What is the Risk to Runoff Water Quality Posed by Fertilization of Turfgrass? Dr. Chris Murray, Department of Interdisciplinary Studies Outline • • • • • What motivated this project? Runoff and pollution Turfgrass as a water quality management tool The problem: excess nutrients Experiments and studies of the effect of fertilization • Best Management Practices • Conclusions Project motivation • A collaboration between Landscape Ontario’s Lawn Care Commodity Group and Lakehead University • Two factors initiated this project: 1. Source water protection agencies and similar organizations are considering fertilizer bans as a means of protecting water quality 2. Several studies had reported results contradicting this approach: where fertilizer is stopped, N,P in runoff increases Why might this be a problem? • As was the case with pesticide use, fertilization of lawns is often cited as a purely cosmetic practice • While lawns provide aesthetic and recreational value, these benefits are considered nonessential • Much more emphasis is placed on the risk of water contamination than these “soft” benefits of turfgrass • If there is little or no value and significant risk, why not ban fertilizers and eliminate that risk? • Is this a quantitatively appropriate response? What do I mean by quantitative? • Not all situations require numerical information to make an informed decision • Example: how much gasoline should I drink in a day? • There is no benefit to drinking any amount of gasoline • Answer: don’t ever drink gasoline! • Don’t need to consider body weight, age, or any other quantity to make this decision Another example • • • • • • • • How much water should I drink every day? Q: Can you drink too much water? LD50 in rats: 90 g/kg A: Yes. Q: Do I need to drink any water? A: Yes, at least 2 L a day So, drink somewhere between 2 and 10 L Numbers are important to consider, because there are competing factors Turfgrass Fertilization • How much should one fertilize a lawn to obtain the best water quality? • Q: Can you reduce water quality by fertilizing too much? • A: Yes. • Q: Can you improve water quality by fertilizing? • A: Yes. Risks of ignoring competing factors • If fertilization can improve water quality, restricting fertilization can damage water quality • Ignoring impact on turfgrass management industries, the implication is that such regulation could achieve the opposite of its intended effect • Even in Canada, we cannot afford to make very many mistakes where water quality is concerned General research questions • What is the true state of scientific information regarding this issue? • Is there consensus within the scientific community? • If so, does it support a ban on fertilization of turfgrass? • A primary focus of this study is the effect, both positive and detrimental, fertilization of turfgrass may have on the nutrient pollution through runoff. Stormwater / runoff • My background: stormwater and wastewater (not biology, ecology or turfgrass science) • Most critical to understand: what dominates water pollution • Why is runoff a problem? • Runoff is “natural”, and would exist without human intervention • Human activity dramatically increases runoff and the pollution it carries. • As runoff increases, pollution increases From SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Clean water is pollution • What? • How do stormwater management devices work? • Quality: Sedimentation, filtration, sometimes chemical absorption • Quantity: Dry wells, ponds, detention tanks • Simple example: gravity separator Velocity the same all along pipe, little settling occurs. Pollutants in = pollutants out Velocity reduced in expanded section More time to settle, bigger particles drop faster Slower flow, bigger tank = more captured, less pollution “Self-cleaning” pollution traps Scouring: high-velocity water stirs up sediment and resuspends captured pollution Pollution out > pollution in Too much water is pollution, even if it is pure. Reduced runoff = reduced pollution Combined Sewer Overflow Photo credit: Christopher Zurcher Experimental considerations • Need to measure quantity and quality • Apples-to-apples comparison requires measurement of input as well as output • Difficulty measuring small volumes introduces bias • A mass balance approach is needed: what are all the paths nutrients may follow? Bias • Large events are easy to measure, carry more pollution • If you don’t measure small events, you may skew results towards higher pollutant count • Many small events can account for more pollution than a few large events, in total • Small amounts of runoff stretched out over long periods of time are difficult to measure “Laboratory” vs. Field Experimental plot Real lawns • Controlled fertilization • Controlled rainfall • Events observed by researchers • Can characterize all input/output water and nutrients • Unrealistic • Always includes worst case scenario • Realistic • Not as controlled • May rely on assumptions such as homeowner behaviour • Relies on automatic samplers • Realistic rainfall, lawn use From Yu et al., J. Hydrology, 434-435 (2012) p.1-6 From Garn, USGS Water Investigation Report 02-4130 (2002) Nutrients • Macronutrients required by turfgrass: • H2O, CO2, O2 • Nitrogen (e.g. as NO3-) • Phosphorous (e.g. as H2PO4-) • Potassium (K) • Calcium (Ca) • Magnesium (Mg) • Sulphur (S) of Nutrient Cycles, Role in Department plants Geology, University • Nitrogen: of Illinois – Ingredient in proteins, DNA, chlorophyll, etc. – Affects shoot-root growth, density, color, disease resistance, and stress tolerance. • Phosphorous: – Ingredient in cell membranes, energy transfer molecules, DNA, etc. – Affects rate of seedling development and root growth. • Why are these of primary concern? Algal Blooms, Eutrophication From Ministry of the Environment , Northwest Pacific Region Environmental Cooperation Center Terminology • Surface water/stormwater/runoff • Infiltration/leachate • In general, we aim to increase infiltration and decrease runoff to decrease pollution • Why? • Sediment and associated chemical pollutants Erosion • Wherever development occurs, risk of increased runoff velocity and erosion • More sediment is carried into water Dissolved/particulate pollution • Nutrients such as phosphorous are soluble in water, but will bind with minerals in sediment • A very small concentration of sediment may be responsible for most of the nutrient loading • For a given mass, fine particles carry more pollution than large particles, and carry it further How can adding fertilizer help? • Turfgrass is, in general, a non-native groundcover that requires maintenance to thrive • Without human intervention, it will not outcompete indigenous plants (weeds) which are better-suited to harsh conditions (especially drought) but not suited to human-scale runoff • In general, healthier turfgrass increasingly reduces runoff and increases infiltration/evapotranspiration • Runoff can be completely eliminated by turfgrass, and a lawn is often the only barrier between impervious surfaces and waterways Runoff, Infiltration and Erosion Control • How might reducing fertilizer increase the concentration of N, P in water? • Small effect: increased decay of plants • Large effect: less healthy turfgrass cannot hold water as effectively, so runoff increases • Filtering is not enough: the amount of water must be reduced Competing Factors • The contamination of runoff by nutrients (both dissolved and particulate) found in fertilizer contributes to eutrophication of lakes causing negative impacts on the aquatic flora and fauna. • Healthier turfgrass systems improve surface water quality through natural filtration and absorption of water, which reduces runoff intensity. Summer/Fall 2012 Review • More than 150 articles • Aim: collect every piece of information regarding the impact of turfgrass fertilization on water quality • Examined turfgrass versus alternative groundcovers Some simple questions • Under controlled conditions, what is the effect on the amount of nutrients output due to fertilization of turfgrass? • What evidence is there turfgrass is a good choice for limiting runoff? • What recommendations might be made, based on scientific consensus (if one exists)? Reports worth examining • Garn, 2002: – No runoff other than that due to rain on lawns – Increase P in runoff for fertilized lawns – The site with the best turf stand had the least runoff, though quantitative measurements not made. – No effect of fertilization on nitrogen in runoff • Kussow, 2002, 2004, 2008: – – – – Fertilization with P leads to more P in runoff Accounted for runoff volume Most (runoff, nutrients) recorded when soil frozen Without fertilization for two years, runoff, nitrogen and phosphorous increased – Whether soil is frozen is dominating factor • Easton and Petrovic, 2004 – Examined both synthetic and organic fertilizer – P losses higher from P-containing fertilizer, highest for organic types (P applied very high) – Fertilization increased infiltration, decreased runoff – Frozen soil runoff accounted for majority – Fertilization during establishment created most pollution – In many cases, equal or higher N,P losses from unfertilized control due to overall increased runoff • Soldat and Petrovic, 2008 – Review of various studies of runoff versus fertilization – Worst-case scenario studies where water is added to plots following P fertilization showed P in runoff directly related to P applied – Realistic rainfall events yielded results that included higher P from non-fertilized sites – Sediment loss from turfgrass very low, or zero • Beirman et al., 2010 – Examined no fertilization, P-free, P and triple-P fertilization – Runoff highest for non-fertilized plots – P in runoff from non-fertilized site highest in year 1, the same as from site receiving P in fertilizer in subsequent four years – Frozen soil runoff dominates P loading, and recommended that no P used in Fall where runoff potential is high Overview • No studies perfectly controlled, perfectly realistic, but… • Usually, nutrient concentrations in runoff higher where fertilization is applied • Usually, amount of runoff is lower where fertilization is applied • Most often, the total nutrient loss in runoff is decreased by fertilizing • Where applicable, nutrient loss when ground is frozen dominates annual pollution Turfgrass vs. other vegetative groundcovers • Comprehensive studies are lacking. • Most lawn alternatives are composed of nonnative ornamental plant species • The use of turfgrass reduces yearly runoff volume much more than native grass species • Much more nitrogen may be leached from ornamentals than turfgrass Best Management Practices: timing • Worst: fertilization before the rain • Avoid fertilization when soil is going to freeze or is already frozen • Frequent, small applications better Design • Avoiding soil disturbance, or limit disturbances to one area at a time, always with turfgrass separating it from the waterways • Avoid fertilization of turfgrass on high silt or clay content soil near the bottom of hills, near water’s edge Clippings • Mow at high cut height, frequently and when grass is dry • Leaving clippings can greatly reduce runoff, but contributes (as much as 50% of required) nitrogen (though not phosphorous) • As with any nutrient source, keep clippings away from impervious surfaces where they may be washed away Watering • Irrigate in the morning • Watering in recommended, as long as there’s no runoff • Water pollution is less likely with more frequent, smaller volumes of watering… there is less likelihood of runoff. • Another issue of competing factors? Better roots are supposed to be supported by the infrequent, high-volume watering, and these will reduce runoff… but short-term increased runoff • Research lacking on effect of irrigation Monitoring • Every three years, soil test for P • Until a test can be performed, use P-free fertilizer • Especially during establishment, monitoring of soil needs is important • Some reasons why soil testing is not enough: soil levels do not determine runoff potential • Need to also measure: bulk density of soil, compactness Conclusions • The majority of studies examining the effect of fertilization on turfgrass show reduced runoff (and reduced nutrient loading) when lawns are fertilized • Turfgrass is more effective than most alternative groundcovers • Frozen soil, like any impervious surface, increases runoff potential and can be responsible for most of the pollution Take-away’s • Too much water (even when clean) is pollution • Development = impervious surfaces = high volume, high velocity runoff = erosion = pollution • Turfgrass (which is improved by careful maintenance) is one of the only “band aids” we have to treat this problem Acknowledgements • Student researchers: – Kayla Snyder, Diane Mitchell, Lindsey Jaanussen, Brooke Marion, Kristyn Madrick • Thanks to Mr. Ken Pavely, Mr. Gavin Dawson and Landscape Ontario’s Lawn Care Commodity Group Thank You! For more information contact: Dr. Christopher Murray Department of Interdisciplinary Studies Lakehead University [email protected]
© Copyright 2024