RIGHT-TO-E GUIDE -= stewardshi'p guide /tIICHIGJlN FJlRM BUREJIU Groundwater September 30, 1997 Issue 4 Groundwater: _ A step-by-step guide to the basics . by Bill Single, Groundwater Conservationist G roundwater. Just how much do you know about this important natural resource? What exactly is it? Where can it be found? And why does it need protection? Understanding groundwater is easier when you look at it with the benefit of knowing some of the truths and myths, and basic terminology. We all take water for granted. Why not? There's enough in the world for everybody, right? Wrong. Of the earth's water, salt water accounts for 97 percent of the total. Another 2 percent is frozen, tied up in glaciers and at the polar ice caps. Basically, unusable. The fact is, only .65 percent of the earth's water is fresh water. Less than 1 percent! And of that 1 per- cent, only a small amount is considered "avail- able" and uncontaminated or too deep to ex- tract. We need to take care of what's "available," and that includes groundwater. What is groundwater? Groundwater is water that exists beneath the surface of the The third in the Right-.to-Farm series provides Michigan Farm News readers with the Generally Accepted Agricul- earth. You may believe that groundwater is a tural and Management Practices for Nutrient Utilization recently updated by the Michigan Commission of Agri- series of massive underground streams and culture. This eight-page supplement provides management recommendations for managing soil nutrients and lakes. Actually, water saturating a sponge more ways to protect the soil and water resources when applying added nutrients. accurately describes groundwater. Just as water fills the void spaces within a sponge, in the ground, water fills the pore spaces between the soil particles. Michigan's Groundwater Stewardship Program M ission:To provide information and sure an environmentally friendly outcome. pesticide and fertilizer uses. Where is groundwater? Water in the soil's assessment tools for pesticide and Allof the program areas being supported by the Cornmodity Programs upper layers may be utilized by plant uptake in nitrogen fertilizer users that help Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program are coor- The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Pro- an area called the unsaturated zone. Deeper in them identify risks to groundwater associated with dinated through representatives from Michigan State gram also supports a variety of specific commodity- the ground, water exists in the saturated zone. their pesticide and nitrogen fertilizer use practices University Extension, Michigan Department of Agricul- based programs for orchards, vegetable production, The water we depend on to drink, bathe in, and to coordinate local, state, and federal resources ture, and the Natural Resources ConseMtion Service. rights-of-way, Christmas tree production, turfgrass, cook with and use on the farm is drawn from the to help individuals reduce those risks. Close coordination is also maintained with Michigan com producers, and household pesticide and fertilizer saturated zone through private and public wells. The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Pro- Farm Bureau, Michigan AgriBusiness Association, and users. In these programs, surveys are used to provide Where does groundwater come from? gram is designed to be voluntary, to be locally driven, the Michigan Association of ConseMtion Districts. information on existing pesticides and fertilizer use Groundwater begins with rain and snowmelt to address the concerns of individuals, and to maintain A 23-member private and interagency Ground- practices. This information supports an analysis of the that seeps or infiltrates into the ground. De- a focus on the financial and technical constraints that \vater AdVisoryCouncil serves to integrate local, state, relative risks and benefits of individual pesticide and pending on the type of land surface present, drive real.world decisions. and federal resources to help individuals implement fertilizer use practices between commodities. some water percolates through the soil, some The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Pro- practices which reduce their risk of having a groundwa- Custom Farm*A*Syst on-site assessment tools evaporates into the atmosphere, and some runs gram is relatively narrow in focus, addressing only risks ter problem. are being developed for pesticide and fenilizer use off the land surface and into other surface water to groundwater associated with pesticide and nitrogen Funding practices that are significantly different from those bodies. fertilizer use. However, it has a wide scope and ad- Funds for this program come from industry- addressed in the original farm*A*Syst package. Does groundwater move underground? dresses the many uses of these materials, including supported peSticide and fertilizer registration fees on Specific Groundwater Stewardship Practices, You bet it does. The flow of groundwater is ir- agricultural, turfgrass and household uses. specialty and agricultural products. Registration fees such as the development of alternatives to the use of regular; it could move a few inches to a few feet Local programs are paid for by companies that register their products simazine for weed control in orchards, are being devel- each day. It depends in part on gravity, depth Local groundwater stewardship programs are for use in Michigan. A tonnage fee on bulk nitrogen oped and tested through an applied research program. and geologic formation, as well as other factors. being funded through a competitive grants program. fertilizers is also a source of funding. Nitrogen tonnage Specific methods for supponing the implementation of The point here is that contaminated water will Technical assistance personnel are hired to help indi- fees are paid directly by bulk fertilizer users. Groundwater stewardship practices (one-on-one tech- travel. viduals complete an on-site evaluation of risks and help Pesticide registration fees account for al:xmt 72 nical assistance, education programs for interest How can we protect something we can't implement practices that reduce those risks. pen:ent of the revenues with the remaining being groups, support of school programs, cost-share, site see? The reality is, groundwater is the unseen .Farm* A*Syst is used to perform an evaluation of provided by nitrogen fertilizer users. Specialty (house- certification, ete.) are being developed and tested. resource. So it's easy to abuse. By the time farmstead practices. Fact sheets help raise aware. hold) products generate approximately 40 percent of Because of upcoming EPAState Management something contaminated reaches the groundwa- ness of groundwater issues and alternative practices the total revenues with the remaining coming from Plans requirements, priority is being given to com- Continued on page 2 while worksheets are used by the landowner to agriculture and other wide-area pesticide uses. modity projects that address the use of atrazine, rank on-site risks faced by the landowner. Over 85 pen:ent of the revenues generated by alachlor (Lasso), metolachlor (Dual), simazine, and .rechnical assistance personnel may work with land. these fees are returned directly to pesticide and fertiliz- cyanazine (Bladex). owners to develop a groundwater stewardship plan er users through education, technical-assistance, aI>- Successful commodity programs should serve to describing the cost-share and technical assistance plied research, and cost-share programs. balance favorably the risks and benefits associated with resources available to implement specific ground- Many local programs are also coordinating dem- pesticide and fertilizer use and help retain the safe and water stewardship practices. onstration programs that showcase and evaluate prac- effective uses of these materials in the State Manage- .rhe fmal stage in the implementation process is the tices that have the potential to reduce the risk of ment Plan process. actual construction of facilities and use of ground. groundwater contamination. Other program areas water stewardship practices. Local program direction is determined by The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Pro- .spill Response Program provides technical assis- Groundwater Stewardship Teams. These teams gram is supporting a variety of other activities that tance for individuals deaJing with pesticide, fertilizer, decide the mixture between cost-share, technical relate to pesticide and fertilizer use and groundwater and manure spills. assistance, and/or demonstration provided by the protection. liThe Cooperative Groundwater Monitoring Program local program. They ensure coordination of local Accomplishments is available for private well owners interested in their resources and make sure the local program meets Local groundwater stewardship teams cover- This publication drinking water quality. the groundwater protection needs of local pesticide ing the majority of the upper and lower peninsulas made possible by -=Iean Sweep is a pesticide pick-up program that and fertilizer users. have been or are currently being established. a grant from the helps dispose of unused and unwanted pesticides in Local stewardship teams also serve as a collective By the end of 1996, close to 5,000 an environmentally sound manner. voice for pesticide and fertilizer users in setting priori- Farm *A*Syst evaluations will have been conducted. Michigan Groundwater -=Ontainer Recyclingboosts efforts for collecting ties for the statewide program. Efforts are currently As a result, over 1,000 abandoned wells have been Stewardship Program plastic and aerosol pestidde containers and works underway to expand program coverage from its agri. properly plugged utilizing technical assistance and with the Michigan AgriBusiness A5s0ciation to en. cultural commodity basis to include a wide array of Continued on page 2 The final supplement in the Right-to-Farm series h.d [tf: 10'JJi'J ~ h'l =l'~ Right-ta-Farm Guide A stream's humble. beginning I you've f ever followed a Michigan stream up- Another Sycamore Creek Watershed Steering stability of conventional pavement. stream as far as you can go, you've probably Committee member is Sid Hawkins. On his 2,400- Members of the recently formed DEQ Drink- found that the stream hegins where groundwa- acre farm, Sid removed underground fuel tanks and ing Water and Radiological Protection Division are ter emerges from the ground. This area may be a replaced them with ahave-ground tanks placed on also heavily involved in groundwater protection. damp, soggy area (shown right), or an area where concrete. He also is using "nurse tanks" and mix- Staff work with watershed councils, Groundwater water is bubbling out of a stream hank. load pads. Nurse tanks hold only water, rather than ," Education in Michigan (GEM) centers, and local Because nonpoinr source pollution can im- pesticides or fertilizers mLxedwith water, thereby governments to identify potential point and non- pact both surfacc and groundwatcr rcsourccs, and reducing the likelihood of large pesticide!fertilizer point sources of pollution within wellhead protec- because almost half of the people in the state rely spills to and from the field. The pesticides/fert.ilizers tion areas. DEQ staff also: upon groundwater for their drinking water supply, (which are in separate containers) are added • Develop fact sheets and other written materials DEQ's r\onpoint Source Program has funded sever- (mLxed) in the field. Mixing is done over mix-load to assist with the management of point and non- al projects to protect groundwater. pads designed to prevent small spills. Sid is featured point source pollution within delineated well- One example is the Sycamore Creek water- in a recently printed document highlighting the head protection areas shed, a southern Michigan creek and a recharge successes of DEQ's Nonpoint Source Program . • Provide groundwater expertise to Section 319 area for aquifers serving metropolitan Lansing and In addition to participating on watershed groundwater projects Ingham County. In 1988, DEQ sraffbegan monitor- project steering committees, DEQ Nonpoint Source • SuppOrt implementation of the Farm*A*Syst and ing the creek to help identi~' and prioritize non- staff also share information learned in one water- other A*Syst projects point sources in the watershed. Staff worked with shed with other watersheds. For example, as part of • Provide workshops and other training opportuni- the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Mitchell Creek Nonpoint Source Watershed ties to learn about protecting groundwater in Ingham Soil Conservation District to identi~' the Project, planners incorporated language in a local wellhead protection areas .• water quality practices needed in the watershed. ordinance that protects groundwater recharge areas TERMINOLOGY ]) coordinatc effortS in the watershed, a steer- in the watershed. By highlighting this "overlay ing committee of federal, state and local agencies zone" concept in a success document, newsletters Nonpoint Sources: pollution carried off the was formed. Megan McMahon is a member of this and during one-on-one meetings with other water- land by wind or rain, including runoff from committee, and likc other DEQ Nonpoint Source sheds, DEQ nonpoint source staff pass this idea on agricultural fields, construction sites and road- staff serving on local watershed committees, pro- to others throughout the state. ways. motes systems of water quality practices that pro- DEQ staff also help watershed planners Point Sources: discharges from industrial and tect both ground and surface watcr. She also admin- throughout the state incorporate practices that municipal areas, such as wastewater treatment isters a Section 319 Nonpoint Source grant with the allow rainwater to infiltrate back into the ground plants and manufacturing facilities. Ingham County Drain Commission to address non- and replenish groundwater supplies. One example Best Management Practices: systems of Megan McMahon, DEQ Nonpoint Source point sources in Willow Creek, a tributary to Sy- is using modular pavement, which allows rainwater practices needed on any given site to treat or Program, showing the source of Willow camore Creek. to infiltrate into the ground, while providing the prevent nonpoint sources of pollution. Creek. DEQ nonpoint source projects with groundwater components Donnell Lake er construction around the lake. Ongoing monitor- innovative sewage disposal systems, sealing aban- Paw Paw River ~is 4,659-acre watershed, located in the richest ing has already shown reduced nitrate concentra- doned wells, manure management practices, fencing, The Paw Paw River Basin Groundwater Project • agricultural township in Cass Coumy, was part of tions in one area of the watershed. filter strips and exploring options for planning and was initiated through the collaboration of the Van a three-year, Section 319 monitoring study conduct- Sanilac County abandoned wells zoning for protection of groundwater. The project Buren Conservation District and the Shelter Environ- ed by the Michigan State University Institute of Water In Sanilac County, abandoned wells were identi- also has a very strong information/education pro- ment Section of the Michigan Department of Public Research. The study demonstrated that water from fied as direct pathways for surface contaminants to gram directed at the primary pollutants. Health (MDPH). The project, which was funded with most shallow wells in the watershed exceeds the reach groundwater supplies located in the Cass River, Presque Isle aquifer protection a nonpoint source grant from 1990 through 1995, drinking water standard for nitrate (10 mgil). The Black River and Lake Huron watersheds. Since The Presque Isle aquifer is covered by thin gla- focused on eight key Van Buren County townships in intensive swine production which ranks the county groundwater is the primary source of drinking water cial-lacustrine sand overlying limestone bedrock with the Paw Paw River basin. ftrst in Michigan, has resulted in the over application for the residents in these watersheds, the Sanilac fractures and karst features, making it extremely vul- The project began in response to elevated levels of manure to a watershed that possesses an abundant Conservation District pursued and was awarded a nerable to contamination. To protect this groundwater of nitrates and detectable pesticides in drinking water but very vulnerable groundwater supply. In addition, Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program grant to begin resource - which covers some half a million acres - wells, particularly agricultural labor camps, identified in herbicides are also found in shallow well samples. sealing the wells. To date, 1,500 wells have been the Presque Isle Soil Conservation District, working 1984 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and by To address this problem, the University set as a mapped, cataloged and prioritized, and over 90 aban- under a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program grant, MD~H in 1989. Out of 87 agricultural labor camps goal 100 percent cooperation of the landowners in doned wells have been sealed. pulled together federal, state and local agencies. A tested by the MDPH, 8 percent exceeded the 10 partS the watershed, with integrated cropping plans being By requiring pesticide and fertilizer manage- comprehensive Geographic Information System was per million (ppm) drinking water standard for nitrates, developed for all farms. The plans provide for soil ment on all agricultural fields that received Section used to consolidate land use data, tax parcel identifica- and nearly half had detectable nitrates. The USGS testing, pest scouting and manure management. 319 funds, the threat of pesticide and fertilizer run- tion, structure location and address, soil survey, karst testing found 22 percent of the wells in four key town- Other activities include moving pigs off sensitive off has been reduced on approximately 38,000 acres features, oil and gas well information and water well ships met or exceeded 10 ppm for nitrates. lands, building manure management facilities, provid- of Michigan farmland. information, allof which was used to identify the high- As part of the non point source project, techni- ing erosion control, and buffering wetlands and other Garden Peninsula risk ponions of aquifer. Once areas at high risk to water cal and financial assistance was provided for ag- waterbodies. Groundwater in the Garden Peninsula in Michigan's contamination were identified, systems of Best Man- richemical containment facilities for fertilizers and To develop plans and install best manage- Upper Peninsula, provides all residents in the area with agement Practices needed to protect the aquifer were pesticides, chemical induction units for field appli- ment practices, the university pulled together drinking water. With limestone and dolomite bedrock identified, and an information/education program cation of agrichemicals, irrigation scheduling and the financial resources and expertise of several being close to the land surface, there is little soil to initiated to educate local residents of the risks to water irrigation system evaluations, irrigation well buffer agencies, including NRCS, Soil Conservation filter surface contaminants and the aquifer is currently quality and the potential impact their actions might strips, irrigation well check valves to prevent back- District, DEQ Nonpoint Source, Western Michi- suffering from elevated levels of bacteria and nitrates. have. Implementation of the best management practic- siphoning, integrated crop management, and aban- gan University, Michigan Department of Public Potential sources of these pollutants include on-site es began this year. doned well closures .• Health, University of Michigan, Van Buren/Cass sewage disposal, abandoned and poorly constructed County Health Department, MSU Extension, and drinking water wells, fenilizers and livestock waste. Groundwater: A step-by-step guide to the basics Penn Township, in addition to the agriculrural In 1996, the Delta-Menominee Health Depart- Continued from page 1 operations can be a source of animal wastes, pesti- community and homeowners. ment received a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program ter, the soil wiII have cleaned it up anyway, right? cides, fertilizers and petroleum products, and each To date, the project has made contact with all grant to develop an aquifer protection plan. The plan Not necessarily. The natural purification capability can affect groundwater quality differently. 19 producers and only one has refused to cooper- identifies the known and potential sources of ground- of the soil is limited. Many different and interde- But what can you do? If you are an agricultur- ate. Plans have been developed with the producers water pollution affecting the aquifer and the tools that pendent soil characteristics determine whether a al producer -large or small- start by participat- and Best Management Practices installed. Public willbe implemented. Implementation of an informa- contaminant actually reaches the groundwater - ing in the Michigan 'Groundwater Stewardship participation has pulled together homeowners and tion/education strategy and detailed site planning of characteristics that are out of your control, which Program offered through the Cass and Berrien farmers throughout the watershed; while farmers Best Management Practices began in August, 1997. illustrates the importance of understanding not County Conservation Districts. We can provide the are installing BMPs, homeowners are financing sew- Implementation \villinclude installation of only how your actions can impact the groundwa- education, technical assistance and, in some cases, ter, but how those actions ultimately affect the the financial assistance necessary to help you soil's natural ability to protect groundwater. identify and reduce risks to groundwater on your What are potential sources of groundwater farm. It's a free service. It's voluntary. And it's contamination? Groundwater is an equal opportunity confidential. victim of contamination. Contamination can come Groundwater. Your water. Go out and apply from anywhere, from urban and rural sources. Farm what you know so the water remains good for all.• Michigan's Groundwater Stewardship Program Continued from page 1 • Traverse City Regional Office: cost-share at the 90 percent level provided by the Kip Miller (MDA) or Roberta Dow (MSU-E) Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program. (616) 922-4620 Other practices being demonstrated and imple- E-Mail: dowr@msue.msu.edu mented with support of the program include using • Grand Rapids Regional Office: portable mMoad pads, well backflow prevention, Dave White (MDA) or Charles Gould (MSU-E) pre-sidedress soil nitrate testing, pesticide storage, (616) 456-6988 fertilizer containment and sprayer calibration. E-Mail:gouldm@msue.msu.edu For additional information please contact: • Michigan Department of Agriculture - PPPM - • Kalamazoo Regional Office: Groundwater Stewardship Program Terri Smith (MDA) or Sally Stuby (MSU-E) 4th Floor, North Ottawa Building Sycamore Creek Watershed Steering Committee member Sid Hawkins (far right) with Sue (616) 383-8830 Lansing, MI 48909 Tangora of the Ingham Conservation District. At left is Sid's son-in-law, Tony Igi. E-Mail:stuby@msue.msu.edu (517) 335-6529 • ~~~1~11~'~ Right-ta-Farm Guide Osceola-Lake Conservation District he Osceola-Lake Conservation District has acre. The net weight of a load of manure was T been parricipating in the Groundwater Stewardship Program since 1995. Here are some programs they have implemented. determined by using porrable scales. The area that this load covered was measured. With this information, tons of manure per acre was deter- Farm* A *Syst - a voluntary and confidential mined. Nutrient value of the manure can be program to help farmers evaluate farmstead practic- measured with a current manure test. From es that may pose a risk to ground\yater. Parricipants this, a balanced fertilizer recommendation can in the Farm*A*Syst program include 151 farmers in be made based upon the crop needs. Osceola County and the east half of Lake County. Demonstration plots - established for Technical assistance and cost-share practices manure application using three different tillage that are available through the groundwater pro- methods. No-till, conservation tillage and con- gram are: ventional tillage were evaluated. • lemporary chemical storage A 28 percent nitrogen applicator and • Nurse tanks nurse trailer - was purchased by the district. • Porrable mixing and loading pads A concern arose on the amount of nitrogen that • Abandoned well closures is leaching out of the roor zone when all the • Pre-sidedress nitrogen tests nitrogen is applied at corn planting time. Until • Split applications incentives the purchase of the applicator, area corn grow- • Manure testing and analysis ers did not have a convenient way of applying • Cover crops. nitrogen after the corn was planted. Following a Manure Calibration Workshop - held nitrate test, the 28 percent nitrogen is applied Osceola-Lake Conservation District members learned how to determine tons of manure to determine the tons of manure applied per as indicated by the test. • applied per acre through a manure calibration workshop_ Common-sense suggestions for practicing safer on-farm petroleum storage What is the least I should do'? • Utilize some kind of metering or recordkeeping was installed before 1988, upgrades must be and type of tank is NFPA395 with Michigan Use above-ground storage. system to ascertain fuel loss or leaking, and in- made before 1998! amendments . • Keep individual tank size less than 1,100 gallons, spect site on a regular basis. Other good ideas: • Aboveground tanks of more than l,100-gallon no more than three tanks per site, and separated • Maintain protection against tampering (padlock), • Stay with equipment during filland dispensing . capacity or underground tanks of less than 1,100- by a minimum distance of three feer. and utilize signage (Flammable - Keep Fire and • Fillequipment over impermeable surface. gallon capacity - Michigan State Police, Fire • Place the tank(s) on some kind of impermeable Flame Away). • Keep absorbent material on hand. Marshall Division, 7150 Harris Dr., Lansing, MI surface and a minimum of one foor ofTthe • Maintain appearance and integrity of tank with Petroleum storage tanks on Michigan farms 48913, phone (517) 322-1755. Laws controlling ground. corrosion-resistant paint . are regulated by the following agencies, according this size and type of tank are NFPA30 & 30A with • Keep tank(s) downslope more than 50 feet from • If you have an unused underground storage tank, to the size of the tank and the location - above or Michigan amendments. private drinking water well, minimum of 40 feet have it properly removed, or cleaned out and below the ground. • Underground tanks of more than l,lOO-gallonca- from buildings, and at least 25 feet from properry filled with inerr material. • Above-ground tanks of less than 1,loo-gallon pacity - Michigan Department of Environmental lines. • Do nor use old underground storage tanks for capacity - Michigan State Police, Fire Marshall Quality (MDEQ), Unde~und Storage Tank Divi- • Utilize some kind of barrier to prevent traffic above-ground fuel storage. Division, 7150 Harris Dr., Lansing, MI 48913, sion, Towne Cemer, Second Floor, P.o. Box 30157, from running into tanks . • If you have an underground storage tank that phone (517) 322-1755. Law controlling this size Lansing, MI 48909-7657, phone (517) 373-8168.• Protect your water supply from agricultural chemical backflow and contamination P reventing contamination and pollution of water (drinking water, surface water and groundwater) is everyone's responsibili- ty. Water contamination can occur from presum- started to drain out of the cut. The insecticide was siphoned out of the exterminator's truck through the garden hose and into the water system, contaminating the water supply. Re- backflow to occur if pressure in the water sys- tem is lost for any reason. Back-siphonage back- flow could result in the spray tank chemical solution being drawn back into the water sys- an "air gap." That is, do nor let the hose come into contact with the tank solution. Or use an approved backflow prevention device. Pesticides can present human health haz- ably innocent actions. Backflow from a polluted peated efforts to clean and flush the lines were tem or well, with disastrous results. ards. Therefore, pesticides are classified as or contaminated source into a water supply sys- not satisfactory and the entire plumbing system This back-siphonage backflow example can high-hazard materials when working with and tem by way of a cross-connection is one way had to be replaced. Fortunately, these situa- be prevented by using a technique as simple as around water supply sources .• contamination can occur. A cross-connection is a tions were discovered and corrected before connection or arrangement of piping through they caused permanent human injury or death. which backflow could occur. The following The prevention of such cross-connections is the events actually happened. focus of this bulletin. Herbicide in the water system One particular cross-connection requires "Yellow, gushy stuff' poured from faucets special attention: filling a chemical spray tank in a small Maryland town. The state banned with a hose from a potable water system. As drinking, cooking, bathing or using the water illustrated in the Pennsylvania case study, if the for any purpose except for flushing toilets. Pes- end of the hose can extend into the liquid in- ticides had contaminated the water supply, and side the tank, it is possible for back-siphonage among the contaminants was a commonly used, potent agricultural herbicide. Investigation of the problem revealed that water pressure in the town water main was tem- porarily reduced because of a water pump fail- ure. Coincidentally, a gate valve between a her- bicide holding tank and the town water supply piping had been left open. A cross-connection had been created that permitted the herbicide to flow into the portable water supply system. Upon restoration of water pressure, the herbi- cide flowed to faucets and orher outlets throughout the town. Insecticide contaminates Reduced-pressure zone assemblies water supply such as this are effective in Insecticides entered the water pipes of a protecting the potable water supply large apartment complex in Pennsylvania when from reverse (back) flow when a pest control operator used a garden hose subjected to the emergency from one of the apartment buildings to dilute conditions of back-siphonage and an insecticide in a tank truck. At the same time, back-pressure, even if both valves a city worker was cutting a 6-inch main line to fail. They are suitable for high install a valve. health-hazard conditions under The end of the garden hose was sub- continuous pressure. merged in the tank containing the insecticide when water to the area was shut off and lines were partially drained prior to the valve installa- tion. When the 6-inch water line was cut, water h'l :t'£T0 Right-ta-Farm Guide. 1'111 The Montcalm County Groundwater Stewardship Program by Don Meister, Groundwater Technician ter contamination. Address needs of Montcalm County Soil Conservation District Fifteen irrigation well samples will be fertilizer and pes- T he saying "ask, and ir shall be given you; pulled this summer and analyzed for nitrate ticide end-users seek, and you will find" was Iilerally ful- content. In May of 1995, filled in Montcalm County lasl year. In Protect groundwater from the Montcalm Water 1995,400 surveys were sent to agricultural pesti- direct sources of contamination Quality Stewardship cide and fertilizer end-users asking for their ideas A well closure demonstration was held last Committee was and feelings on groundwaler proleClion issues. summer. Those attending learned lhe impor- formed. This advisory The response was overwhelming and their mes- tance of decommissioning or "closing" aban- group meets on a quar- sage was clear - farmers want lO do more to pro- doned wells and how lO do it properly. In 1995, terly basis lO provide leel groundwater. The following are some of the 10 wells were properly decommissioned. An ad- guidance to borh the concerns identified by the survey, and what the ditional 40 wells were closed in 1996. One result Groundwater Steward- Montcalm County Groundwaler Stewardship Pro- of these well closures is that a well driller has ship Program and the gram is doing to address lhem. recently upgraded his equipmem lO better close Fish Creek 319 Water- Reduce fertilizer costs abandoned wells. shed Program. The Free soil nilrate lests were provided last Reduce impact farm structures and advisory group consists spring prior to sidedress time on 20 differem management activities have on of farm organizations, fields. The average nitrogen savings over 500 groundwater quality farmers, government acres was approximarely 70 pounds per acre, for As a result of completing Farm*A*Syst as- agencies and private a rmal COSI savings of aboul $7,000. sessments, farmers have implememed orher citizens. The goal for lhis year is lO pull soil nitrate praClices lO protect groundwater around their The challenge rests on 2,000 acres. Ten farmers have requested farms. Examples include building permanent ~he survey results soil nilrale sampling lhis spring, many of whom pesticide and fenilizer mix/load pads, installing have provided a rock- were participants from last year. backtlow prevemion devices on water lines from solid foundation for the Reduce nitrate movement wells, and puning in secondary comainmem Momcalm County from root zone strUelures around liquid fertilizer and fuel tanks. Groundwater Steward- Se\'en farms reduced the potential for Montcalm MSU Extension and the Mom- ship Program lO build nitrate leaching from over-irrigation by using calm Coumy Soil Conservation District recently on and will contribute lhe Natural Resources Conservation Service's sponsored a pesticide sprayer calibration clinic heavily lO its continued computerized irrigation scheduler. The schedul- for county farmers. Work with farmers on nutri- success in years lO er program provides weekly information (Q the ent analysis and correct application of manure is come. Success will be grower, based on crop and field inputs, on planned for this spring. Extension and the Soil measured as the needs when (Q irrigate. In addition, an assessment was Conservation District are also working with MSU of agricultural pesticide performed on 10 irrigation wells. None of these crop and soil scientists to reduce N applications and fertilizer end-users Portable mixing pads provide ample protection from pesticide wells were found (Q be conduits for groundwa- on poralOes through petiole analysis. are met.. leaking and spills. Innovative farmers of Huron County by Jim LeCureux, Agricultural Agent cerns. Through on-farm demonstrations, ground and Groundwater Stewardship Program. Herbicide injector systems Huron County Extension surface water protection practices are being modeled Fertilizer containment structures Farm~rs were interested in herbicide injector T he Innovative Farmers of Huron Counry was for farmers in the Thumb. Their results are drawing Applications were distributed lO farmers systems for several reasons. First, it allows the farmer organized in 1994 in response to agricultur- state as well as international aHention. interested in containment structures. The re- flexibiliryto spot spray fields with specific weed prob- al-related waler quality concerns in the Survey and Farm*A*Syst results sponse was overwhelming. Jim LeCureux, MSU lems. Second, injector systems drastically reduce the Saginaw Bay area. The intent of lhis group of farm- A survey of the group indicated that second- Extension agricultural agent in Huron County rinsate problems associated with conventional spraying ers is to show the agriculture industry's willingness ary fertilizer containment and herbicide injector and grant administralOr, called a Groundwater systems. Both reasons protect groundwater quality. lO address waler qualilY concerns identified systems were two prioriry areas of interest for Stewardship Team meeting lO develop a system The challenge lhroughout the Thumb region. groundwater prorection practices. Results from lO evaluate and prioritize the applications. A toral Protecting water quality is a serious maHer for Their approach Farm*A*Systs completed with area farmers by Sally of 27 applicams were evaluated and a decision this 76-member group. They are a 501 (c)3 organiza- The group's initial efforts were in developing Comer, MSU Exlension water quality agent, and was made (Q place four structures in Tuscola tion and they used 100 percent of their gram for a1lernative tillage systems that reduced erosion while Joyce Muz, MSU Extension water quality program Coumy, four in Huron County and one in Sagi- cost-share purposes (no overhead). Farmers and maintaining yields and family farm income - hence, assistant, also supported the need for these practic- naw County. Later, additional funds were re- the public can see the results of their on-farm re- the "innovative" in lheir name. While this is still a es. With this information as a foundation, a gram ceived for anorher structure. Russ Shepard, Natu- search during the annual "plot tour." Their chal- major area of emphasis, they are using the same proposal to cost-share on these practices was sub- ral Resources Conservation Service engineer, will lenge is to send a clear message that agriculture approach lOaddress groundwater protection con- miHed to and subsequently funded by the Michigan design the containment structures. cares about water resources .• USDA research yields clues to reduce potential herbicide leaching into groundwater U S.Department of Agriculture researchers are finding clues lO why some farm practices and soil properties help reduce the chance that herbi- "Once we better characterize all the process- es that affect pesticide degradation and leaching, Novak added that atrazine leaching may actually be reduced in low-lying areas of fields because those sorbed so less gets leached into groundwater. Herbicide leaching and runoff is being studied we can design more environmentally friendly man. spots are poorly drained and have greater carbon at several ARS laboratories including Beltsville, Md.; cides - chemicals used for weed control - make agement practices for farmers," said Novak. "Con- buildup. With increased carlxm more atrazine is ab- Tifton, Ga.; Ames, Iowa; and Morris, Minn .• their way imo groundwater. servation tillage encourages the growth of mi- "We've found that conservation tillage reduc- crobes living in the carbon-enriched lOpsoil. es the likelihood of some herbicides like atrazine These microbes degrade pesticides, reducing the reaching groundwater, particularly in sandy, coast. likelihood they'll end up where we don't want al plain soils," said I. Miley Gonzalez, USDA's Un- them - in ground and surface waters." der Secrelary for Research, Education and Eco- Novak studied the fate of the herbicide atra- nomics. "Leaving plant residue on the surface zine, applied to Iowa glacial and Carolina sandy increases the organic matter in the top soH layer. coastal soils. The sciemists selected atrazine be- That increases the soil's ability to retain herbicides cause of its use on millions of acres of U.S. crop- like atrazine and reduces the porential for leaching land and its frequent detection in ground and into groundwater." surface water. In Illinois and Nebraska, millions of Jeffrey M. Novak of USDA's Agricultural Re- pounds of the chemical are used each year to search Service is currently studying the effects of control weeds, mainly in corn fields. various tillage practices on pesticide leaching at "Our studies in Iowa showed that soil fea. the ARS Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Re- lUres such as landscape position and organic car- search Center in Florence, S.c. He presents his bon content greatly influence the amount of atra- findings lOday at a meeting of the American Chern. zine retained or absorbed," he said. "Soil aggre- ical Society in Las Vegas, Nev. gate size had little if any effecr on this process." Recent studies by the USDA have found new clues to help fight against herbicide leaching. l. Gratiot County Groundwater Stewardship Program liquid fertilizer storage by Angie Reeves, Groundwater Technician uus weak areas on the verge of rupturing were geomembrane material laid on top. Vertical steel The third site, the Weburg farm, wanted an Gratiot County Soil Conservation District discovered around the tank. tanks, with the potential of storing up to 70,000 enclosed, roofed facility. A 30' x 42' cement I nGratiot County, 'there are a significant This incident, combined with other related gallons, were placed on 6-inch platforms of pea- berm, covered with a geomembrane liner, was number of on-farm liquid fertilizer srorage concerns, prompted the local Groundwater gravel within the berm. The advantage of an constructed and six 12,000-gallon fiberglass facilities. Very few of them, however, are Stewardship Team to identify secondary contain- earthen berm is the low cost of expanding or tanks placed on cement pads inside it. The floor protected with secondary containment in the ment for on-farm storage of liquid fertilizer as a moving the facility. The total cost for this facility of the containment is 8 feet below the ground event of a spill or leak. Case in point as rold ro high priority of the Gratiot County Groundwater was $6,730. with an entrance door at ground level. A catwalk me by a local farmer. This farmer visually in- Stewardship Program. The team decided to cost- Protection from the elements was important enables the producer to gain access to the stor- spected his liquid fertilizer tanks from time to share three containment facilities at 50 percent, at the second site, the Don and Roger Gable age tanks for loading and unloading. The cost of time, and they appeared structurally sound and up to $5,000. They then chose three sites to farm. A 36' x 46' treated lumber berm, lined with this facility exceeded $20,000. in good shape. He said he was confident they receive funding. MSU Extension provided infor- geomembrane material, was constructed under a Our experience with these three different wouldn't leak. One day a tank sprung a leak. mation about alternative types of secondary pole-type building to help protect six 6,500-gallon designs indicates the most cost-effective sec- Fortunately, his hired help noticed the leak containment structure, and then each facility polypropylene tanks from the sun's damaging ondary containment structure is the earthen soon after it developed, so the amount of fertil- was individually designed by a Natural Resourc- rays. The cost for this facility was $11,970. The berm. Its only undesirable feature is the routine izer leakage was kept to a minimum. However, es Conservation Service engineer to fit the advantage of this type of facility is that the liner need for pumping out rainwater. Randy Litwiller with no secondary containment, the resuhs unique needs of the producer. and tanks can be removed and the building used sums up his feelings about his secondary con- could have been disastrous. Afterwards, upon The first site was the Randy Litwiller farm. for other things if at some point there is no long- tainment with one sentence, "Just knowing it is close inspection with a heavy hammer, numer- A 64' x 36' earthen berm was formed and a er a need to store liquid nitrogen. there allows me to sleep better at night.'. Property owners hear water quality speaker T he quality of water in Bear Lake is of partic- ular concern to everyone who lives in this area, bur it was pointed our by a guest speaker at the recent Bear Lake Property Owners pices of the Groundwater Stewardship Pro- gram, there is money to reimburse property owners for about 80 percent of the cost, and Stall is available to give technical assistance. ered non-toxic (such as "Milorganite") are nutrient-rich and can aid weed growth. Malfunctioning septic systems can pro- vide similar nutrients, if not actual bacteria. Officers of the property owners group were directed to write letters to the state and county highway departments, drain commis- sion, and county and township boards, re- meeting that the quality of the "lake" that exiSl\) Dug or driven wells that are not closed Some older systems were placed quite close garding the continued neglect of some form under our feet may have just as much impact as the are a permanent "straight pipe".ro the aquifer to the shoreline before there were any rules of water retention or cleansing of storm water water that laps the shore in front of our homes. below, with any surface contamination (pesti- regarding placement, and some "systems" runoff into Bear Lake, with a decision to be- Murray Stall, groundwater technician with cides, herbicides, hazardous waste) easily consist of just a 50-gallon oil drum. Owners gin a petition to those bodies at the annual the Mason Lake and Manistee County Conserva- entering our drinking water. Stall urges any- who aren't sure about the efficacy of their meeting. Individual members were in turn tion Districts, detailed a new program available one who knows of the existence of such wells systems should have them inspected by a urged to contact their own local officials or to to homeowners in the county called to consider closing them permanently. Stall knowledgeable person or plumbing firm. attend local meetings .• . Home* A*Syst, which lets property owners eval- can be reached through the Manistee County . uate the water and waste treatment systems in Conservation District at 8840 Chippewa Hwy . their own homes and determine where prob- (near Nine Mile Rd.), phone (616) 889-4761 lems may occur. The group was asked to divide for further information. a pie chart into sah water, fresh water and Discussion after Stall's presentation cen- "available" fresh water and were surprised to tered around several topics. The fact that discover that salt water takes up well over two- Manistee County has no method of disposal thirds of the chart, and a very small sliver rep- for household hazardous waste was lamented. resents the fresh water that is available. Counties surrounding this area have all man- After delineating the material in the aged to hold at least annual "Household Haz- Home* A*Syst packets (site assessment, man- ardous Waste Disposal Days," but Manistee aging household trash and hazardous waste, County has not yet been able to provide this yard and garden care, well management, sep- service for its citizens. tic systems, and handling liquid fuels), Stall Attendees also questioned the continued discussed common problems that affect problem of storm drains that deposit runoff groundwater and possible solutions. Ground- directly into Bear Lake. One person men- water is fairly easy to protect with some com- tioned that a new U.S. 31 drain is presently mon-sense forethought, but very hard to being constructed on the north edge of Bear clean up once contaminated. Lake Village that has no retention area. Sah, One of the initial thrusts of the Michi- oil and other fluids generated by automobiles gan Groundwater Stewardship Program is the are dumped directly into the laKe. closing of abandoned wells - not a small Another ongoing problem is lakefront problem in this part of Michigan where there lawns that are fertilized. Homeowners should, are so many old farmsteads. Closing an aban- if possible, leave a stretch of natural vegeta- doned well costs about $100, and can only be tion between the lawn and water and should Earlier this year, Bear Lake property owners in Manistee County learned how they can done legally by a property owner or a li- never place fertilizer any closer than 30 feet protect their environment through the Home-A-Syst program. censed well-driller. However, under the aus- to the water. Even fertilizers that are consid- Agricultural environmental facts and trends I ist useful to summarize some of the recent trends in pesticide and fertilizer use, and water quality. They all indicate that agriculture is working from 1980 to 1993- Sources: USDA and Potash and Phosphate Institute erodible land will reduce erosion an additional 5 tons/Nyr, or 50 to 60 percent compared to levels existing in 1990 when compliance began. Howev- from 4.1 tons per acre per year in 1982 to 3.1 tons per acre per year in 1992 (a 25 percent re- duction). The average rate of wind erosion crop- to reduce the amount of inputs applied and increas- • Since 1986, Farm Bureau's Cooperative \XellWater er, voluntary erosion control efforts before 1990 land fell from 3.3 tons per acre per year to 2.5 ing the efficiency of use of those inputs that are Testing Program has assisted over 58,000 farm had already produced 14.1tons/A/yr of erosion tons per acre per year over the same period (a 24 applied. families in 24 states to test their well water for control on highly erodible land, or 2.75 times percent reduction). These rates are well within • Crop protection chemical use on corn, soybeans, nitrate. As ofJanuary, 1995, Heidelberg College's more erosion control than all the efforts of con- most soils' natural ability to sustain productivity. wheat and sorghum was down 24 percent be- Water Quality Laboratory in Tiffm, Ohio, has tested servation compliance will produce. Source: 1992 NRI, USDA SCS tween 1982 and 1992. For these crops, insecti- 42,983 of those samples. Only 3.9 percent of those Sources: SWCS and AFBF 1992 • Wetlands drainage due to agriculture averaged cide use was down 50 percent and herbicide use samples were above the Safe Drinking Water Act • Crop residue management (CRM) leaves at least only 29,000 acres per year between 1987 and 1991. was down 21 percent. standard of 10 parts per million (ppm) nitrate- 15 percent of the soil surface covered with old (That's down from 157,000 acres per year between Source: Agricultural Resources and Environ- nitrogen. Over 84 percent of the wells fell below stalks and leaves which dissipate raindrop impact 1974 and 1983, and is about one-founeenth as mental Indicators. 1995, USDA ERS Agricul- 3 ppm, which is generally considered to be within and wind erosion. Various forms of CRMare now much as the annual loss estimate of 398,000 acres tural Handbook Number 705. P 90 natural background levels. used on 61 percent of all planted acres. No-till per year for the period 1954 to 1974.) And, that • Integrated Pest Management (lPM) reduced in- Sources: AFBF and Heidelberg College soybean acreage rose dramatically from 2.2 mil- does nor count the restoration of over 400,000 secticide use on cotton by 74 percent over a six- • Erosion on 36.5 million acres of Conservation lion acres in 1989 to 15.8 million acres in 1995. acres of wetlands during the last five years via the year period from 1976 to 1982. During that time, Reserve Program land is down 90 percent to No-till is one form of CRMand can reduce ero- Conservation Reserve Program, Wedands Reserve planted acreage declined only 2.5 percent and around 1 ton/Nyr. (Most soils naturally regener- sion by 90 percent. Favorable yields and reduced Program and orher private programs. Meanwhile, average cotton yields increased by 27 percent. ate at rates of 2 to 12 tons/ac/yr.) costs have keyed CRM's rapid growth. urban drainage of wetlands now accounts for over Source: USDA Source: SWCS 1992 Source: CTIC 1995 54 percent of wetland losses each year. • Nitrogen-use efficiency of U.S. corn grain (based • The government's conservation compliance • The National Resources Inventory found the Source: 1992 NRI, USDA SCS & Agricultural on a five-year rolling average) is up 21 percent requirements for 135 million acres of highly average sheet and rill erosion on cropland fell Handbook # 705 • N FARM Right-to-Farm Guide Plugging abandoned wells killed by falling into wells that are left open. What is an abandoned • They are a health hazard because they serve as well? potential routes for groundwater contamination. A n abandoned well is a well that is no longer in use or that is in such disrepair that groundwater can no longer be obtained from it. Many of these wells are poorly constructed or badly deteriorated, and can allow runoff water (carrying bacteria, sediment, fertilizer, pesticides, Wells that are contaminated and pose a health risk and other chemicals) to flow directly down into also meet Michigan"s legal definition of a/i aban- groundwater. This bypasses the natural filtering doned well. and degradation processes that can take place as No one knows exactly how many aban- these materials move through the soil. doned wells there are in Michigan, but experts • They may allow contaminated or poor quality estimate that there may be more than one mil- water to move between aquifers. An abandoned lion! Each year, many wells are abandoned when well that connects two water-bearing geologic they are replaced with new wells or when homes formations (aquifers) of different quality may are connected to community water systems. An allow lower-quality water to migrate into and abandoned well that is not plugged, or that is degrade a higher-quality aquifer. plugged improperly, is a hazard to the health and • They may lead to unnecessary waste of water safety of the people living around it. If you are (if the abandoned well is an artesian or flow- not sure if you have an abandoned well on your ing well). property, please refer to the section entitled, "How can I find out if I have an abandoned well Why must abandoned on my property?" wells be plugged? Merely capping an abandoned well is not What problems do enough to prevent it from becoming a problem. abandoned wells In order to protect the health and safety of the Dan Waldron, owner of Waldron Drilling is shown pumping bentonite slurry into the well present? people living near them, these wells must be casing of an abandoned well located in a soybean field on the Hugh Roberts farm near properly plugged (or sealed) soon after aban- • They are a public safety hazard. People (especial- Carson City. Once the casing was sealed with the bentonite, the well casing was cut off donment. ly children) and small animals may be injured or three feet below the surface. The windmill and rigging are to be removed and the well pit You should realize that you are required by filled with soil so the land over the old well can be farmed without causing the state law to have your unused well(s) properly groundwater to be contaminated. plugged. You may save money by having your old well plugged at the same time a new well is being it is a rock well or a sand/gravel (screened) bedrock). drilled. Protecting the quality of your new well by well. • Sand/gravel wells — should be plugged by having your old well(s) properly plugged is a filling with neat cement, concrete grout, wise investment! Can I plug the well high-solids bentonite slurry, bentonite chips, You should also be aware that you may be myself? or bentonite pellets. Apply materials as de- held potentially liable under Michigan's Polluter In most cases, driven wells and large diame- scribed in the next section. Pay Law (1982 PA-307 as amended by 1990 PA- ter dug wells can be successfully plugged by non- • Rock wells — should be plugged by filling 234) if groundwater contamination is shown to professionals with a minimal amount of special with neat cement or concrete grout from the have been caused by your abandoned well. Thus equipment. Be aware, however, that a poor well bottom of the well to at least 20 feet above spending a few dollars now to properly plug your plugging job is no better than an open well! The the top of the bedrock. Bentonite is not ac- abandoned well may prevent you from having to use of improper materials or methods can lead ceptable for plugging the rock portion of the pay large sums of money for restoration and to groundwater contamination. Also, once a well well! The remainder of the well (from 20 feet cleanup costs in the future! has been plugged improperly, it is quite costly to above the bedrock up to the surface) should correct, since the defective plug must be drilled be plugged with neat cement, concrete Procedures common out. Thus, it is often wise to seek qualified help grout, high-solids bentonite slurry, bentonite chips or bentonite pellets. to the plugging of all by contacting a Michigan licensed water well wells drilling contractor. They have the special tools, equipment, and skills needed to properly plug Well plugging There are three types of water wells used in Michigan, and the recommended plugging proce- wells. materials and dures differ for each type of well. It is recommended that wells with one or placement more of the following characteristics be plugged recommendations * Though the particular method to be used by well drilling professionals only: for plugging a well depends upon the type of Careful selection and use of materials are • Drilled wells well and the existing geological conditions, sev- essential to effective well plugging. Never use • Flowing wells eral steps are common to the plugging of all waste materials for well plugging! Plugging ma- • Wells greater than 100 feet deep abandoned wells: terials are used to prevent water from migrating • Wells where water is seeping from around the • Contact your local health department to re- into or between aquifers. They are less perme- casing quest a copy of the well log. This is a record able to water than native soil or rock. The fol- • Wells that produce gas filed by the well driller upon completion of lowing well plugging materials are approved for • Wells where pumping equipment is difficult to the well. It provides information on well use in Michigan: remove. depth, casing diameter, depth to water, geo- • Neat cement — a mixture of one 94-pound logic formations penetrated, and more. Specific plugging bag of Portland cement (Type I or IA) to not • Remove all pumping equipment, pipes, de- more than six gallons of water. Portland ce- bris, and other obstructions from the well. requirements based ment is readily available at building supply • Measure the well depth and casing diameter on well type stores. to determine the volume of plugging materi- U Driven wells — can be abandoned by ex- • Concrete grout — a mixture of neat cement al needed. A weighted tape or string is suit- tracting the casing and filling the remaining with 1 cubic foot of sand or aggregate added able for this purpose. hole with neat cement, bentonite slurry, or per bag of cement. • Plug the well using the materials and proce- bentonite chips or pellets. The casing may • Bentonite clay — a swelling clay available as dures described in the next two sections of also be left in place. The plugging materials granules or powder that can be mixed with this bulletin. should be applied as described in the next water to form a high-solids slurry, or as chips • Remove/cut off the well casing at least 4 feet section. or pellets that swell in water to form an effec- below ground level to eliminate interference • Dug wells — due to the large volume of tive plug. Bentonite clay can be purchased with future use of the site and damage to these wells, fill materials (such as clean soil) from water well drilling supply stores. excavation equipment. Generally, well cas- may be used to reduce plugging costs. A lay- Other plugging materials and methods ings are not required to be removed entirely. er of bentonite chips or pellets at least 6 may be used on a case-by-case basis if prior • Mound and compact low permeability soil inches thick should be placed at the bottom approval is given by the local health depart- over the plugged well to prevent ponding of of the well and at the water level. Layers of ment. surface water above the site. clean soil not more than 10 feet thick are Neat cement, concrete grout, and high- It is important for you to know the type of then placed alternately with layers of bento- solids bentonite slurry must be placed continu- abandoned well you have prior to plugging. The nite chips or pellets (at least 6 inches thick) ously from the bottom of the well up to the three types of wells are: between each soil layer. The upper 4 feet of surface through a pipe (1"- 2") extending to the m Driven wells — consist of a pointed well concrete crock, stone, or brick should be bottom of the well. The pipe is gradually with- screen attached to 1.25- or 2-inch steel pipe removed. Prior to backfilling and mounding, drawn as the plugging material is placed. The driven into the ground, generally to depths a layer of bentonite chips or pellets at least 6 use of neat cement or bentonite slurry requires of 30 feet or less. inches thick should be laid down, followed special mixing and pumping equipment, which A Dug wells — are large diameter wells (12 by the addition of water to expand the bento- well drilling contractors have. inches or greater) excavated generally into nite. Bentonite chips or pellets are effective well shallow aquifers, with the well bore support- • Drilled wells — should be plugged by well plugging materials that are simple to use. These ed by stone, brick, concrete, tile, or other drilling professionals only! These wells may materials do not require special mixing or pump- curbing material. be several hundred feet deep, and removal of ing equipment and are placed into the well by •i Drilled wells — are wells generally deeper pumping equipment may require special pouring. The large particle size (3/8"- 3/4") falls than 30 feet, eased with 2- to 6-inch steel equipment. The specific plugging procedures rapidly through water. However, bridging may pipe or 5-inch plastic pipe. When plugging a depend on whether the well is a sand/gravel occur if the bentonite is poured too fast or if fine drilled well, it is important to know whether (screened) well or a rock well (i.e. drilled in powder that accumulates in the shipping contain- er is not sifted out. Bridging is when the plug. municipal well may cost several thousand dollars ging material fails to fall and accumulates above to plug. Costs can be reduced by having your old an open space. The bridge may collapse later, well plugged at the same time your new well is resulting in an incomplete and ineffective seal. being drilled. Since an unplugged abandoned well The chips or pellets have a greater chance of can contaminate your water supply well, the cost bridging in small diameter wells and in deep of plugging is a worthwhile investment. wells. A pouring rate not to exceed 10 pounds of material per minute is recommended for 4.inch How can I find out if I diameter or larger wells. For 2. or 3-inch diame. have an abandoned ter wells, a rate not to exceed 5 pounds per minute is recommended. When plugging 1.25. well on my property? A simple look around may help you identify inch driven wells, the chips or pellets should be an abandoned well. The most obvious evidence placed individually. of an abandoned well is a pipe sticking out of the Bentonite chips or pellets should be ground. Typically, a well casing will be a metal poured into the well through a funnel with a pipe that is 1.25 to 6 inches in diameter. A small spout about half the diameter of the well. A concrete slab or a manhole cover may be the simple 2' x 2' trough made of hardware cloth sign of a pit where an abandoned well is located. with .25.inch openings can be placed on the A ring of rocks, bricks, or concrete 12 to 36 inch. edge of the funnel to sift out the fine powder. es or more in diameter may be sign of a dug well. During plugging, check the well periodically Windmills are often located over abandoned with a pipe or a weighted tape to make sure wells, and an old shed may be an old well house. that bridging has not occurred. If a bridge has Also, a broken or inoperative hand pump may be formed, it should be broken with the pipe or connected to a well that should be plugged. drilled out. Once the chips or pellets have been Some abandoned wells may be more diffi. brought to the surface, water should be poured cult to identify. Many are hidden amongst weeds in to expand the bentonite above the water in or patches of brush. A depression in the ground the well. may occur where an old well was buried. A wet How much plugging area may indicate that a flowing well was never properly plugged. material do I need? To help' you determine if you have an aban- The table is useful in determining how doned well on your property, you may wish to much plugging material is needed. When plug. consult: ging wells drilled in bedrock, it is a good idea to • Former property owners or neighbors, who have additional material on hand. Borehole irreg- may remember where a well was located ularities increase the volume of plugging material • Old photographs, which may show windmills, required. sheds, houses, or other locations where old Are there any wells might be found • Well drillers, who may remember (or have reporting records of) where they drilled a well that is no requirements? longer being used Well Feet of well plugged Yes. You are required by state law to file a • Fire insurance plan drawings, which may con. Diameter Volume per lineal foot Neat cement Bentonite chips record of the well plugging with the local health tain information about old wells (inches) (cubic feet) (gallons) (per 94 lb. Bag) (per 50 lb. Bag) department. This report should include the type • Your local health department, which may have 1 .25 0.01 0.07 118.0 70.0 of plugging material used and the method of records of wells located in your area. 2 0.02 0.17 51.3 31.3 placement. Forms for this purpose are available from the local health department. A copy of the Who can I contact for 3 0.05 0.38 23.1 14.3 plugging report should also be filed with the information and/or 4 0.09 0.66 13.4 7.9 property deed. assistance? 5 0.14 1.00 8.5 5.1 • Your local health department How much will • Licensed well drilling contractors (in the Yellow 6 0.20 1.50 5.9 3.5 plugging my Pages under Water Well Drilling & Service) 8 0.35 2.60 3.4 2.0 abandoned well cost? • The Michigan Well Drillers Association at 12 0.80 6.00 2.1 0.9 Costs vary depending on the well depth, (313) 428-0020 18 1.77 13.20 0.7 0.4 asing diameter, the amount of plugging material • Your local Soil Conservation District office 24 3.14 23.50 0.4 0.2 used, and other factors. A shallow driven well may • The Michigan Departmem of Public Health Well 36 7.07 53.00 0.2 0.1 e plugged for as little as $25, whereas a deep Construction Unit at (517) 335-9183. Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Initiative Operation Green Stripe R: ust 10 feet of vegetation along a stream can T he l,OOO-square-mile watershed of nearly pris- tine Grand Traverse Bay, which empties imo orthern Lake Michigan, is one of Michigan's fast- a subwatershed that is rapidly urbanizing. City and township planners in three communities worked together to formulate the plan. The ral resource maps that delineated individual land parcels, enabling owners to identify their own property. One parcel was selected, and the • trap up to 70 percent of the sediment that erodes from fields. Vegetative buffer strips can st-growing areas. In 1990 residents formed the resource base was inventoried to categorize meeting's leader suggested various options to also reduce chemical runoff and provide wild- Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Initiative to preserve sensitive areas, and existing zoning ordinances the owner. Rather than saying the landowner life habitat. FFA chapters are recruiting farmers he region's water resources. The membership in- were examined to determine areas where the should not develop the property, the leader to plant buffer strips under Operation Green ludes approximately 100 economic developmem laws have compatible language. The goal was to noted that subdivision could be designed to Stripe. Agricultural retailers provide free grass orporations, citizen organizations, land conservan- develop a plan that all three communities could accommodate natural resources. seed, and Monsanto Company contributes edu- ies, local governmems, chambers of commerce buy into. The International joint Commission, a cational grants to FFA chapters based on the nd educational imerests. Commitmem of staff and The process was proactive, nonconfronta- treaty organization between the United States number of farmers the students recruit. The unding is totally volumary. tional, open and participatory. Newspaper ad- and Canada for resolving disputes over bound- program is voluntary and proactive, as well as In its four years of existence, the partners vertisements and postcards mailed to residents ary waters, has recommended Grand Traverse educational. ave undertaken 55 projects. One innovative actively encouraged attendance at public meet- Bay as a model for other rapidly developing Operation Green Stripe was inaugurated in nitiative involved developing a master plan for ings. Those who participated were shown natu- localities around the Great Lakes .• 1992 with a demonstration program in Wiscon- sin. By 1993 it had expanded to 16 states. The Natural Resources Conservation Service helps Selecting the proper backflow prevention device promote Operation Green Stripe with farmers ackflow prevention devices are available in a and provides technical assistance on planning B wide range of types and styles. They range rom small, simple units to large, complex assem- MSU, discusses backflow prevention in chemiga- tion. Also, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) has developed a standard for jection into irrigation and similar water systems. This publication, ASAEEP 409, can be obtained by calling the ASAEat (616) 429-0300, FAX(616) and installing the buffer strips. The midwestern region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has lies. The selection of the most appropriate device safety devices. "Safety Devices for Chemigation" 429-3852, or writing ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., committed financial resources to expand the epends on the particular situation. Pesticides are addresses backflow prevemion for chemical in- St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 .• program. onsidered a health hazard and require a device Environmental organizations also are be. hat will protect the water supply from high haz- coming involved. Organizations such as Pheas- rd conditions and materials. Exercise consider- ants Forever provide advice on the best grasses ble care when selecting a device. Any device se- for attracting wildlife. The Nature Conservancy ened to protect the potable water supply from has identified watersheds where Operation ross-connection backflow comamination must be Green Stripe can help maimain biodiversity. pproved for use by the state and meet local and Markets for pesticides include the agricul- tate plumbing codes. tural industry, forestry, utility lines, municipal Additional help in developing suitable landscaping, and homeowners. Rather than ross-connection controls is available from expe- taking the unrealistic approach of eliminating enced licensed plumbers, represematives of the pesticides, the chemical industry believes that anufacturers of approved backflow prevention it is the praC[ice itself that should be addressed. evices, your local supplier or the Agricultural With Operation Green Stripe, Monsanto has ngineering Department at Michigan State Uni- taken a proactive approach that reduces runoff ersity. Extension Bulletin E-2099. "Using Chemi- of pesticides while greatly decreasing siltation in ation Safely and Effectively," available from An example of the many types and styles of backflow prevention devices on the market. streams .• Developing Groundwater Stewardship Teams Yourchance to make the Groundwater Stewardship Team. People who make their liv- Michigan's Stewardship Program work for you! ing as pesticide and nitrogen fertilizer users are Groundwater T he Groundwater Stewardship Program is needed to ensure that the GSP meets their Stewardship designed to meet the groundwater pro- needs. Representatives from various agencies Program tection needs of local pesticide and nitro. and/or organizations with an interest in agricul- • Prioritize local gen fertilizer users. Through these efforts, the ture and groundwater should also consider needs for educa- Groundwater Stewardship Program is promoting membership. Commodity groups, agribusiness- tion, demonstra- the development of local Groundwater Steward- es, local health departments and general citi- tion and cost-share ship Teams. zens offer valuable input, and are welcome to • Determine cost- join as well. share practices, Groundwater Stewardship Teams pro- rates and vide information and access to resources for recipients , groundwater protection at the local level. • Generate and They serve to request and give input for the share innovative local groundwater technician. Technical assis- ways to rescue tance and cost-share opportunities are re- groundwater risks viewed and prioritized by the team. Team • Support farmer-to- members offer unique and innovative ap- farmer education proaches for addressing groundwater con- • Provide feedback cerns. These team members are part of the on implementation local community, so they provide visibility of statewide GSP and credibility to the groundwater program • Serve as an educa- and its activities. tional resource .• Groundwater Stewardship Teams: .Discuss local groundwater issues and concerns .Provide a collective voice for direction of What are Groundwater Stewardship Teams'? Groundwater Stewardship Teams (GST) are part of Michigan's Groundwater Stewardship Pro- gram (GSP). They provide a collective voice for pesticide and nitrogen fertilizer users in determin- ing the direction of the statewide program. GSTs help ensure that local information, technical assistance, demonstration projects and cost-share opportunities supported by the Michi- gan Groundwater Stewardship Program meet local needs and interests. They can also serve as local forums to communicate the groundwater protection activities, needs, and concerns of the pesticide and nitrogen fertilizer users to the nonagricultural community. Who belongs on a Groundwater Team'? Anyone who has an interest in protecting Michigan's groundwater may join a Groundwater Existing activities for groundwater protection roUghout Michigan, there are many suc- mental degradation. IPM is an economically viable Service (NRCS).With their help, a survey of various because of a lack of proper disposal meth- cess stories of organizations and individuals method of pest management. farmstead activities is performed. A number of activ- ods. These chemicals pose health, fire, and ~ taking a proactive role to protect their Scouting, the process of examining fields to ities are ranked according to the risks they pose to groundwater contamination hazards. groundwater supplies. The existing programs out- gather important information, is a critical aspect of groundwater. Some of the topics include: Clean Sweep is a one-day drop off event that lined in this section are intended to serve as models IPM. Scouting can be done by the farmer or can be • Drinking water well condition collects unwanted pesticides from farmers. In and offer ideas for protecting groundwater. Each contracted out to a Certified Crop Adviser. With- • Pesticide storage and handling 1994, 34 counties disposed of 54 tons of unusable community is different. A terrific program in one out a thorough knowledge of the biological and • Petroleum product storage pesticides. They were safely disposed of in hazard- region may not be suitable for another. However, environmental interactions, IPM will not be suc- • Hazardous waste management ous waste landfills and incinerators at an approxi- community involvement and action will help in cessful. • Livestock management mate cost of $1.77 a pound. The Environmental selecting potentially successful groundwater protec- Some of the questions asked when scouting • Silage storage. Protection Agency (EPA)funds a large amount of tion projects. may include: The results from the assessment provide this disposal cost. The highlighted projects offer a cross-section .What type of species are in the field? both a measure of the relative risk of various farm- The Michigan Department of Agriculture of programs throughout Michigan. Some are orga . • Is it a pest species? stead activities on groundwater and how site-spe- (MDA) directs the Clean Sweep Program, but dele- nized at a state level, but implemented at a local .What stage of development is the pest in? cific conditions affect the risk level. gates the planning and publicity to local communi- level. Other projects are community groups edu- .Is the pest above or below economic threshold? The Farm.A.Syst program does not: ty members. Local farmers, area commodity cating neighbors and intluencing elected officials Mter these questions are addressed, a man- • Report actual groundwater contamination groups, or Extension agents may take the lead in to make changes to protect their valuable re- agement system is designed for each specific • Determine if you have a clean groundwater the program. source. Also highlighted are programs that aim to field. It may include utilizing crop rotation sys- supply Communities may charge a small fee for educate individuals so they will realize that chang- tems, using pest-resistant varieties of plants, • Guarantee your groundwater will never be disposal, especially if someone has an unusually ing their behavior can make a difference. destroying the pest's habitat or breeding areas, contaminated. large amount of material. As one participant stat- What is agriculture doing'? removing infected plants, or changing irrigation This program is effective because farm- ed, "It was the best insurance policy money could Individuals in the agricultural sector are work. or ventilation patterns. stead operators are provided with technical buy. The fee was worth it to know the chemicals ing hard to maintain their role as stewards of the IPM is a very practical way to help reduce the assistance to assess their current practices on a were safely removed from my farm." land. Through practices such as crop rotation, no- threat of groundwater contamination from pesti- confidential, voluntary basis without fear of The collection sites change yearly to focus till farming, soil testing, the use of filter strips, and cides, and can be very successful in reducing sole regulation. Many farmers have discovered that on different regions of Michigan. In the future, programs such as pesticide container recycling and reliance on pesticides. With a more diversified their actions may pose a risk to groundwater MDA plans to open three to six permanent drop- certification for pesticide applicators, negative im. management practice for a farmer to employ, less and have found alternatives that can be simple off sites throughout the state. pacts on our natural resources are being reduced. pesticides are being applied in a more reasonable and inexpensive. If you are interested in this program, contact Described below are some programs currently be- and economic manner. The success of this assessment program has your local Extension office or the MDA. ing implemented by the agricultural sector. Farm. A.Syst paved the way for other programs that are cur- What is the residential sector doing? Integrated pest management Issue: Farmstead practices may be placing rently being developed, including Field.A.Syst, Everyday living can have an impact on Issue: Over-application of pesticides may an individual's drinking water and Turf.A.Syst and Home.A.Syst. groundwater quality. The way you clean your lead to chemicals leaching to groundwater. surrounding surface water at risk. Contact MSUEor NRCS for more information home, manage your lawn, or maintain your sep- Integrated pest management (lPM) is utiliza- Farm.A.Syst is a voluntary and confidential about the Farm. A.Syst program. tic system impacts groundwater. The residential tion of all available tactics and strategies to man- farmstead assessment program. Technical assistance Clean Sweep Program sector is becoming involved in activities such as age pests, which results in an acceptable yield and is provided by Michigan State University Extension Issue: Over the years, farmers hav~ stored recycling and waste reduction, all steps in quality product with the least amount of environ. (MSUE) and the Natural Resources Conservation unwanted chemical pesticides on the farm groundwater protection .•