Tracey McPherson (ABCA) – With so many potential project types presenting alternatives to landowners is a necessity

Contact Tracey McPherson: tmcpherson@abca.on.ca

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Presentation Video:

 

Mark Tomer et. al 2013 developed a framework to target specific BMPs to a specific location in a field with GIS. This slide is an example of some the BMPs. Other BMPs Tomer et. al identified include ponds, small impoundments, re-saturated buffers, bio-reactors, grassed waterways. These BMP’s are categorized as control, trap, and/or treat BMP’s. Avoid BMPs would be the use of cover crops or permanent cover on fields (ie. Pasture) This framework was used in a watershed where a community based plan has been created. Field staff conducted “Creek walks” in the spring on 14 landowners’ fields (90% of cropped fields)to identify areas suitable for BMP’s. The Tomer analysis was completed before field staff went out and concentrated flow paths, saturated areas, and potential locations for specific BMP’s mapped and loaded in the GPS unit for verification.

 

Saturated areas as they are areas where surface run-off may occur after a rainfall. The saturated areas are a derivative of a digital elevation model but a cut-off for what is considered saturated needs to be determined and verified. In the office a visual threshold was used to determine the cut-off value by examining historic air photos. The photo on the top left of the slide is from 1989 where we can see the soil is wet with its corresponding location 5 on the map. Part of the creek walk exercise was to verify if the thresholds selected were correct. This slide also shows 2 images taken by field staff with the points where the images taken shown on the map.

From the Tomer exercise and the creek walks staff created maps and a report presenting landowners with ideas on what type of BMP’s would be suitable in their fields. Avoids type BMPs or projects on this property include 1) Plant cover crops, 2) Enhance windbreak, 3) Extend woodlot Control BMP’s include 4) Install a berm and 5)Install grassed waterway. Trap and Treat BMP’s at the edge of the fields along open watercourse include 6) increase the buffer , 7) 2-stage ditch, 8) re-saturated buffers. All landowners were given maps of their properties and alternatives.