Protecting Our Shared Water Resources

Is an educational tool Promotes water quality awareness Can recognize environmentally courteous farmers

MANAGEMENT OF SITE CONDITIONS 4321 RANK BestGoodFairPoor(up to 3 wells) Site Identification LOCATION OF WELL #1 #2 #3 1. Type of well Off-site private or Drilled well.Driven well.Dug well (has the municipal source potential for the (therefore site most pollutants conditions or manage-to enter into the ment practices do not water flow). affect your well quality). 2. Position of Upslope from all Downhill from sources Downslope from Well is located in a water well in sources of contam-of contamination, most sources of depression. Ponding relation to ination, and all surface and surface water contamination, and occurs around the potential sources water is diverted away runoff is diverted some surface water well during storms. of contamination from well. a from casing. runoff reaches well. 3. Distance More than 300 feet feet from a feet from aLess than 75 feet between well and from a contamination contaminationcontaminationfrom a contamination potential sources source.source.source.source. of contamination a Sources of contamination include septic system absorption areas, pesticide and fertilizer handling areas, barnyards, and other similar areas. Site Identification #1. MANAGEMENT OF SITE CONDITIONS 4321 RANK BestGoodFairPoor(up to 3 wells) Site Identification LOCATION OF WELL #1 #2 #3 1. Type of well Off-site private or Drilled well.Driven well.Dug well (has the municipal source potential for the (therefore site most pollutants conditions or manage-to enter into the ment practices do not water flow). affect your well quality). 2. Position of Upslope from all Downhill from sources Downslope from Well is located in a water well in sources of contam-of contamination, most sources of depression. Ponding relation to ination, and all surface and surface water contamination, and occurs around the potential sources water is diverted away runoff is diverted some surface water well during storms. of contamination from well. a from casing. runoff reaches well. 3. Distance More than 300 feet feet from a feet from aLess than 75 feet between well and from a contamination contaminationcontaminationfrom a contamination potential sources source.source.source.source. of contamination a Sources of contamination include septic system absorption areas, pesticide and fertilizer handling areas, barnyards, and other similar areas. Site Identification #1.

A cooperative effort among: Penn State Cooperative Extension Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

System Includes: Introduction Preliminary Screening Quiz Farmstead Map Worksheets Wrap-up Activities

Preliminary Screening Quiz: Short series of questions for each worksheet category Quickly target most appropriate worksheets for a specific situation

Farmstead Map: Sketch of farmstead/farm to locate significant features related to water quality Source of useful information for completing worksheets

Farmstead Map Pasture Stream Driveway & parking area Pesticide storage area Exercise area Heifer barn Barn Well House Septic tank Absorption field Direction of surface water flow Abandoned well Highway

Worksheets: 1.Water Well Condition and Construction 2.Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage and Handling 3.Household Wastewater Treatment System 4.Barnyard Conditions and Management 5.Milkhouse Waste Management 6. 6.Stream and Drainageway Management 7. 7.Petroleum Storage and Handling 8. 8.Silage Storage Management 9. 9.Animal Waste Storage and Management Animal Waste Land Application Management

Worksheet Contents: Why be concerned? How to rank groundwater and surface water protection using this worksheet How to complete the worksheet Ranking matrix How to use these ranks Glossary Acknowledgements

Wrap-up Activities: Overall Farmstead Ranking — evaluation of conditions and options for improvement Post-Evaluation Survey — to be used as part of an educational program

Separation Distances Well Septic Tanks 50 feet Septic Leach Fields 100 feet Barnyards 300 feet

Casing Height 1 foot

Well Condition and Construction Type of well Age of well Position Separation distances Condition of casing and cap Well sealing Casing depth Casing height Backflow Abandoned wells

Water well 300 feet minimum separation distance Storage & Handling Area

Location Geologic materials Amounts and types Length of storage Clean-up Security of storage Containers Mixing areas Water source Backflow prevention Supervision Container disposal Clean-up Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage and Handling Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage and Handling

Septic system drain field Wellhead 100 feet separation distance

Age of system Separation distances Quality and quantity Household Wastewater Treatment system Septic tank pumping Disposal of septage

Water well 100 feet minimum separation distance Barnyard

Separation distances Clean water management Runoff control Scraping practices Vegetative cover Animal access Animal density/size Barnyard Management Barnyard Management

Discharge path Clean-up practices Tank condition Tank cleaning Storage period Separation distances Land application Milkhouse Waste Management

Frequency of flow Surface water entry Buffer strips Drain outlets Maintenance Streambank conditions Fish cover Overstory cover Adjacent vegetation Channel alteration Livestock access Stream bottom Stream and Drainageway Management

Petroleum Storage and Handling Soil drainage Slope of land Separation distances Tank installation Spill protection Piping Type and age of tank Corrosion protection Tank location Tank support Tank enclosure Secondary containment Integrity testing Inventory monitoring Unused tanks Fueling procedures Fire safety Disposal of petroleum fluids

Silage Storage Management Crop moisture content Separation distances Clean water management Subsurface drainage Traffic areas Floor and roof condition Lining Management Effluent collection system

Animal Waste Storage and Management Storage structure Storage pond Stack facility Separation distances Location of floodplains Storage capacity Storage status Reception and transfer system Water diversion Inspections Unloading and handling Emergency action plan Dead animal disposal

Animal Waste Land Application Management Soil testing frequency Soil sampling patterns Animal waste sampling Nutrient management Allocation to fields Use of records Actual application rates Supplemental fertilizer Calibration of application equipment Application areas Record keeping Uniformity of land application Timing of application Treatment after application Field runoff protection Perennial stream protection Conservation plan

Overall Farm Ranking OverallRankingAverageScoreRanking4321 Water Wells 3.1 x Chemicals2.5 x Household3.0 x Barnyard1.5 x Milkhouse3.5 x n n n n n n Overall Rank 2.7 x

Conditions and Improvements EVALUATING CONDITIONS Best or Good RankingFair or Poor Ranking 1. ______________________ 1. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 2. ______________________ PLANNING IMPROVEMENTS 1.________________________________________________________2.________________________________________________________ IMPLEMENTING IMPROVEMENTSTIMING (circle one) 1.________________________________________________________2.________________________________________________________ Within aWithin two to ImmediatelymonthThis yearfive years

CONFIDENTIALITY It is not the intent of this educational program to keep records of individual results. However, the landowner may share them with others who can help develop a resource management plan.

Project Coordinators: Barry Frantz, PA Association of Conservation Districts and USDA NRCS Les Lanyon, Penn State Department of Agronomy and Cooperative Extension Jerry Martin, Penn State Cooperative Extension

Support for this program provided by: Department of Environmental Resources 319(h) Chesapeake Bay Program USDA Special Project No. 91-EHUA

Slide set developed by: Les Lanyon, Penn State Department of Agronomy and Cooperative Extension Jerry Martin, Penn State Cooperative Extension Shelly Ogline, formerly Penn State Cooperative Extension Additional slides provided by: National Farm*A*Syst office Frank Lucas, USDA-NRCS, Pequea-Mill Creek Project