Planning Process for CNMPs Vicki S. Anderson Resource Conservationist Natural Resources Conservation Service

The Planning Process is a Problem Solving Process -- §define the problem, §pick a solution, §test the results, modify if needed & test again

Purpose of a CNMP §protect water quality §obtain beneficial uses from manure §minimize impacts to the environment and public health from animal feeding facilities.

How much land needs to be in the CNMP? §all of the land that influences and is directly impacted by confinement facilities and land application of manure.

Slide 6 Feed storage

Group land areas that have similar problems and will have similar treatments §land use - cropland, pasture, buildings, etc. §may have smaller breakdowns, but don’t group land uses

What treatment is required for a CNMP ? Groundwater §Nutrients l Leaching index is low, or l minimize movement below the root zone §Pathogens l eliminate direct conduits, or l minimize movement to the conduit.

What treatment is required for a CNMP ? Surface water §Minimize offsite movement of manure, sediment and nutrients to surface water.

What treatment is required for a CNMP ? Soil §Sheet & rill erosion, wind erosion l Soil loss at or below tolerance (T) levels §Gully l stabilize eroded areas.

So far ………. §What we want to accomplish (purpose) §On what land (production, collection, transfer, treatment, storage, utilization) §When we get there (treatment required)

Planning Process §Phase I - Understand the problems and opportunities §Phase II - Understand the solutions §Phase III - Understand the results (Source: NRCS National Planning Procedures Handbook

Phase I (Understand the problems and opportunities) §1 - Identify problems §2 - Determine objectives §3 - Inventory resources §4 - Analyze resource data

Step 1 - Identify problems §Nutrients & pathogens to groundwater §Nutrients/sediment/manure to surface waters §Erosion on land where manure is applied

ID Problems: Surface water? Groundwater? Soil erosion?

Step 2 - Determine objectives §Develop and implement l technically sound, l economically feasible, l and site-specific Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) to minimize impacts on water quality and public health. §Compliance with laws, rules, regulations (NPDES General Permit, GAAMPs, Bodies of Dead Animals Act, NEPA, etc.) §Future plans (livestock, land base, etc.)

Step 3 - Inventory resources §by land grouping (cropland, pasture, farmstead, etc.): l soil characteristics l land slope l soil test results l crop management (crops, tillage, residue, cover crops) l movement and location of surface water, surface inlets, tile l manure application (rates, methods, timing).

Step 4 - Analyze resource data §Establish cause & effect relationships l Tools & methods (Manure Application Risk Index, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Wind Erosion Equation, Nitrate Leaching Index, etc.) l Deduction if no tools available (if a site has a high risk of sediment moving into surface water, it probably also has a risk of nutrients moving into surface water).

At the end of steps 1-4, you should have: §a general description of the existing operation §a sketch of the farm headquarters §a thorough description of current animal outputs (include any expansion plans) §current management of fields used for land application (crop rotation, tillage, etc.) §description of current land application methods (equipment, timing, rates, etc.)

At the end of steps 1-4, you should have: (continued) §Current inputs to animals - feed management §existing and potential problems (relating to water quality and public health) from confinement facilities and land application of manure §the cause of the problems/potential problems.

Phase II (Understand the solutions) §5 - Formulate alternatives §6 - Evaluate alternatives §7 - Make decisions

Step 5 - Formulate alternatives Develop alternatives that will §achieve a CNMP and the other objectives of the customer §solve the identified problems §take advantage of opportunities §prevent additional problems from occurring.

Step 5 - Formulate alternatives What is the customer doing right, and could continue; what & how does the customer need to change (based on steps 1-4)? §Animal Outputs (Production, Collection, Transfer & Storage) §Appropriate Conservation Practices on Fields used for Land Application §Land Application §Alternative Utilization Activities.

Step 5 - Formulate alternatives fit management, practices, treatments into SYSTEMS the meet the customer’s objectives and achieve the needed resource treatment for soil and water. crops Storage length Application method Storage type animals

Step 5 - Formulate alternatives fit management, practices, treatments into SYSTEMS the meet the customer’s objectives and achieve the needed resource treatment for soil and water. Application method Storage type animals crops Storage length

Step 6 - Evaluate alternatives Review pros & cons of each alternative system in terms of: §customer objectives §minimizing impacts to the environment and public health §costs - $, management, public perception.

Current system Alternative 1 §Dairy §stack manure §winter spreading Headquarters §Dairy §stack manure §divert clean water §collect runoff from manure pile Cropland §continue same rotation/tillage §nutrient management §winter spreading on low risk fields §waterways in gullies low risk not near surface water low erosion rates current system is working well

Current system Alternative 2 §Dairy §stack manure §winter spreading Headquarters §Dairy §solid storage (6 mo.) §liquid storage including runoff, silage leachate, §divert clean water §capture silage leachate Cropland §no winter spreading §maintain setbacks §filter strips §waterways in gullies §increase crop residue §nutrient management high risk near surface water leachable sites high erosion rates

Current system Alternative 3 §Dairy §stack manure §winter spreading Headquarters §Dairy §storage pond (6 mo.) §divert clean water §capture silage leachate Cropland §injection, no winter spreading §waterways in gullies §increase crop residue §filter strips §nutrient management high risk near surface water leachable sites high erosion rates customer prefers injection

Step 7 - Make decisions Who - the customer makes the decision Items to decide: what will be done when it will happen where it will be located why it is needed (Schedule of implementation)

Phase III (Understand the results) §8 - Implement the plan §9 - Evaluate the plan

Step 8 - Implement the plan §the plan contains enough detail for the customer to implement, operate and maintain it l maps location of setbacks acceptable fields for winter spreading l charts how to achieve application rates l worksheets manure application records nutrients animals conservation

Step 9 - Evaluate the plan the plan includes Inspections and Operations & Maintenance to §assess whether customer objectives are being met §identify elements of the CNMP that required more management than planned §identify elements of the CNMP that need to be revised or updated.

Why use the 9-step planning process? §Helps customer determine & achieve their objectives §focuses efforts on solving the problems rather than using prescribed solutions §continues to evaluate the success of the plan.