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PIMA Demonstrated in Microwatershed
| Over a span of five years, the 3,652
acre Goose Branch microwatershed in north central Texas
provided TIAER with an opportunity to demonstrate the
viability of its Planned Intervention Microwatershed Approach,
a new model for addressing agricultural nonpoint source
water pollution. With eight dairy producers and approximately
4,800 cows, Goose Branch was selected because of its intense
dairy use. |
TIAER defines a microwatershed as an area
within a watershed, incorporating anywhere from 3,000 to 20,000
acres, with identifiable hydrologic boundaries. By dealing
with this smaller area, project coordinators can reduce land-use
variables and more readily identify pollutant load contributors.
I believe the microwatershed approach can
be an effective method for addressing Clean Water Act issues.
Among other things, the microwatershed approach:
- Copes with complexities inherent in
watersheds. By dividing large watersheds into small microwatersheds,
policy makers can better understand the complex interactions
that occur in natural systems.
- Exerts positive peer pressure. In Goose
Branch, seven of eight dairy producers were persuaded to
participate in the microwatershed project. The lone dairy
owner who chose not to participate lived in Arizona, which
made him immune from peer pressure.
- Encourages producer acceptance of water
quality problems. In a microwatershed, a producer is more
likely to recognize the potential water quality impacts
of his or her operation, and will more readily understand
his or her role in water quality protection.
- Allows for the establishment of a microwatershed
producer council. In Goose Branch, producer council members
received information regarding phosphorus loadings, feasibility
of composting strategies, fertilizer application, and soil
test results.
While most producers in Goose Branch made
progress in their nutrient management, they also fell short
of the level of management needed to bring elevated nutrients
down to acceptable levels. Voluntary programs alone without incentives beyond traditional programs will not likely produce the desired results. In the final analysis, the project
demonstrated the height of the mountain to be climbed by agriculture,
as the industry moves to address the water quality concerns
of an increasingly unforgiving urban society.
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