GROUND WATER PROTECTION
STATE OF INDIANA DRAFT GENERIC
PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN
The successful implementation of a generic SMP will be dependent upon the continued cooperation of agencies and organizations identified in the roles and responsibilities component and the information dissemination component of this plan. The commitment of resources formally began with the formation of the Ground Water Task Force Agricultural Chemicals Work Group in 1990. Since 1990, more than one hundred individuals from approximately twenty-five different organizations have participated in the development of the generic SMP. A discussion of current and anticipated human and financial resources required to implement the generic SMP follows.
The Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) administers the Pesticide Registration Law (IC 15-3-3.5) and the Pesticide Use and Application Law (IC 15-3-3.6) through five (5) full time field investigators, four (4) administrative persons, five (5) support persons, and one (1) program specialist. These positions are financed by a combination of pesticide product registration fees, applicator licensing fees and federal grant moneys for the enforcement of FIFRA. No state general revenue appropriations are allocated to this program. Approximately $194,000 of combined funding is used to support OISC ground water protection activities. These funds have been adequate to support the large scale (1:250,000) GIS and GPS data development and analysis activities associated with the assessment and planning component. This amount will not be sufficient to carry out the additional work required when the SMP is implemented. The implementation will require resources to enable the following tasks:
IDEM Office Of Water Drinking Water Branch Compliance Section and Ground Water Section both administer programs vital to the successful implementation of a generic SMP. The Compliance Section oversees the monitoring programs for public water supply systems. The monitoring program includes a quarterly sampling and analysis of drinking water for 43 synthetic organic compounds. Some commonly used pesticides are synthetic organic compounds and have been included as sampling parameters. The SMP monitoring subcommittee used the presence of a pesticide active ingredient in a public drinking water supply (ground water source) as one of the six criteria for prioritizing sample parameters in developing the baseline monitoring plan (Component #6).
The Ground Water Section is responsible for the development and implementation of the Comprehensive State Ground Water Protection Management Strategy. The comprehensive strategy includes development of a state-wide ground water quality database, ground water standards, public water supply well head protection programs and water quality monitoring programs.
The Ground Water Section is responsible for monitoring for the presence of pesticides in the baseline monitoring network. The implementation of the monitoring plan requires:
The Ground Water Section has committed three (3) geologists one (1) entomologist and one (1) chemist for a total of five (5) field personnel to support water well locating, site assessment and water sample collection activities beginning in 1996. The financial resources for this activity comes from federal grant moneys and general fund allocations. It is expected that response to detection monitoring and evaluation monitoring will require additional financial and human resources. These resources currently do not exist as part of the IDEM OWM Drinking Water Branch Ground Water Section.
During 1995, the Ground Water Section released a draft ground water quality database data dictionary to members of the Ground Water Task Force Ground Water Characterization work group for review and comment. As a result, efforts have begun to establish methods for file transfer protocols to enable communication of water quality data between agencies.
The IDNR Division of Water (DOW) consistently provides technical expertise concerning the Indiana water resource to the SMP process. Members of the DOW staff directly supported the compilation of the Atlas of the hydrogeologic terrains and settings of Indiana published by the Indiana Geological Survey. Representative geologic and water level data was compiled by interpreting approximately 100,000 water well logs over a period of 24 months. In addition the DOW staff led the SMP subcommittee concerning construction criteria for existing and new water wells for inclusion in ground water quality monitoring networks.
OISC and IDEM OWM Ground Water Section will cooperate with IDNR DOW to provide a water sample from the SMP water quality monitoring network wells which can be analyzed for inorganic parameters. This would provide additional high quality baseline data on those parameters and would help greatly in meeting data needs for future county and river basin assessments by DOW.
IDNR DOW maintains a standardized data collection format for water well records which includes a unique identification number for each water well record. The information management system conforms to the federal information processing standard for all water well quality information. Water wells under consideration as part of the SMP water quality monitoring network, are required to have a water well record on file with the IDNR DOW.
The IDNR Division of Soil Conservation administers the state's T-by-2000 program and assists the local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD's). The T-by-2000 program provides technical, educational and financial help to solve erosion related problems that occur on the land and in public waters.
The OISC ground water program specialist will work closely with the T-by-2000 administration to communicate concerning areas of the state where ground water vulnerable to pesticide contamination (assessment and planning component) may coincide with areas eligible for watershed treatment practices. SWCD's in these areas could be encouraged to develop a Watershed Land Treatment Project that would qualify landowners in the area for assistance in implementing Resource Management Plans. Examples of practices eligible for cost-share and incentive assistance include pest management, grassed water way, conservation tillage filter strips (Appendix E).
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) provides technical assistance to local health jurisdictions and to the public on matters relating to private water systems. Currently Indiana has no standards for pesticides in private water systems. Local health jurisdictions can provide an important link to disseminate information on pesticides in private water systems, and may also assist OISC with investigations where pesticides are suspected.
The Indiana Geological Survey published the Atlas of Hydrogeologic Terrains and Settings of Indiana. This data provides contours of till or clay capping unit thickness, unconfined sand and gravel thickness, water table depth, bedrock depth, and bedrock materials (southern half). The data available through these coverage will be incorporated into the aquifer vulnerability to pesticide maps (Component #5). Distinct hydrogeologic conditions present in Indiana will be sampled as part of the baseline monitoring network. The Indiana geological survey in cooperation with Indiana University Department of Geological Sciences will be developing the software to evaluate ground water quality sampling results to determine the statistically valid trends in the occurrence and concentration of pesticides of each hydrogeologic unit.
The duty of the department of agricultural statistics is to collect, compile, systematize, tabulate and publish information relating to the agriculture and crop production. The department currently publishes an annual report of agricultural chemical use. The report lists usage according to crop produced, active ingredient, acres treated, rate and total amount applied.
These data are utilized in the development of the aquifer vulnerability to pesticide maps (Component #5).
The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) assists individuals, groups and units of government to develop "Conservation Plans." The treatment and management of resources is established through "Standards" developed by the NRCS. Specific to the implementation of the SMP, the NRCS in Indiana has indicated an interest in providing copies of the hydrogeologic settings maps and the aquifer vulnerability maps to the field office staff located in each county. NRCS staff located in county offices can provide an important link to disseminate information on pesticides to local growers.
The NRCS continues to inventory the basic soil resources in Indiana. The soil survey data published on individual soils as well as soil associations provides useful information in the development of aquifer vulnerability to pesticide maps (Component #5.) For example soil pH, soil organic matter content, soil permeability characteristics can each impact the transport and degradation of pesticides. A modern soil survey is available for each county in Indiana. Efforts have begun to make these soil inventory maps (1:24,000 scale) available in a digital format. Present funding levels will complete this process in approximately 40 years. The 1:250,000 scale soil association map is available in a digital format.
Purdue Pesticide Programs provides educational materials and training to most commercial and private pesticide applicators located in Indiana. Private applicator training occurs at the County level and is conducted through Purdue Cooperative Extension Educators. Commercial applicators receive their training at state level organized sessions.
Purdue University research provides up to date knowledge of methods to solve water quality problems associated with pesticides in Indiana. This knowledge can be published and distributed to county offices where it is further distributed to the public by the extension educators. The current structure and expertise of the cooperative extension service appears adequate to provide support to SMP implementation. Additional funding may be required to provide additional research and for purchasing or developing training materials.
Studies of water quality related research are ongoing through the US Geological Survey (USGS). Data developed through these studies will be useful to continue the evaluation of the aquifer vulnerability to pesticide maps. USGS has participated in the development of assessment and planning, prevention and monitoring components of the SMP. USGS participation in the interpretation of data collected through the baseline monitoring network, ground water quality studies developed in response to detection of pesticides in ground water or evaluation of the impact of SMP response measures is anticipated by OISC.
A comprehensive listing of ground water related resource persons, data, and projects completed, in progress, and proposed is being compiled through the Interagency Watershed Management Coordinating Group. This comprehensive listing will be referenced by Hydrologic Unit Map Codes as defined by the NRCS. This directory will be accessible in electronic and paper formats.