Farms and gardens (including lawns!) have the potential to signficantly impact ground water quality.
OSU on-line publications relating to farm and gardens:
- Gardening and Water Quality Protection: Understanding Nitrogen Fertilizers
- Gardening and Water Quality Protection: Using Nitrogen Fertilizers Wisely
- Irrigation Water Quality Fertilizer Guide (pdf only, see below)
- Irrigating on Small Acreage (USDA publication)
- Conserving Water in the Garden: Landscape and Lawn Care
- Conserving Water in the Garden: Designing and Installing a New Landscape
- Conserving Water in the Garden: Growing a Vegetable Garden
- Managing Small Acreage Horse Farms for Green Pastures, Clean Water and Healthy Horses
Fertilizer Resources
- Pumping Plants Up -- article in the Winter 2003 issue of "Oregon's Agricultural Progress," an Oregon State University magazine about how OSU researchers are identifying techniques that will help farmers use nitrogen fertilizers in a more cost-efficient and environmentally sensitive manner.
Irrigation Water Quality
- Plants vary in their sensitivity to salt, boron, arsenic and other water quality parameters.
- The season or stage of plant growth also affects sensitivity of individual plants.
- Recommended limits for arsenic in reclaimed irrigation water are 0.5 mg/l for long-term use and 2.0 mg/l for short-term use.
Some resources include:
- OSU Small Farms Program has a variety of information for farms, including pasture, grazing and manure management to improve water quality.
- Oregon Small Acreage Fact Sheets from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Groundwater-Friendly Gardening has some simple suggestions.
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Irrigation Water Salinity and Crop Production, a 9 page publication from Univ. of California, downloadable in PDF.
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Agricultural Salinity and Drainage, a book from Univ. of California for $25. Includes info on boron toxicity.