ecan approaches to managing nutrient losses to groundwater
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ECan approaches to managing nutrient losses to groundwater. Proposed Natural Resources Regional Plan. Land & water chapters notified – July 2004 3 objectives – numerical water quality outcomes Groundwater: Maintain high quality groundwater - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
ECan approaches to managing ECan approaches to managing nutrient losses to groundwaternutrient losses to groundwater
Proposed Natural Resources Regional PlanProposed Natural Resources Regional Plan
• Land & water chapters notified – July 2004
• 3 objectives – numerical water quality outcomes– Groundwater:
• Maintain high quality groundwater
• < 2mg/L N above max. conc. measured between 1996 & 2001 & not exceed 11.3 N mg/L
– Community water sources: < 5.6 N mg/L
• A mix of methods – Regulation
– Education
– Investigations
RegulationRegulation
• under the RMA – a hierarchy of controls through regional rules
Permitted
Controlled Discretionary Non- Prohibited
RegulationRegulation• Regional rules
– more stringent conditions, e.g.
• discharge animal effluent to land • domestic wastewater systems • construction of bores
– more activities covered by rules. e.g.
• feed pads • effluent storage ponds • reticulated sewerage networks
– apply to new activities commencing after date of plan notification
• Review of existing resource consents– land discharges from processing plants
Threshold 2
Threshold 1
Best management practices required
No action required
Reduction in nitrate leaching required
Nutrient budget mandatory
Nitrate leaching concentration in
soil drainage
water (mgL-1 NO3-N)
16
8
0
A new approach – controls on the use of land that may result in the discharge of nitrate into gw
Nitrate leaching rule cont. Nitrate leaching rule cont.
• Landowner takes responsibility for managing nitrate leaching
• Estimate average annual N03 loss below rooting zone for the property
• Requires a nutrient management model
• Comes into effect when plan is operative
Plan implementation issues Plan implementation issues – nitrate leaching rule– nitrate leaching rule
• Promote the new rule – information on best management practices
– workshops, e.g. farm advisors, farming groups
• Compliance monitoring – which areas or land uses, and how often? – improving staff skills & knowledge
• Nutrient management models – plan does not prescribe a specific model – ECan contributing to the development of a nutrient
model for arable farming
Education and advocacyEducation and advocacy
• Promote best management practices
– Pasture management
– Timing of cultivation
– Nitrification inhibitors
– Adoption of codes of practice
– Whole-farm nutrient management systems
• Work with landowners to improve groundwater quality