2. Identify what contaminants are, or would be in the future, contributing to the problem.
3. Determine how the contaminants are, or would be in the future, made available.
4. Determine how the contaminants are, or would be in the future, detached.
(Note that dissolving of substances or conversion of chemicals into a readily
leachable form is also a form of detachment.)
5. Determine how the contaminants are, or would be in the future, transported.
6. Determine reasonable goals for the remediation or prevention program.
7. Determine what Practice or, more likely, combination of Practices can be
used to achieve those goals.
2