PHOSPHORUS FREE FERTILIZER WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

CHRIS SIMON

OVERVIEW

• BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• INTRODUCE PROBLEMS

• EFFECTS ON SURFACE/GROUNDWATER

• COMMUNITY NEEDS

• NETWORKS AND PARTNERS

• ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

• GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• PROGRAM DESIGN

• DELIVERY STRATEGY

• EVALUATION

WHAT IS PHOSPHORUS?

• NATURALLY OCCURRING IN ROCKS AND OTHER MINERAL DEPOSITS

• AN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENT NECESSARY FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL GROWTH

• ONE OF ITS MAIN ROLES IS IN THE TRANSFER OF ENERGY IN LIVING ORGANISMS

WHAT IS PHOSPHORUS? (CONT.)

• PLANTS NEED PHOSPHORUS FOR GROWTH, PHOTOSYNTHESIS, NUCLEUS FORMATION, AND CELL DIVISION

• ONE OF THE THREE NUTRIENTS GENERALLY ADDED TO SOILS IN FERTILIZERS

• LARGEST USE IS FOR FERTILIZERS, MAINLY IN THE FORM OF AMMONIUM PHOSPHATE

PROBLEMS

• 30% OF U.S. WATERWAYS HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF PHOSPHORUS (P) POLLUTION

• WHEN EXCESS (P) IS APPLIED ON LAND, IT MAY RUN INTO NEARBY LAKES, RIVERS AND STREAMS.

• FERTILIZERS APPLIED IMPROPERLY CAN RUN OFF LAWNS AND INTO LOCAL WATER BODIES, HARMING WATER QUALITY AND THREATENING THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT DEPEND ON CLEAN WATER FOR SURVIVAL.

PROBLEMS (CONT.)

• IF NOT MIXED INTO THE SOIL, (P) FROM LAWN CLIPPINGS AND TREE LEAVES LEFT IN THE STREETS AND GUTTERS IS SOLUBLE AND A POTENTIAL POLLUTION SOURCE.

• OVER-USE FROM FERTILIZERS CAUSE POLLUTION TO RIVERS AND LAKES CAUSING THEM TO BECOME EUTROPHIC.

• (P) POLLUTION THREATENS HUMAN HEALTH, AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.

EFFECTS ON SURFACE WATER

• CAN LEAD TO INCREASED AQUATIC PLANT GROWTH WHICH CAN HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON WATER QUALITY, FISHERIES, RECREATION, AND PROPERTY VALUES.

• ALGAE BLOOMS TURN THE WATER GREEN, CLOUDS THE WATER, CAUSES ODOR PROBLEMS, AND DEPLETES THE OXYGEN FOR FISH AND OTHER SPECIES, EFFECTIVELY SUFFOCATING THEM

NASA SATELLITE PHOTO OF AN ALGAE BLOOM ON LAKE ERIE IN 2011

EFFECTS ON GROUNDWATER

• ENTER THE GROUNDWATER IN TWO WAYS

1. CHEMICALS CAN ENTER THE GROUNDWATER BY RAINWATER INTO A STREAM AS RUNOFF.

• PROBLEMATIC IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS WHERE HARD-SURFACED ROADS ALLOW RAINWATER TO MOVE OVER THEM WITHOUT BENEFIT OF SOIL ACTING AS A FILTER.

• THE WATER IN STREAMS REPLENISHES GROUNDWATER SO THE CHEMICALS ARE ABSORBED INTO THE GROUNDWATER AS WELL.

2. THROUGH LEACHING THE FERTILIZER MAY ALSO DISSOLVE INTO THE SURFACE WATER, WHICH RECHARGES THE GROUNDWATER.

COMMUNITY NEEDS

• WHO IS MOST AFFECTED?

• WHAT AREAS ARE MOST AFFECTED?

• WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

• HOW WE CAN IMPROVE?

NETWORK

• SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

• RESOURCE FOR BEST PRACTICES

• SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS

NETWORK (CONT.)

• CITY OF TAMPA RESTRICTED PERIOD

• WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (WSDA) (EFFECTIVE 01-01-2013)

• MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (MDA) (EFFECTIVE 01-01-2012)

PARTNERS

• LOCAL

• CONTACT WITH END USER

• PROGRESSIVE IMAGE

ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT

• TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM (TBEP)

• LOCAL NETWORK (TV & PRINT)

• LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES

• BIG BOX RETAILERS (HOME DEPOT/LOWES/ACE)

• PRODUCE MARKETS

• FESTIVALS/PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

• REVIEW INTERNAL ORGANIZATION SUPPORT

GOVERNOR’S STERLING AWARD

• FIVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION EXCELLENCE

• SUCCESSFUL/ENGAGED WORKFORCE

• CUSTOMER/PARTNER FOCUSED EXCELLENCE

• FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

• CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• FOR 2014, 18 ACTION PLANS

• #2 - NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE (TOM ASH)

TOP DOWN SUPPORT - EPCHC

• WATER MANAGEMENT, SAM ELRABI, PE

• WETLANDS MANAGEMENT, SCOTT EMERY, PH.D.

• WASTE MANAGEMENT, HOOSHANG BOOSTANI, PE

• EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RICHARD GARRITY, PH.D.

CURRENT RULES

• CAN USE ANY FERTILIZER THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN PHOSPHORUS

• WHEN IS FERTILIZER PROHIBITED?

• IF IT IS RAINING AT THE APPLICATION SITE

• NOT DURING ANY STORM/FLOOD WATCH

• WITHIN 36 HOURS PRIOR TO A RAIN EVENT LARGER THAN 2 INCHES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.

• IF YOU ARE A COMMERCIAL, GOVERNMENTAL OR INSTITUTIONAL APPLICATOR YOU MUST RECEIVE GREEN INDUSTRIES TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION.

• NO FERTILIZER SPREAD WITHIN 10 FEET OF WATER

• FERTILIZER ISN'T A POLLUTANT WHEN IT IS APPLIED TO THE LANDSCAPE. HOWEVER, IF TOO MUCH FERTILIZER IS USED OR IT IS APPLIED AT THE WRONG TIME IT CAN WASH OFF OF THE LANDSCAPE AND FLOW UNTREATED INTO BAYS AND STREAMS. ONCE IN THE WATER, FERTILIZER CAN STIMULATE THE GROWTH OF HARMFUL ALGAE AND AQUATIC PLANT GROWTH.

• JUNE 1ST THROUGH SEPT 30TH RESTRICTED

• EXEMPTIONS

• GOLF COURSES

• FARMS

• RESIDENTIAL

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES• WORK WITH EACH CITY TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF FERTILIZER CONTAINING

PHOSPHORUS

• MEET WITH LOCAL FARMS/GOLF COURSE/THEME PARKS (THOSE EXEMPT FROM ORDINANCE) AND SEE IF THEY WILL ADOPT THIS PHOSPHORUS FREE FERTILIZER USE.

• MAKE HOMEOWNERS AWARE OF THIS ORDINANCE.

• MAKE SURE THEIR LAWN SERVICE IS CERTIFIED

• IF THEY DO IT THEMSELVES MAKE SURE THEY KNOW ALL REGULATIONS

• HAVE FISHABLE WATERS

• PRISTINE RECREATIONAL WATERS

PROGRAM DELIVERY STRATEGY

• HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EPC WILL SET UP SMALL EVENTS IN PARKING LOTS OF LOCAL HOME DEPOT STORES

• PURPOSE OF EVENTS IS EDUCATION ON PHOSPHORUS, FERTILIZER, AND EFFECTS ON WATER SUPPLY

• EDUCATIONAL FLYERS, PROMOTIONAL ITEMS SUCH AS T-SHIRTS, AND COUPONS FOR PHOSPHORUS-FREE FERTILIZER

PROGRAM DELIVERY STRATEGY

• MEET WITH OWNERS OF LOCAL GOLF COURSES, FARMS AND THEME PARKS

• DISCUSS HARM CAUSED BY EXCESS PHOSPHORUS

• DISCUSS BENEFITS OF PHOSPHORUS-FREE FERTILIZER

EVALUATION

• PRISTINE RECREATIONAL WATERS

• TEST PHOSPHORUS LEVELS OF LAKES, RIVERS AND RESERVOIRS IN THE AREA EVERY THREE MONTHS

• MONITOR SURFACE WATER FOR SIGNS OF EXCESS PHOSPHORUS IN RUNOFF (E.G. ALGAL BLOOMS)

• ACQUIRE DATA REGARDING THE USE OF PHOSPHORUS-FREE FERTILIZER FROM SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND COMMERCIAL AREAS

EVALUATION

• FISHABLE WATERS

• MAKE SURE PHOSPHORUS LEVELS ARE LOW ENOUGH TO SUPPORT HEALTHY FISH POPULATIONS

• LOCAL FARMS, GOLF COURSES, THEME PARKS

• ENCOURAGE THOSE EXEMPT FROM THE REGULATIONS TO USE PHOSPHORUS-FREE FERTILIZER

EVALUATION

• RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS

• MAKE SURE LOCAL LAWN SERVICE COMPANIES COMPLY WITH PHOSPHORUS-FREE REGULATIONS

• OFFER INFORMATION FOR HOMEOWNERS ABOUT PHOSPHORUS-FREE FERTILIZER ANNUALLY

REFERENCES

• HTTP://WWW.UVM.EDU/~VLRS/DOC/LAWNFERT.HTM

• HTTP://WWW.EXTENSION.UMN.EDU/AGRICULTURE/NUTRIENT-MANAGEMENT/PHOSPHORUS/THE-NATURE-OF-PHOSPHORUS/INDEX.HTML

• HTTP://WATER.EPA.GOV/POLWASTE/NPS/OUTREACH/POINT1.CFM

• HTTP://WWW.RSC.ORG/PERIODIC-TABLE/ELEMENT/15/PHOSPHORUS

• HTTP://WWW2.EPA.GOV/SITES/PRODUCTION/FILES/DOCUMENTS/NPDATFACTSHEET.PDF

• HTTP://WWW.LAKESRPC.ORG/DOCUMENTS/PDFS/PHOSPHORUS_GOAL_SETTING_QA_FINAL.PDF

• HTTP://WWW.EPCHC.ORG/DOCUMENTCENTER/VIEW/207

• HTTP://WWW.TAMPAGOV.NET/STORMWATER/INFO/ENVIRONMENT-AND-WATER-QUALITY/FERTILIZER-MANAGEMENT#STHASH.Y5BAKFDO.DPUF