Increasing the Adoption of the Management of Ag Drainage

Water for Conservation Benefits

“Into the Future”by

Paul J. SweeneyPaul.Sweeney@wdc.usda.gov

Senior Project LeaderRegional Conservationist Staff

Bismarck, ND

Topics:

Ag. Water Management Team

(AGWAM)

AGWAM Action Plan

Summit’s Purpose

Systems Approach

What Future Products from the

Team

“Into the Future”

Team’s Charge –

Team Action Plan

– National Summit– Innovation and Creativity– Performance and Outcomes– “Adaptive Management”

NRCS Agriculture Water Management Team (AGWAM)

Team’s Action Plan:

Draft completed June 2011

Public comment thru August

2011

National Summit input

Dynamic document - changing

NRCS Agriculture Water Management Team (AGWAM)

AGWAM Team Action PlanSeven Key Components:

1. COMMUNICATION 2. TECHNOLOGY 3. TRAINING 4. POLICY5. PROGRAMS6. WILDLIFE HABITAT7. OUTCOMES

Key Component: 1. COMMUNICATION

A. Agency action plan

B. Partner Forums

C. Evaluate the Phase 1

D. Website

E. Communications and Outreach

F. Attitudes towards drainage water mgt

G. ADMS Task Force

H. Integrate the ADMS Task Force

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 2. TECHNOLOGY

A. Repository and links to research

B. Complete technical reviews

C. Identify and collect the knowledge

D. Where DWM (CPS 554) feasible

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 3. TRAINING

A. Internal training

B. External training

C. Technical Service Providers

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 4. POLICY

A. National policy

B. State policy

C. Technical Service Provider policy

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 5. PROGRAMS

A. Programmatic barriers

B. Track progress

C. New Programs/Opportunities

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 6. WILDLIFE HABITAT

A. Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative

B. Open dialogue

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Key Component: 7. OUTCOMES

A. Estimates of outcomes

B. Report outcomes

AGWAM Team Action Plan

Managing Water. Harvesting Results.

America’s Ag. Water Management

National SummitPurpose: increase nation-wide adoption of drainage water management (DWM) as part of a conservation system, through the understanding of past history, current situation, performance, incentives and future opportunities.

Increasing the Adoption of the Management of Ag Drainage

Water for Conservation Benefits

Systems ApproachAddressing nutrient loads from the

when the nutrients are being applied (4 R’s) to the field, to the last

opportunity - when subsurface water leaves the field.

What is Drainage Water Management?

Its a combination of conservation practices, identified during the development of a farm conservation plan and generally used in conjunction with a nutrient management system, to manage the timing and amount of both surface and subsurface drainage leaving a field to address producer identified resource concerns….

What is Drainage Water Management? Resource Concern Examples:• Water Quality

• Water Quantity Water availabilityFloodingIrrigation

• Wildlife Habitat• Other

Nitrogen Balance

Nitrogen Balance

• Agronomic Practices 20 - 30%• Cover Crops 10 - 40%• Drainage Management 20 - 50%• Bioreactors 20 - 40%• Bioreactors w/ Drainage Mgt. 50 - 80%• Wetlands 5 - 60%• Minimize drainage intensity 5 - 35%

(for replacement systems)

Why a systems approach?

“Into the Future”

Team’s Future Products:

Training Opportunities

Outreach materials

Maps and tools

“Into the Future”

“Into the Future”

Hold position for Fact Sheet

Soil Web Survey mock up product for planning purposes

Comments and Questions

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