non-agricultural regional fertilizer application tampa bay region model ordinance non-agricultural...
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Non-agricultural regional fertilizer
application
Tampa Bay Region Model Ordinance
Non-agricultural regional fertilizer
application
Tampa Bay Region Model Ordinance
Holly Greening Executive Director
Tampa Bay Estuary Program
Hillsborough County’s Regional Leadership in Water Quality Improvement
• 32 public and private partners
• Collaborative approach to meeting regulatory water quality goals for Tampa Bay
• Consortium participants agreed to limits on nitrogen loads in Sept. 2009
• Hillsborough County BOCC approval in Nov 2009- first County to sign
The Good News
• Seagrass coverage increased 6,000 acres since 1980s
• Water quality meeting regulatory targets in all major bay segments for 3 consecutive years
• The County’s approval of the Consortium action ensures continued compliance and progress
Algae bloom off western Hillsborough County, Summer 2009
Nitrogen-fueled issues still occur
REGULATORY REQUIREMENT: Nutrient impaired waters will require nutrient load reductions from
sources in the watershed
The Challenge Ahead
• To meet Federal and State regulatory requirements for Tampa Bay, new or expanded nitrogen sources will have to show offsets to be permitted.
• To meet regulatory requirements for lake and stream nutrient impairments in the watershed, sources will also need to reduce nutrient loads from existing levels.
• All cities and counties in the Tampa Bay watershed have similar impairments and challenges.
TBEP Policy Board
Development of Regional Non-agricultural Fertilizer Application
Model Ordinance
• At the request of the TBEP Policy Board, staff facilitated four workshops in 2008
• Involved 42 private and public sector organizations (lawn care, environmental groups, IFAS, local governments, water quality scientists)
• Consensus-based approach
Issues Addressed
• Timing (restricted period)*Timing (restricted period)*• Buffer ZonesBuffer Zones• Licensing of Lawn Care ProfessionalsLicensing of Lawn Care Professionals• Regional Certification/Decal ProgramRegional Certification/Decal Program• Reclaimed WaterReclaimed Water• EducationEducation • Point of Sale restriction (added by PB)
* Only issue for which consensus was not reached in Stakeholder Workshops
Key Technical Findings: Rainfall and Runoff
• Rainfall patterns vary around Florida, due to sea-breeze and other factors
• FDEP-sponsored study of stormwater runoff (Harper & Baker 2007) found significantly higher runoff volumes for rain events when soils are saturated, even from vegetated landscapes.
• The frequency of significant runoff events is substantially higher in the summer rainy season as compared to other seasons in the Tampa Bay area.
From: Hochmuth et al, 2009. IFAS SL 283.
Rainfall patterns differ across the state
West-central and SW Florida rainfall patterns
Defining Runoff Events in Florida
• Harper & Baker (2007) for FDEP – “Evaluation of Current Stormwater Design Criteria within the State of Florida”– “…the soil moisture condition at the time of
the rain event can have a significant impact on the runoff volume generated from pervious areas”
– Antecedent Soil Moisture Condition 3 (AMC 3): Rainfall > 2.1 inches in warm months, or >1.1 inches in other months have occurred within the past 5 days; soils are saturated
– AMC 3 = Runoff likely even from vegetated areas
0
5
10
15
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35
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12Month
% o
f D
ays
at A
MC
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itio
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Plant City Rainfall Gage Proposed Rainy Season Period
Frequency of AMC3 (high runoff) Conditions
Mean = 8.8%
Mean = 20.6%
Cooler temperatures
Key Technical Findings: Recent Nutrient Source Information
• Safety Harbor sediment study (Peebles et al. 2009: USF College of Marine Science):– Organic-rich sediments ( “muck”)
accumulating more rapidly in recent years;
– Muck is primarily the remains of microscopic algae and small shrimp-like organisms (micro-crustaceans) living in the water column in Safety Harbor;
– Source of nutrients for these organisms and muck has changed over time.
Includes Hillsborough County drainage
Multiple lines of evidence
Sediment Cores: track changes through time
Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopic Analysis: provides a means of “fingerprinting” N source types
Results show changes in N sources in accumulated organic sediments through time
1900s- N sources signature consistent with natural sources and exchange with the Gulf
1940s- N sources signature consistent with livestock waste and/or sewage
Recent years- N sources dominated by signature consistent with inorganic residential fertilizer
Results indicate significant shift of N sources over time
Education is a critical component
• TBEP Policy Board allocated $75,000 in Tampa Bay license tag funds for a regional fertilizer education campaign – TBEP has received matching grant funds to double money; steering committee established and convened in January
Objective #1: Assess Media and Messages Most Likely To Reach and Impact Residents’ Use of
FertilizerObjective #2: Assess Consumer
Knowledge of Fertilizer and Attitudes
about Lawn Care
First Project: Homeowner Focus Groups
Focus Group Perceptions
• Lush lawns require frequent fertilizing Lush lawns require frequent fertilizing (every 2 weeks to 6x per year)(every 2 weeks to 6x per year)
• Must fertilize Must fertilize more more frequently in rainy frequently in rainy season (“it runs off too quickly”)season (“it runs off too quickly”)
• Information on fertilizing comes from Information on fertilizing comes from the bag, neighbors or lawn care the bag, neighbors or lawn care companycompany
• Few are aware of lawn runoff and Few are aware of lawn runoff and where it goeswhere it goes
• Prefer messages that provide clear, Prefer messages that provide clear, simple instructionssimple instructions
Summary
• Nitrogen reductions will be necessary to meet regulatory water quality requirements.
• Tampa Bay summer rainfall patterns show a high likelihood for runoff, including from vegetated lands.
• Nitrogen removal, once in surface waters, can be very costly.
Summary
• A residential fertilizer summer restricted period appears to be a cost-effective option for consideration.
• Enforcement may be simplified by including a point of sale restriction.
• Regional consistency will enhance education and certification.
Potential Benefits of Summer Application and Retail Sale
Restriction (TBEP Policy Board)
• Springboard to successful education and enforcement
• Cost-effective method to improve compliance (built-in compliance with retail sale restriction)
• Regional consistency important for lawn care industry
• Simple, clear message for effective education
• Managing nitrogen at the source more cost effective than removal from waterways