Analysis of Effectiveness of Ohio NRCS Practice Standards in Addressing Five Leading Causes of Water Quality Impairment

Transcription

1 Analysis of Effectiveness of Ohio NRCS Practice Standards in Addressing Five Leading Causes of Water Quality Impairment March 1, 2010 By: Rick Wilson, Environmental Specialist, Ohio EPA -Division of Surface Water Pages1-3: Explanation of Analysis of Effectiveness of Ohio NRCS Practice Standards in Addressing Five Leading Causes of Water Quality Impairment (March 1, 2010) Table 1: Ranking of Practices addressing Sediment Cause of Water Quality Impairment Table 2: Ranking of Practices addressing Nutrient Cause of Water Quality Impairment Table 3: Ranking of Practices addressing Habitat & Hydromodification Table 4: Ranking of Practices addressing Pesticides Cause of Water Quality Impairment Table 5: Ranking of Practices addressing Pathogen Cause of Water Quality Impairment Table 6: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients and Habitat & Hydromodification Table 7: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients, Habitat & Hydromodification, Pathogen and Pesticide Cause of Water Quality Impairment

2 Explanation of Analysis of Effectiveness of Ohio NRCS Practice Standards in Addressing Five Leading Causes of Water Quality Impairment Page 1 of 3 March 1, 2010 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provides a set of practice standards as listed in Ohio-USDA NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) to facilitate implementation or installation of measures to address any number of defined farming related resource concerns. There are currently 101 unique practice standards listed in the Ohio-NRCS FOTG. Nationally, there are seventy-nine (79) defined resource concerns which include concerns for soil, air and water quality, plant health, soil erosion, water quantity, fish and wildlife, etc. On a semi-regular basis and most recently in 2007, the Ohio NRCS program evaluated practice effectiveness by giving a relative ranking (ranging from -5 to +5) for each practice standard against each resource concern. This ranking procedure is called the Conservation Physical Practice Effects (CPPE) ranking. Negative ranking indicates that the practice is detrimental to solving the resource concern, while positive ranking means that the practice will be of benefit in solving the resource concern. Water quality protection is the main mission of the Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water (DSW) and water quality is regularly identified as the highest priority resource concern in USDA conservation programs such as Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), etc. As such, Ohio EPA staff performed a spreadsheet analysis of the Ohio NRCS 2007 CPPE rankings to identify which practices rank highest to address the variety of water quality related resource concerns. The following paragraphs explain how the Ohio EPA-DSW analysis was performed. 1) Twenty-seven (27) resource concerns were identified that had any relationship with water quality and are listed below. Compaction Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water Harmful Levels of Pathogens in Surface Water Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water Excessive Runoff, Flooding, or Ponding Classic Gully Erosion Ephemeral Gully Erosion Sheet and Rill Erosion Streambank Erosion Contaminants - Residual Pesticides Damage from Sediment Deposition Organic Matter Depletion Contaminants-Animal Waste and Other Organics - N Contaminants-Animal Waste and Other Organics - P Contaminants-Animal Waste and Other Organics - K Contaminants-Commercial Fertilizer - N Contaminants-Commercial Fertilizer - P Contaminants-Commercial Fertilizer - K Rangeland Site Stability Wind Harmful Temperatures of Surface Water Excessive Subsurface Water Inadequate Outlets Insufficient Flows in Water Courses Reduced Capacity of Conveyances by Sediment Deposition Reduced Storage of Water Bodies by Sediment Accumulation 2) Five (5) leading causes of water quality impairment in Ohio surface water tributaries including nutrients, sediment, hydromodification & habitat, pesticides, and pathogens were selected to be included in the analysis. These causes were selected to be

3 analyzed with respect to the degree with which implementation of any given practice standard to address a given water quality related resource may benefit or be of detriment to a selected cause of water quality impairment 3) A relative weight factor (-1.0 to 1.0) was assigned to each selected water quality-related resource concern for each cause of impairment. These weights were assigned by comparing two (2) sets of independent DSW-staff assigned relative weight factor rankings (per resource concern and water quality impairment cause). The ranking weight values were based upon applicable experience and best professional judgment of staff environmental specialist analysts. The table below provides a snap-shot of example weight factors assigned by OEPA staff per water quality impairment cause. (Four of the 27 resource concerns analyzed are shown here as an example). 4) Next the relative weight per resource concern and cause of impairment were used as multipliers against CPPE rating done by Ohio NRCS, then added across all resource concerns. Below is a snap-shot of Ohio USDA NRCS CPPE rankings by resource concern and practice standard as assigned using best professional judgment at Ohio USDA NRCS in 2007: ResourceConcern- Practice Standard Compaction Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water Harmful Levels of Pathogens in Surface Water Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface Water Critical Area Planting (342) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Filter Strip (393) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Prescribed Grazing (528) ) This summation yielded total values for each practice based upon the 5 causes of water quality impairment (as described in table below). Whereas the numerical value is of relative unimportance, comparing the score of one practice to another does have value. Positive values describe that there is a degree of benefit to address a particular water quality cause of impairment, while negative values mean that the practice is detrimental, or worsens the impacts to water quality. Practices with highest positive Page 2 of 3

4 values would be expected to benefit water quality most when compared to practices with very low yet still positive values. Example table describing summation by practice standard and water quality cause of impairment is below. SED + NUT + H&H ratio SED NUT H&H PEST PATH Rank Resource Concern ---> 1 Critical Area Planting (342) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Filter Strip (393) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Prescribed Grazing (528) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Conservation Cover (327) Mulching (484) Field Border (386) Cover Crop (340) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Use Exclusion (472) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Sediment Basin (350) Stripcropping (585) Brush Management (314) ) The table above also provides a ranking snap-shot of the Ohio USDA NRCS practice standards that best address a combination of sediment, nutrient and habitat & hydromodification causes of water quality impairment. Complete rankings can be found in the attached Ranking of Ohio-USDA NRCS Practices Standards for Addressing Water Quality Causes of Impairment document which provides the results of the rankings by water quality cause for each of the 101 NRCS practice standards, sorted from best to worst for addressing all 5 leading causes of water quality and 2 aggregations (sediment + nutrients + habitat & hydromodifcation AND (sediment + nutrients + habitat & hydromodifcation + pathogens + pesticides), totaling 7 tables. Summary: In summary, the practice standard rankings that can be found in the attached document, Ranking of Ohio-USDA NRCS Practices Standard Effectiveness for Addressing Water Quality Causes of Impairment can inform decision makers whose role it is to effectively enroll row crop farming enterprises, land managers and livestock producer in programs such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), to gain more widespread implementation of those practice standards that can best provide benefit toward improving water quality in Ohio tributaries based upon impairment cause (or combinations thereof), and minimizing enrollment for practices with limited benefit to water quality. Page 3 of 3

5 Table 1: Ranking of Practices addressing Sediment Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED ratio NUT H&H PEST PATH 1 Critical Area Planting (342) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Filter Strip (393) Prescribed Grazing (528) Mulching (484) Conservation Cover (327) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Cover Crop (340) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Sediment Basin (350) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Stripcropping (585) Field Border (386) Brush Management (314) Use Exclusion (472) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Contour Farming (330) Grassed Waterway (412) Diversion (362) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Constructed Wetland (656) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Underground Outlet (620) Subsurface Drain (606) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Prescribed Burning (338) /25/2010

6 Table 1: Ranking of Practices addressing Sediment Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED ratio NUT H&H PEST PATH 34 Forage Harvest Management (511) Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Roof Runoff Structure (558) Pond (378) Watering Facility (614) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566) Wetland Restoration (657) Wetland Creation (658) Wetland Enhancement (659) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Waste Utilization (633) Structure for Water Control (587) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Stream Crossing (578) Clearing and Snagging (326) Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Pest Management (595) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395) Spring Development (574) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Land Smoothing (466) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Pumping Plant (533) Open Channel (582) Nutrient Management (590) Access Road (560) Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) /25/2010

7 Table 1: Ranking of Practices addressing Sediment Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED ratio NUT H&H PEST PATH 68 Water Well (642) Waste Storage Facility (313) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Drainage Water Management (554) Composting Facility (317) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) Animal Mortality Facility (316) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Hedgerow Planting (422) Firebreak (394) Manure Transfer (634) Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Fishpond Management (399) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Fish Passage (396) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Bedding (310) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Dike (356) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) /25/2010

8 Table 2: Ranking of Practices addressing Nutrient Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED Nutrient ratio H&H PEST PATH 1 Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Filter Strip (393) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Prescribed Grazing (528) Field Border (386) Nutrient Management (590) Critical Area Planting (342) Conservation Cover (327) Cover Crop (340) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Use Exclusion (472) Waste Utilization (633) Mulching (484) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Forage Harvest Management (511) Constructed Wetland (656) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Sediment Basin (350) Stripcropping (585) Grassed Waterway (412) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Contour Farming (330) Waste Storage Facility (313) Brush Management (314) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Wetland Creation (658) Heavy Use Area Protection (561)

9 Table 2: Ranking of Practices addressing Nutrient Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED Nutrient ratio H&H PEST PATH 34 Wetland Restoration (657) Wetland Enhancement (659) Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) Prescribed Burning (338) Diversion (362) Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Pest Management (595) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Drainage Water Management (554) Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Roof Runoff Structure (558) Pond (378) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Manure Transfer (634) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Composting Facility (317) Spring Development (574) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Animal Mortality Facility (316) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Structure for Water Control (587) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566) Hedgerow Planting (422) Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Watering Facility (614) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395)

10 Table 2: Ranking of Practices addressing Nutrient Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED Nutrient ratio H&H PEST PATH 68 Open Channel (582) Dike (356) Underground Outlet (620) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Water Well (642) Fishpond Management (399) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Land Smoothing (466) Stream Crossing (578) Pumping Plant (533) Access Road (560) Clearing and Snagging (326) Subsurface Drain (606) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Firebreak (394) Fish Passage (396) Bedding (310) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608)

11 Table 3: Ranking of Practices addressing Habitat and Hydromodification Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H ratio PEST PATH 1 Critical Area Planting (342) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Filter Strip (393) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Mulching (484) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Brush Management (314) Sediment Basin (350) Field Border (386) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Conservation Cover (327) Prescribed Grazing (528) Stripcropping (585) Use Exclusion (472) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Cover Crop (340) Contour Farming (330) Grassed Waterway (412) Diversion (362) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Constructed Wetland (656) Underground Outlet (620) Subsurface Drain (606) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Forage Harvest Management (511) Roof Runoff Structure (558)

12 Table 3: Ranking of Practices addressing Habitat and Hydromodification Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H ratio PEST PATH 34 Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Watering Facility (614) Prescribed Burning (338) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Pond (378) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Structure for Water Control (587) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566) Wetland Creation (658) Wetland Restoration (657) Wetland Enhancement (659) Waste Utilization (633) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Stream Crossing (578) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Pest Management (595) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Clearing and Snagging (326) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Nutrient Management (590) Hedgerow Planting (422) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Fish Passage (396) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) Fishpond Management (399) Animal Mortality Facility (316)

13 Table 3: Ranking of Practices addressing Habitat and Hydromodification Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H ratio PEST PATH 68 Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Waste Storage Facility (313) Spring Development (574) Composting Facility (317) Dike (356) Manure Transfer (634) Open Channel (582) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Access Road (560) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Firebreak (394) Pumping Plant (533) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) Land Smoothing (466) Drainage Water Management (554) Water Well (642) Bedding (310) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490)

14 Table 4: Ranking of Practices addressing Pesticide Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H PESTICIDE ratio PATH 1 Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Conservation Cover (327) Filter Strip (393) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Pest Management (595) Prescribed Grazing (528) Field Border (386) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Forage Harvest Management (511) Cover Crop (340) Mulching (484) Critical Area Planting (342) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Stripcropping (585) Grassed Waterway (412) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Constructed Wetland (656) Sediment Basin (350) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Waste Utilization (633) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Use Exclusion (472) Contour Farming (330) Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C)

15 Table 4: Ranking of Practices addressing Pesticide Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H PESTICIDE ratio PATH 35 Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Wetland Creation (658) Subsurface Drain (606) Wetland Restoration (657) Wetland Enhancement (659) Prescribed Burning (338) Dike (356) Diversion (362) Hedgerow Planting (422) Drainage Water Management (554) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566) Pond (378) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Nutrient Management (590) Open Channel (582) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Roof Runoff Structure (558) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Structure for Water Control (587) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395) Brush Management (314) Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) Animal Mortality Facility (316) Underground Outlet (620) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Waste Storage Facility (313) Watering Facility (614)

16 Table 4: Ranking of Practices addressing Pesticide Rank Conservation Practice Standards SED NUT H&H PESTICIDE ratio PATH 70 Access Road (560) Stream Crossing (578) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Composting Facility (317) Fishpond Management (399) Pumping Plant (533) Spring Development (574) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Manure Transfer (634) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Clearing and Snagging (326) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) Water Well (642) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Fish Passage (396) Land Smoothing (466) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608) Firebreak (394) Bedding (310) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490)

17 Table 5: Ranking of Practices addressing Pathogen Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED NUT H&H PEST PATH ratio 1 Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Use Exclusion (472) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Manure Transfer (634) Nutrient Management (590) Waste Utilization (633) Prescribed Grazing (528) Waste Storage Facility (313) Composting Facility (317) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Constructed Wetland (656) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Filter Strip (393) Field Border (386) Conservation Cover (327) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Cover Crop (340) Forage Harvest Management (511) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Animal Mortality Facility (316) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Roof Runoff Structure (558) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Spring Development (574)

18 Table 5: Ranking of Practices addressing Pathogen Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED NUT H&H PEST PATH ratio 34 Mulching (484) Critical Area Planting (342) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Sediment Basin (350) Grassed Waterway (412) Wetland Creation (658) Wetland Restoration (657) Wetland Enhancement (659) Drainage Water Management (554) Pest Management (595) Stripcropping (585) Contour Farming (330) Diversion (362) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Watering Facility (614) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Firebreak (394) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Access Road (560) Brush Management (314) Hedgerow Planting (422) Prescribed Burning (338) Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) Pond (378) Structure for Water Control (587) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566)

19 Table 5: Ranking of Practices addressing Pathogen Rank Conservation Practice Standard SED NUT H&H PEST PATH ratio 69 Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395) Open Channel (582) Dike (356) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) Fishpond Management (399) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Pumping Plant (533) Clearing and Snagging (326) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Fish Passage (396) Water Well (642) Underground Outlet (620) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Land Smoothing (466) Subsurface Drain (606) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Bedding (310) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608) Stream Crossing (578)

20 Table 6: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients and Habitat & Hydromodification Causes of Water Quality Impairment, Page 1 of 3 Causes of Water Quality Impairment Rank Resource Concern ---> SED + NUT + H&H ratio SED NUT H&H PEST PATH CODE 1 Critical Area Planting (342) Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Filter Strip (393) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Prescribed Grazing (528) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Conservation Cover (327) Mulching (484) Field Border (386) Cover Crop (340) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Use Exclusion (472) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Sediment Basin (350) Stripcropping (585) Brush Management (314) Contour Farming (330) Grassed Waterway (412) Constructed Wetland (656) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Forage Harvest Management (511) Diversion (362) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Recreation Trail and Walkway (568) Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580) Waste Utilization (633) Prescribed Burning (338) Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) Underground Outlet (620) Roof Runoff Structure (558)

21 Table 6: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients and Habitat & Hydromodification Causes of Water Quality Impairment, Page 2 of 3 Causes of Water Quality Impairment Rank Resource Concern ---> SED + NUT + H&H ratio SED NUT H&H PEST PATH CODE 36 Wetland Creation (658) Wetland Restoration (657) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Pond (378) Herbaceous Wind Barriers (603) Subsurface Drain (606) Nutrient Management (590) Grade Stabilization Structure (410) Wetland Enhancement (659) Watering Facility (614) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (566) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Livestock Use Area Protection (757) Structure for Water Control (587) Pest Management (595) Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch Till (345) Forest Stand Improvement (666) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380) Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643) Stream Habitat Improvement and Management (395) Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) Waste Storage Facility (313) Stream Crossing (578) Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (650) Spring Development (574) Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (644) Clearing and Snagging (326) Wastewater Treatment Strip (635) Agrichemical Mixing Facility (702) Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632) Composting Facility (317) Animal Mortality Facility (316) Wildlife Watering Facility (648) Hedgerow Planting (422) Manure Transfer (634)

22 Table 6: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients and Habitat & Hydromodification Causes of Water Quality Impairment Causes of Water Quality Impairment Rank Resource Concern ---> SED + NUT + H&H ratio SED NUT H&H PEST PATH CODE 72 Drainage Water Management (554) Open Channel (582) Land Smoothing (466) Fishpond Management (399) Closure of Waste Impoundment (360) Access Road (560) Pumping Plant (533) Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite Sealant (521C) (c ) 80 Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay Treatment (521D) (d) 81 Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible Membrane (521A) (a) 82 Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant (521B) (b) 83 Dike (356) Fish Passage (396) Water Well (642) Tree/Shrub Pruning (660) Animal Trails and Walkways (575) Firebreak (394) Dry Hydrant (432) Fence (382) Pipeline (516) Prescribed Forestry (409) Shallow Water Development and Management (646) Well Decommissioning (351) Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647) Bedding (310) Forest Trails and Landings (655) Aquaculture Ponds (397) Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (607) Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (608) Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) , Page 3 of 3

23 Table 7: Ranking of Practices addressing combination of Sediment, Nutrients, Habitat & Hydromodification, Pathogen and Pesticide Causes of Water Quality Impairment Causes of Water Quality Impairment Rank Conservation Program Practice Standards S+N+HH+P+P ratio SED NUT H&H PEST PATH 1 Riparian Forest Buffer (391) Critical Area Planting (342) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) Pasture and Hay Planting (512) Filter Strip (393) Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Prescribed Grazing (528) Conservation Cover (327) Field Border (386) Cover Crop (340) Mulching (484) Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (543) Land Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (544) Contour Buffer Strips (332) Use Exclusion (472) Water and Sediment Control Basin (638) Stripcropping (585) Sediment Basin (350) Forage Harvest Management (511) Grassed Waterway (412) Constructed Wetland (656) Contour Farming (330) Residue Management, Seasonal (344) Brush Management (314) Heavy Use Area Protection (561) Waste Utilization (633) Pest Management (595) Diversion (362) Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till/Strip Till/Direct Seed (329) Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge Till (346) Wetland Creation (658) Lined Waterway or Outlet (468) Wetland Restoration (657) Nutrient Management (590)