Michigan's nationally admired Groundwater Stewardship Program provides educational, financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and residents to identify and reduce groundwater contamination risks.
It encourages individuals to take voluntary, proactive steps to protect Michigan's water quality and therefore the drinking water. Nitrogen and certain persistent, highly leachable pesticides have been found in groundwater around the nation and in Michigan.
Forward-thinking legislation in the form of the Groundwater and Freshwater Protection Act provides for the collection of fees from the purchase of nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides to support the program. More than $3.5 million dollars annually are given out in competitive grants for water protection.
"Working with the Groundwater Stewardship Program and MAEAP has strongly affected our business," said Mark Johnson of Chateau Chantal winery and vineyards. "Everyone asks about the sign."
The program pointed out the risks of the old septic system and well at the vineyard's migrant housing.
"We are now proud to show the farm workers' housing site. It is healthier living for our employees," Johnson said. "The program helped us in our pursuit of a more sustainable agricultural approach. It fit right in. It came up with help and solutions that saved incredible amounts of time."
The vineyard made many improvements including new fuel storage, chemical storage with mix load pad, proper closure of an abandoned well and improved waste management.
The Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program just completed its 15th year. During that period the program assisted farmers in conducting over 15,000 Farm*A*Systs, an environmental risk assessment of management practices, structures and site conditions at the farm headquarters.
The assessment helps producers identify and reduce risks to both groundwater and surface water supplies. It is a major step to becoming Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) verified.
Currently in Antrim, Benzie, Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties, more than 80 MAEAP verifications have been achieved.
The cropping assessment system (Crop*A*Syst) helps producers develop and implement management plans to prevent contamination of surface and groundwater in the production fields, orchards and nurseries. More than 2,000 producers voluntarily reviewed their pesticide fertilizer, water use and conservation management practices. Abandoned wells are a direct pipeline to the groundwater and pose a health and safety risk. Identification of abandoned wells and financial assistance through the Groundwater Program helped close nearly 8,000 wells.
The program encourages well owners to test their wells for nitrogen and triazine pesticides. Approximately 10,000 well water samples have been screened at no charge to well owners in northwest Michigan.
The Groundwater Program pays for disposal of unused and unwanted pesticides following local collections in Clean Sweep or Hazardous Materials programs. More than 1.6 million pounds of chemicals have been removed from storage barns, basements, sheds, and other risky locations and taken to proper disposal sites.
Farmers have participated in delivering over 700,000 pounds of rinsed containers to the Groundwater/Michigan Association of Business Association's agri-chemical container recycling program. Recycling minimizes the risk of pesticides from improperly rinsed and stored 'empty' containers entering ground or surface water.
The Groundwater Program is made up of Conservation Districts and other groups with grants, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University Extension and the Natural Resources and Conservation Service.
Dr. Roberta Dow of MSU Extension develops training materials, trains groundwater staff, writes bulletins and does programming in northern Michigan and the U.P. For further information call (231) 922-4858.
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