Lesson 33: Site Characteristics

Environmental Stewardship Assessment:

Do your land application sites include characteristics that may create a high environmental risk? The goal of this assessment tool is to help you confidentially evaluate environmental issues that relate to characteristics of land application sites. Identify the Field IDs for up to four fields by listing those IDs under each of the three Risk Levels. For each issue listed in the left column of the worksheet, read across to the right and check the statement that best describes conditions for each field listed. If any categories do not apply, leave them blank.

Accuracy and Availability of Information for a Manure Utilization Plan

1. Slope of soils with

Annual crops
Perennial crops

	Slopes >10% Slopes >15%	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	Slopes of 4-10% Slopes of 8-15%
	Slopes < 4% Slopes < 8%

2. Depth to highest seasonal groundwater or fractured or permeable bedrock

< 2 ft Corresponding magnitude of risk

2-4 ft

> 4 ft

3. Flooding potential

> 50 times in 100 years Corresponding magnitude of risk

5-50 times in 100 years

< 5 times in 100 years

4. Ponding

Soils with high likelihood of ponding
Corresponding magnitude of risk

Soils with moderate likelihood ponding

Soils with low likelihood of of ponding

5. Tile Drainage?

Site includes field drains tied to groundwater.
OR
Site includes field drains directly to surface water.
OR
Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways connected to surface water, and drainage reaches surface water during low intensity storms or snow melt. Corresponding magnitude of risk

Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways connected to surface water, and drainage reaches surface water only during high-intensity storms.

Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways, but drainage rarely or never reaches surface water.

6. Isolation of application site from wells

< 100 ft Corresponding magnitude of risk

100-300 ft, and well is at same or lower elevation than application site.

> 300 ft
OR
100-300 ft, and well is at higher elevation than application site.

7. Isolation of application site from surface water

Land application site borders surface waters with
< 50-ft riparian or buffer zone. Corresponding magnitude of risk

Land application site borders surface waters with
> 50-ft riparian or buffer zone.
OR
Land application site is within 1 mile of surface water and connected by channel flow (ditch, waterway, etc.).

Land application site is > 1 mile from surface water.

8. Isolation of application site from neighbors

< 200 ft Corresponding magnitude of risk

200 ft-1/2 mile

> 1/2 mile

	> 50 times in 100 years	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	5-50 times in 100 years
	< 5 times in 100 years

	Soils with high likelihood of ponding	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	Soils with moderate likelihood ponding
	Soils with low likelihood of of ponding

	Site includes field drains tied to groundwater. OR Site includes field drains directly to surface water. OR Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways connected to surface water, and drainage reaches surface water during low intensity storms or snow melt.	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways connected to surface water, and drainage reaches surface water only during high-intensity storms.
	Site includes field drains to ditches or grassed waterways, but drainage rarely or never reaches surface water.

	< 100 ft	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	100-300 ft, and well is at same or lower elevation than application site.
	> 300 ft OR 100-300 ft, and well is at higher elevation than application site.

	Land application site borders surface waters with < 50-ft riparian or buffer zone.	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	Land application site borders surface waters with > 50-ft riparian or buffer zone. OR Land application site is within 1 mile of surface water and connected by channel flow (ditch, waterway, etc.).
	Land application site is > 1 mile from surface water.

	< 200 ft	Corresponding magnitude of risk
	200 ft-1/2 mile
	> 1/2 mile

Net Survey Score:
Magnitude of risk: