Fertilizer Storage and Handling

Transcription

1 ~ Worksheet #3 Fertilizer Storage and Handling Why should I be concerned? Fertilizers play a vital role in agriculture. Over the years, they have increased farm production dramatically. Commercial fertilizer is, however, a major source of nitrate. Farmstead handling of fertilizers can affect groundwater by allowing nitrates to seep through the ground after a leak or spill. Nitrate levels in drinking water above federal and state drinking water standards of 10 mg/l nitrate-nitrogen (NO,-N) can pose a risk to some infants. Those under 6 months of age are particularly susceptible to health problems from high NO,-N levels, including the condition known as methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Nitrates can also affect adults, but the evidence is much less certain. Young livestock are also particularly susceptible to health problems from high NO3-N levels. While livestock may be able to tolerate several times the 10 mg/l NO,-N level, levels of mg/l may prove harmful, especially in combination with high levels (1,000 ppm) of N03-N from feed sources. The goal of FLORIDA Farm.A.Syst supply is to help you protect your drinking-water How does this worksheet help me protect my drinking water? It takes you step-by-step through your fertilizer handling, storage, and disposal practices. It ranks your activities according to how they might affect the groundwater that provides your drinking water supplies. It provides you with easy-to-understand rankings that help you analyze the "risk level" of your fertilizer handling, storage, and disposal practices. It helps you determine which of your practices are reasonably safe and effective, and which practices might require some modification to better protect your drinking water. How do I complete the worksheet? Follow the directions at the top of the chart on page 3. It should take you about minutes to complete this worksheet and figure out your ranking. The definitions on the next page may help you complete Worksheet #3. This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Nonpoint Source Management Program Section 319 grant to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

2 Glossary Fertilizer Storage and Handling Air gap: An air space (open space) between the hose or faucet and water level, representing one way to prevent backflow of liquids into a well or water supply. Anti-syphon device: A safety device used to prevent backflow of a mixture of water and chemicals into the water supply. Backflow: The unwanted reverse flow of liquids in a piping system. Backflow prevention device: (See anti-backflow device.) Backsiphonage: Backflow caused by formation of a vacuum in a water supply pipe. Closed handling system: A system for transferring pesticides or fertilizers directly from storage container to applicator equipment (through a hose, for example), so that humans and the environment are never inadvertently exposed to the chemicals. Cross-connection: A link or channel between pipes, wells, fixtures, or tanks carrying contaminated water and those carrying potable (safe for drinking) water. Contaminated water, if at higher pressure, enters the potable water system. Milligrams per liter (mg/l): The weight of a substance measured in milligrams contained in one liter. It is equivalent to 1 part per million in water measure. Parts per million (ppm): A measurement of concentration of one unit of material dispersed in one million units of another. Rinsate: Rinse water from pesticide or fertilizer tank cleaning. Secondary containment: Impermeable floor and walls around a fertilizer or chemical storage area that minimize the amount of fertilizer or chemical seeping into the ground from a spill or leak. e '.r ' 3 2

3 Directions: 1. Use a pencil. You may want to make changes. 2. For each category listed on the left that is appropriate to your farmstead, read across to the right and circle the statement that best describes your situation. (Skip and leave blank any categories that don't apply.) FERTILIZER STORAGE Dry formulation Worksheet #3 Fertilizer Storage and Handling 3. Look above the description you circled to find your "rank number" (4, 3, 2, or 1) and enter that number in the blank under "your rank. " 4. Directions on overall scoring appear at the end of the worksheet. 5. Allow about minutes to complete the worksheet and figure out your risk ranking. LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK Amount stored None stored at any Less than 1 ton. Between 1 and 20 More than 20 tons. time, tons. Type of storage Covered on imperme- Covered on clay soil. Partially covered on Not covered on sandy able surface (such as Spills are collected. loamy soils. Spills soils. Spills not concrete or asphalt). not collected. collected. Spills are collected. Liquid formulation - Amount stored None stored at any Less than 55 gallons. Between 55 and 1500 More than 1500 time. gallons. gallons. Type of storage Concrete or other Clay- I ined secondary Somewhat permeable Permeable soil impermeable second- containment. Most of soils (loams). No (sand). No secondary ary containment does spill can be secondary contain- containment. Spills not allow spill to recovered. ment. Most of spill enter soil. enter soi 1. cannot be recovered. Containers Original containers Original containers Containers are old, Containers have holes clearly labeled. No old. Labels partially deteriorating, or tears that allow holes, tears, or weak missing or hard to patched. Metal fertilizers to leak. No seams. read. containers showing labels. signs of rusting. 3

4 LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK FERTILIZER STORAGE (continued) Security Fenced or locked area Fenced area separate Open to activities that Open access to theft, separate from all from most other could damage con- vandalism, and other activities. activities. ' tainers or spill fertil- children. izer. DRY OR LIOUID MIXING AND LOADING PRACTICES Location of well in 100 or more feet 51 to 100 feet 10 to 50 feet Within 10 feet relation to downslope from well. downslope. downslope, or 100 to downslope or 100 mixing/loading area 500 feet upslope. feet upslope. without a containment pad. If have containment pad, skip to next section. LIQUID MIXING AND LOADING PRACTICES Mixing and loading Concrete pad with Concrete pad with Concrete pad with Concrete pad severely pad spill contain- curb keeps a11 spills curb keeps all spills some cracks keeps cracked. Spills soak ment contained and drains contained. No sump. most spills contained. into ground or drain to sump. No curb or sump. toward well. Water source Separate water tank. Hydrant away from Hydrant near well. Water taken directly well. from well or surface water. Backflow prevention Anti-backflow device Anti-backflow device No anti-backflow No anti-backflow on water supply installed or 6-inch air installed. Hose in device. Hose in tank device. Hose in tank gap between hose and tank above water line. above water line. below water line. tank. Supervision of tank Remain at site until Remain near site Leave site for short Start and leave site filling filling is completed. checking on filling time and check on and check only when frequently. filling every few filling period is nearminutes. ly complete. Handling system Closed system* for Closed system for All liquids hand All liquids hand all liquid product most liquids. Some poured. Sprayer fill poured. Sprayer fill transfers. liquids hand poured, port easy to reach. port hard to read,. *See glossary. Sprayer fill port easy to reach. 4

5 LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank I) RANK CLEANUP AND DISPOSAL PRACTICES Sprayer cleaning Sprayer washed out Sprayer washed out Sprayer washed out at Sprayer washed out at and rinsate (rinse in field. Rinsate used on pad at farmstead. farmstead. Rinsate farmstead. Rinsate water) disposal in next load and Rinsate used in next sprayed less than 100 dumped at farmstead applied to crop. load and applied to feet from well. or in field. crop. FERTILIZATION APPLICATION Application rates Fertilizer applied to Fertilizer applied to Fertilizer applied to Fert i I izer applied to fields at rates that are cropped fields at rates cropped fields at rates cropped lands at rates just high enough to that do not exceed that do not exceed that exceed crop meet crop nutrient crop nutrient require- crop nutrient require- nutrient requirement; requirements based ments. Soils in appli- ment. Soils in appli- Soils in application on a nutrient manage- cation areas are tested cation areas are not areas are not tested. ment pian. yearly for nitrogen, tested. phosphorus, and potassium. Application timing According to accurate Based on when crop Based on when can Not based on plant nutrient accounting or is at growth stage that get around to it. demand for nutrient. nutrient management it usually needs fertil- Sometimes apply plan. Never apply on izing. Try to avoid saturated soil. applying in wet when soil is wet. conditions. Application areas All areas are more Most areas are more Several areas are less Fertilizer nearly than 25 feet from than 25 feet from than 25 feet from always applied to rock outcrops, 100 rock outcrops, 100 rock outcrops, or less areas that are less feet from surface feet from surface than 100 feet from than 25 feet from water sources, wells, water sources, wells, surface water sourc- rock outcrops, or less dwellings, or sink- dwellings, or sink- es, wells, dwellings, than 100 feet from holes and have slopes holes and have slopes or sinkholes, or have surface water sourcof 15% or less. Or all of 15% or less. Or slopes greater than areas are approved by most areas are ap- 15%. es, wells, dwellings, or sinkholes, or that a nutrient manage- proved by a nutrient have slopes greater ment plan. management plan. than 15%. Record keeping Good records kept on Fair records kept on Poor records kept on No records kept. fertilizer applications, fertilizer applications, fertilizer applications, rates, timing and area. rates, timing and area. rates, timing and area. 5

6 LOW RISK LOW-MOD RISK MOD-HIGH RISK HIGH RISK YOUR (rank 4) (rank 3) (rank 2) (rank 1) RANK FERTILIZATION APPLICATION (con t.) Calibration Fertilizer application Fertilizer application Use custom applicator Never calibrate fertilequipment is cali- equipment is cali- and assume he/she izer application equipbrated to proper brated before each calibrates equipment. ment or ask custom application rate be- application but not Or calibrate you applicator about his fore each application rechecked during the calibrate equipment calibration procedure. and checked at least application period. only once a year. once during the appli- No effort made to cation period. Appli- assure applying fertilcations are made izer uniformly over uniformly over the the area. area. # OF AREAS RANKED 18 if ranked all RANKKNGS TOTAL 0 Use rhis totd to culculate risk tanking on next puge. 6

7 What do I do with these tankings? Step 1: Begin by determining your overall fertilizer management risk ranking. Total the rankings for the categories you completed and divide by the number of categories you ranked: 'Carry your answer out to one decimal divided by equals I* place. Rankings total number of risk ranking from previous categories ranked Page (18 if ranked all) Example: =2.55 Use 2.6. Risk Ranking Description = low risk = moderate to high risk = low to moderate risk = high risk This ranking gives you an idea of how your fertilizer management practices, as a whole, might be affecting your drinking water. This ranking should serve only as a very general guide, not a precise diagnosis. Because it represents an averaging of many individual rankings, it can overlook any individual rankings (such as 1's or 2's) that should be of concern. (Step 2 will focus on individually ranked activities of concern.) Enter your boxed fertilizer management risk ranking in the appropriate place in the table on the front of worksheet #11. Later you will compare this risk ranking with other farmstead management rankings. Worksheet #10 will help you determine your farmstead's site conditions (soil type, soil depth, and bedrock characteristics), and Worksheet #11 will show you how these site conditions affect your risk rankings. Step 2: Look over your rankings for individual activities. 0 4's - Best: low-risk practices 0 3's - Provide reasonable groundwater protection: low- to moderate-risk practices 0 2's Possibly inadequate protection: moderate- to high-risk practices 0 1's - Inadequate protection with relatively high groundwater contamination risk: high-risk practices Regardless of y0u.r overall risk ranking, any individual rankings of "1" require immediate attention. You can take care of some of the concerns right away; others could be major or costly projects, requiring planning and prioritizing before you take action. Find any activities that you identified as 1's and Iist them under "High-Risk Activities" on Worksheet #11. Step 3: Read Fact Sheet #3, "Improving Fertilizer Storage and Handling," and give some thought to how you might modify your farmstead practices to better protect your drinking water. 7

8 Florida Farm A Syst publications are revisions from the Wisconsin and Minnesota prototype versions, and Arkansas Farm A Syst materials, with support from the National Farmstead Assessment System Program. Revisor: Jerry B. Sartain, UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Science. Technical reviewers: Dale Dubberly, Fla. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Steve Dwinell; Bobby Mckown, Fla. Citrus Mutual, and Mike Olexa, UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Dept. Co-directors: Arthur G. Hornsby and Randall B. Brown; Coordinator: Susan W. Williams. Administered from the UFlIFAS Soil and Water Science Dept. (904) Steering Committee: Pat Cockrell, Fla. Farm Bureau; Art Darling, Dairy Farmers; Frankie Hall, Pork Improvement Group; Chip Hinton, Fla. Strawberry Growers Assoc.; Mike Joyner, Fla. Forestry Assoc.; Andy LaVigne, Fla. Fertilizer and Agrichemical Assoc. ; Bobbie Lollis, Fla. Cattlemen s Assoc.; Charlie Matthews, Fla. Fruit and Vegetable Assoc.; Bobby McKown, Fla. Citrus Mutual; Amanda McKoy, Fla. Peanut Producers Assoc.; Chuck Smith, Fla. Poultry Federation; and Earl Wells, Fla. Nurserymen and Growers Assoc. Word processing: Sheila Baldree and Tarek Habib. Graphics: Dave Cantlin. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency jointly support Florida Farm A Syst. Revised 2/95. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE. UNlVERSlrY OF FLORIDA, INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, John T. Woeste. Director. in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. publishes this information to further the purpose of the May 8 and June 30, Acts of Congress; and is authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race. color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. Single copies of extension publications (excluding 4-H and youth publications) are available free to Florida residents from county extension offices. Information on bulk rates or copies for out-of-state purchasers is available from C.M. Hinton, Publications Distribution Center. IFAS Building 664. University Of Florida, Gainesville, Florida , Before publicizing this publication, editors should contact this address to determine availability. Printed February 1995.