2019 SWCS International Annual Conference July 28-31, 2019 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1. Mission Support Services
Operations Associate Chief Area
Stewardship Tool for
Environmental Protection
(STEP)
Aaron Lauster
July 29, 2019
Water Quality

2. Cropland Stewardship Achievement
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3. Mission Support Services
RSE: Water Quality
The treatment must fit not only the needs and
adaptabilities of the land but the needs and
adaptabilities of the farmer as well.
– Hugh Hammond Bennett
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4. Finding the Sweet Spot for Tools
DataCollectionEffort
Site Characterization
Assessment,
Design, and Practice
Implementation Tools
Planning and
Evaluation Tools
Screening Questions
RS Guiding Principle
Everything should be made as
simple as possible, but not
simpler.
- Albert Einstein
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5. Stewardship Tool for Environmental
Performance (STEP)
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• Developed for the Conservation Effects Assessment
Project (CEAP)
• Founded on work using the Agricultural
Policy/Environmental eXtender Model (APEX)
• Utilizes NRCS’s 30,000+ National Resource Inventory
(NRI) points for calibration
• Sets thresholds for management based on site
vulnerability based on National Stewardship
Threshold targets

6. Water Quality Indicators & Thresholds
Key Indicator Threshold Target
Total Phosphorus
(Runoff Focused)
P loss less than or equal to 3
lbs./acre
Soluble Phosphorus
(Leaching Focused)
P loss less than or equal to 1
lbs./acre
Nitrogen to Surface
Water
N loss less than or equal to 15
lbs./acre
Nitrogen to Ground
Water
N loss less than or equal to 25
lbs./acre
Sediment Management Sediment loss Less than or equal
to 2 tons/acre
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7. It all begins with Soils
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Starts with evaluating site vulnerability and setting the
threshold:
• Determine Soil Leaching and Runoff Potential
• Cross reference climate to set management
threshold needed to achieve target threshold
• Modify based on local conditions (such as drainage,
irrigation, high water table)

8. Soil Leaching Potential
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Soil leaching
potential
Hydrologic
Group A
Hydrologic
Group B
Hydrologic
Group C
Hydrologic
Group D
Low=0 None None None
All
except Histisol or
Apparent HWT
Moderate=1 None
Slope < 12
and K >0.24, or
slope >12, and not
Histisol or Apparent
HWT
All
except Histisol or
Apparent HWT
None
Moderately
high=2
Slope >12 and
not Histisol or
Apparent HWT
>3 Slope <12 and K
<0.24 and
not Histisol or
Apparent HWT
None None
High=3
Slope <12 or
Histisol or
Apparent HWT
Slope <3 and
K <0.24 or Histisol
or Apparent HWT
Histisol or
Apparent HWT
Histisol or
Apparent HWT

9. Soil Runoff Potential
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Soil Runoff
potential
Hydrologic
Group A
Hydrologic
Group B
Hydrologic
Group C
Hydrologic
Group D
Low=0 All Slope<4 Slope<2
Slope <2
and K <0.28 and no Apparent
or Perched HWT
Moderate=1 None
>4 Slope <6 and
K <0.32
>2 Slope <6 and K
<0.28
Slope <2 and
K >0.28
and no Apparent or Perched
HWT
Moderately
high=2
None
>4 Slope <6 and
K >0.32
>2 Slope <6 and
K >0.28
>2 Slope <4 and no Apparent
or Perched HWT
High=3 None Slope >6 Slope >6
Slope >4 and no Apparent or
Perched HWT,
*Apparent or Perched HWT

10. Nitrogen Loss to Surface Water
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Modified R Factor Class
Runoff Potential <=50 >50-150
>150-
250 >250
High 35 65 85 100
Moderately High 30 35 65 85
Moderate 30 30 35 65
Low 25 30 30 35

11. Building your Management System
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Building your management system to compare to the
various thresholds includes 3 parts:
• Crops Rotation
• Nutrient Management
o Rate
o Timing
o Method
o Form
• Conservation Practices

12. Crop Rotation
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Each Crops residue value and winter cover residue are
determined, modified by tillage.
Management Points have been established for each
residue value average as it affects each Key Indicator
Example: No-Till Corn/Soybean Rotation
No Cover
Crop
Medium Residue Cover
Crop after both crops
Residue
Value
1.5 2.5
Management
Points
8 15

13. Nutrient Management
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RSE evaluates the Rate, Timing, Method, and Form for each crop
and their effect on each Nutrient Pathway.
Rate: Generates results from 0-20 management points and if
effected by soil test results for phosphorus
Timing: Generates results from 0-35 management points based on
application timing and splits
Method: Generates results from 0-15 based on the method of
applications
Form is works into the individual questions for Rate, Timing, and
Method as well as various management techniques.

14. Conservation Practices
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Conservation Practices and Management Techniques
are evaluated based on the Avoid, Control, Trap (ACT)
principle. Some examples:
Practice
Nitrogen
Surface
Nitrogen
Groundwater
Total
Phosphorus
Soluble
Phosphorus
Drainage Water Management (554) 5 10 5 5
Filter Strip (393) 30 ft min width 5 0 10 0
Irrigation Water Management (449) 1 10 1 5
Nutrient Application Form - Slow or Time Release Nitrogen
Fertilizers 10 10 0 0
Nutrient Application Form -Nitrification Inhibitors 0 10 0 0
Nutrient Application Rate - Adjust based on Cornstalk Nitrate
Test 5 5 0 0
Nutrient Application Rate - Nutrient Application Set-backs 5 0 5 5
Nutrient Application Rate - Precision Application 10 10 10 10

15. Results
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Key Indicator Threshold System
Total
Residue Nutrient
Mgmt
Practices
Total Phosphorus 50 65 8 30 27
Soluble Phosphorus 45 40 0 20 20
Nitrogen to Surface
Water
35 39 8 30 9
Nitrogen to Ground
Water
60 25 0 20 5
Sediment Management 10 45 30 0 15
No Till Corn/Soybeans on a high leaching site in Iowa

16. Cropland Stewardship Achievement
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17. Effects of Programs
-100,000
-50,000
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
Total Nitrogen
(lbs)
Soil Carbon Loss
(lbs)
Iowa RSE Pilot Results
Benchmark Planned RS Threshold
40%
Reduction
60%
Reduction
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
Sediment (tons) Total Phosphorus
(lbs)
Iowa RSE Pilot Results
Benchmark Planned RS Threshold
70%
Reduction
40%
Reduction
Fields Acres
Change in Key Environmental Indicators
Sediment
(tons)
Total
Nitrogen
(lbs)
Total
Phosphorus
(lbs)
Soil
Carbon
(lbs)
25 987 2,900 28,400 4,400 118,700
The referenced numbers
reflect all RS evaluations which
have completed a benchmark
and planned alternative.
Values are estimated from
CEAP analysis of the effects of
meeting thresholds and the
RSE results of individual fields.
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18. Interoperability
• Metric Harmonization
• Data Sharing
• User Privacy
• User Service
How do we best serve farmers
and tell the Conservation Story
together?
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19. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Questions
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