Water Quality Program Some Insight Into Oregon GWMAs Presented to: Lower Yakima Valley GWMA Advisory Committee Presented on: February 21, 2013 Presented by: Phil Richerson Nonpoint Source Hydrogeologist Oregon Department of Environmental Quality 700 SE Emigrant, Suite 330 Pendleton, OR 97801 (541) 278-4604 Richerson.Phil@deq.state.or.us
Water Quality Program Today’s Topics • What is a GWMA in Oregon? • How does it work? • What is the goal? • Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs • How is success gauged? • Where is the nitrate coming from? • Physical Setting (soils and hydrology) • BMPs being followed • Nitrate concentrations and trends • Current status • Lessons Learned
Water Quality Program What is a GWMA? Oregon’s Groundwater Protection Act requires DEQ to declare a GWMA if groundwater contamination (resulting from nonpoint source activities) exceeds certain trigger levels. In most cases, the trigger level is 50% of a federal drinking water standard. In the case of nitrate, the trigger level is 70% of the 10 ppm federal drinking water standard (i.e., 7 ppm).
Water Quality Program How Does an Oregon GWMA Work? • An Action Plan is developed by a local Citizen Advisory Committee with DEQ and ODA oversight. • The Action Plan details a voluntary program led by a “lead agency”. • The goal of the plan is to reduce nitrate to less than 7 mg/l. • If the goal is not met, regulatory measures may be considered.
Water Quality Program How Many GWMAs Are There?
Water Quality Program Location and Boundary of the Northern Malheur County Groundwater Management Area Snake River Weiser 201 Annex 95 Annex 84 201 Willow Creek Ontario Vale 26 Payette Nyssa Approximate Scale (miles) o Fruitland i Adrian r a 0 15 20 t 5 10 n O Vale Oregon Idaho Bully Creek 20 r e 84 26 v i R e k Lytle Blvd a 201 n 20 S Nyssa Explanation Major Road 20 95 River or Major Creek River Owyhee River City Oregon Ontario Adrian Snake River Groundwater Management Area Boundary Malheur County Scale (miles) 201 0 5 The boundary of the Groundwater Management Area starts at the mouths of the Malheur and Owyhee Rivers where they converge with the Snake River and extends to the uppermost irrigation canals.
Water Quality Program Lower Umatilla Basin GWMA • 550 square mile area • Declared in 1990 • Nitrate in groundwater > 7 mg/l • Nonpoint source pollution • Contributions from multiple land uses LUB GWMA Boundaries North: Columbia River COLUMBIA RIVER South: 2N/3N Township Boundary 7 3 0 Umatilla East: 29E/30E Range Boundary 5N 395 Irrigon SR 207 West: 22E/23E Range Boundary 7 3 0 (also the Morrow / Gilliam County line) 82 COLD SPRINGS RESERVOIR UMATILLA d ORDANCE S t a n f i e l d L o o p R Boardman DEPOT Westland Rd Hermiston W i l s o n R d 4N n z e R d K u 84 Tower Rd Sixmile Canyon Threemile Canyon 395 4N Stanfield Umatilla County Morrow County Bombing Range Rd BOARDMAN Morrow County Gilliam County BOMBING Echo RANGE 3N 3N Echo Hwy SR 320 CARTY 7 24E 28E 29E 23E RESERVOIR 25E 26E 27E 0 2 R Approximate Scale (miles) S 0 1 2 3
Water Quality Program Overlap of LUB GWMA and Critical Groundwater Areas Umatilla Irrigon Boardman Hermiston Stanfield Echo Pendleton Most nitrate contamination is in the shallow alluvial aquifer Legend (focus of GWMA) Lower Umatilla Basin Most overdraft is in the deeper basalt aquifer, Groundwater Management Area (focus of 4 of 5 OWRD Restricted Use Areas). Ordnance Basalt Critical Groundwater Area Ordnance Gravel Critical Groundwater Area Ione - Butter Creek Critical Groundwater Area Pilot Rock Ella Butte Classified Groundwater Area Stage Gulch Critical Groundwater Area Lexington 10 5 0 10 Miles ODEQ = Oregon Department of Environmental Quality OWRD = Oregon Water Resources Department
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs Physical Setting Soils NMC soils consist almost entirely of well-drained silt loams. The vast majority of soils have permeability rates from moderately slow to moderate. pH is typically >7 and can be >9. LUB soils consist of well-drained fine sandy loams and sandy loams. The soils are low in clay and nutrients, contain little organic matter, with a pH range from 6.5 to 7.8 in the near surface and up to 9.0 in deeper soil. LUB soils are coarser and drain faster
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs Physical Setting Hydrology NMC GWMA includes everything from the uppermost irrigation canal downhill to the Snake and Malheur Rivers. Much of the area is flood plain. LUB GWMA contains some flood plains but also substantial amounts of uplands. The average depth to water is deeper in the LUB than in NMC. NMC groundwater likely moves faster than LUB groundwater.
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs Nitrate Sources The 1995 technical report titled “Hydrogeology, Groundwater Chemistry, & Land Use in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area” identified five significant sources of nitrate loading to groundwater: (1) Confined Animal Feeding Operations, (2) Irrigated Agriculture, (3) Land Application of Food Processing Water (4) Septic Systems (rural residential areas), and (5) Umatilla Chemical Depot Washout Lagoon
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs Nitrate Sources Traditional irrigated agriculture is the largest source of nitrate in groundwater in the NMC GWMA. Other sources of nitrate include CAFOs, land application of food processing wastewater & septic systems. Irrigated agriculture is the largest source of nitrate in both GWMAs.
Water Quality Program Nitrate Loading Estimate DEQ (with input from ODA and OSU) produced an estimate of nitrate loading to identify source categories in which changes in management practices have the greatest potential to improve groundwater quality on a regional scale.
Water Quality Program Over two-thirds of the GWMA is zoned for agricultural use
Water Quality Program
Water Quality Program Assumed Efficiency Percent of Nitrogen Leached to Groundwater • 2% = lawns and CAFO waste on dry land crops • 3.5% = good and excellent quality pastures • 5% = food processors • 10% = irrigated agriculture • 50% = gardens • 80% = poor quality pastures • 85% = on-site systems • 100% = Depot washout lagoon
Water Quality Program
Water Quality Program Nitrate Loading Estimate Conclusions The sources of nitrate identified in the 1997 LUB GWMA Action Plan contribute significantly different amounts of nitrogen to groundwater, and can be classified into three tiers differing by approximately an order of magnitude: Tier One – Irrigated Agriculture (81.6%) Tier Two – Pastures (8.1%), food processors (4.6%), and on-site septic systems (3.9%). Tier Three - Lawns (0.9%), CAFO waste applied to dry land crops (0.7%), vegetable gardens (0.3%), and the Depot Washout Lagoon (0.09%)
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs Nitrate Sources CAFOs in the LUB GWMA: 12 permitted facilities 172,100 animal permitted 126,860 animals last reported CAFOs in the NMC GWMA: 43 permitted facilities 76,150 animals permitted CAFOs in the SWV GWMA: 9 permitted facilities 6,485 animals permitted
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs BMPs being followed BMPs tailored to each source of nitrate Irrigated Agriculture: It is recognized that any solution to reducing nitrogen in the groundwater must reduce nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation water application rates. BMPs recommended to address nitrate contamination include those to manage the amount, form, placement, and timing of applications of plant nutrients. Nutrient management and water management are the keys to success.
Water Quality Program Compare and Contrast Two GWMAs BMPs being followed CAFOs: Use both Structural and Management BMPs Structural BMPs include: • Anaerobic digestion of dairy manure. • Composting of manure solids. • Composting of a mix of manure solids/straw/waste feed/ dead animals. • Liquid waste storage lagoons • Liquid waste evaporation ponds • Solid waste storage facilities • Liquid feed storage facilities • Solid feed storage facilities with leachate/storm water collection systems • Physical barriers /diversions (curbs, berms, walls, etc.) to keep manure and process wastewater inside the facility and clean stormwater on the outside of the facility • Vegetated treatment areas (aka filter strips) • Covered manure storage areas • Gutters on buildings to keep clean rainwater away from manure. • Manure treatment (additives or aeration) • Manure collection, transfer and application systems.
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