Virginia Coastal Program: 1999 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY1999 Task 81
Grantee:
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Project Title:
Implementation of Coastal Nonpoint Source Program
Project Description as Proposed:
Funding through
this grant will be used to continue development and begin implementation
of a Coastal Nonpoint Source Program which complies with federal
guidance issued under Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization
Amendments of 1990. Ongoing Erosion and Sediment Control Program
administration and stormwater management are other elements of this
project. The Erosion and Sediment Control Program is enforceable
and a core Coastal Resources Management activity. Both Programs
address management measures specified in federal guidance. As such,
the program provides a logical match for this grant project.
Stafford County: An amendment to the Stormwater Management Ordinance
and Design Manual is proposed by Stafford County.
Irrigation Phase II: Farm*A*Syst Manual: Work on program conditions
identified in the Virginia Coastal Nonpoint Program Findings for
irrigation water management.
Federal Funding:
$165,000
Project Contact:
Rick Hill, 804.786.7119, Richard.Hill@dcr.virginia.gov
Project Status:
Grant Open
Final Product Received:
This project consists of multiple sub-projects and deliverables - see summary below for products received
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Virginia
Polytechnic Institute & State University
Irrigation Water Management Education Initiative, Phase II:
Irrigation Management Field Demonstration/Farm*A*Syst Lite Manual
Contact: B. B. Ross, Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering, 540/
231-4702
A need to provide irrigation management education to irrigators
in Eastern Virginia was identified. The specific goal of an overall
two-phase project was to improve irrigation management skills in
order to protect Virginia's surface and groundwater resources through
the voluntary adoption of BMPs. In order to build upon the workshop
instruction and initial publication development of Phase I, a further
teaching opportunity and additional written materials were proposed,
under this Phase II effort, as a means of reaching additional irrigators
with irrigation management information. A field demonstration was
established to exhibit recommended irrigation management practices.
This activity was coordinated with the Virginia Ag-Expo Field Day
Program, conducted on August 10, 2000 at Renwood Farm in Charles
City County. To encourage irrigators to participate in the tour
stop, the more than 400 irrigators identified in the eastern Virginia
irrigators mailing list were issued a special invitation by mail.
In preparation for the field day, and using the farm's permanent
chemical injection system for demonstration purposes, an exhibit,
highlighting recommended environmental safety measures employed
in the chemigation process, was set up at the site and publicized
as a tour stop and demonstration activity. Additionally, a number
of relevant publications were made available. While official attendance
for the event was reported at 1200+, approximately a quarter of
these observed the irrigation management exhibit/demonstration and
had an opportunity for discussion as well as to pick up literature.
Because the vast majority of Phase I workshop respondents had found
the Virignia Farm*A*Syst approach to irrigation management to be
a positive exercise, and reflecting the trend in other states, the
existing Virginia Farm*A*Syst materials were rewritten and repackaged
to create a simplified, self-assessment version. In addition to
including the newly developed (under Phase I) section on irrigation
management, this revision was done for the entire scope of the manual
to address many of the other related management and nonpoint source
pollution issues that crop producers/irrigators face. Chapters were
selected and arranged to more readily compliment the original Virginia
Farm*A*Syst package in order to enhance its usefulness as a companion
publication. The publication developed will be printed and used
in ongoing educational efforts in the Virginia Coastal Plain as
well as other areas of the state. In addition to providing the Virginia
Farm*A* Syst Lite version to those irrigators who participate in
the Phase I workshops, this new package will be readily available
for educational programming by Extension agents and others through
normal Virginia Cooperative Extension channels. It will provide
a tool for teaching irrigators, as well as non-irrigators, about
the importance of proper management in all aspects of agricultural
production.
Form C end
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
