WASHINGTON -- Farms in Indiana and eight other states cause most of the
pollution that creates a "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, a new
government study says.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080205/LOCAL/802050420/1006/LOCAL
The study by the U.S. Geological Survey also says that manure runoff
from pasture, rangeland and feedlots is a bigger contributor to the
problem than previously thought.
The dead zone, which lies along the coast of Louisiana and Texas, is
created in the summer when phosphorus and nitrogen flow out of the
Mississippi River and encourage the growth of algae in the Gulf. The
algae growth robs the water of oxygen, forcing fish, shrimp, crabs and
other sea life from the region.
Fertilizer runoff from corn and soybean farms in the Midwest and South
is the largest source of nitrogen that reaches the Gulf and a leading
source of phosphorus.
Scientists worry that production of biofuels will make the problem
worse, as farmers increase corn acreage and nitrogen fertilizer to keep
up with the demand for ethanol.
"The potential for it to get worse before it gets better is probably
there," said Ron Turco, an agronomy professor at Purdue University who
was involved in a Department of Agriculture study of the issue about a
decade ago. "More corn means more fertilizer."
Indiana farmers planted 6.5 million acres of corn last year, an 18
percent increase from 2006.
In addition to increased production, he said, there are fewer wetlands,
which would slow the fertilizer-laden runoff and filter out some of the
nutrients before they reach the Gulf.
"The important thing is, the problem is still here even though we've
known about it for a while," Turco said. Measurements of the dead zone
were first made in 1985.
"We really haven't provided solutions to the problem," he said.
Trying to shrink the zone
The study, released last week, said Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri,
Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi represent one-third
of the land drained by the Mississippi River or its tributaries but
contribute more than 75 percent of the nitrogen and phosphorus going
into the Gulf.
Indiana is the third-leading source of nitrogen, after Illinois and
Iowa, and the sixth-leading source of phosphorus.
A task force of federal and state officials is expected to use the
findings of the report in its recommendations for shrinking the dead zone.
The study will help the government "cut the size of the dead zone in
faster and fairer ways," said Benjamin Grumbles, the Environmental
Protection Agency's assistant administrator for water.
Scientists advising the EPA have recommended the government set targets
to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus by 45 percent to cut the size of the
dead zone in half.
Turco said reducing the nutrients by that much could affect crop yield.
But he also said farmers could take steps, such as better timing of
fertilizer application, that would help.
A Purdue research group is studying the issue and contributing ideas to
the state.
Developing strategies
The Indiana Department of Agriculture has shifted some resources to
focus on reducing runoff into the Wabash River, the main tributary of
the Ohio River, which feeds into the Mississippi, said Tammy Lawson, an
assistant director in charge of conservation. The effort includes giving
farmers financial and technical assistance for better management practices.
"When you look at the options farmers have, there are multiple
opportunities," Lawson said. "It's still up in the air as to which ones
work the best and which ones get the best bang for your buck."
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is studying the
levels of nutrient concentrations that cause water quality problems in
Indiana waters, according to spokeswoman Amy Hartsock.
"Once we develop where we think we need to be with nutrients, then we
can look further to address any activities that might be contributing to
problems," she said. "The Gulf issue is a primary driver for the
development of nutrient criteria."
Indiana has banned phosphates in laundry detergent since 1973, and the
state legislature is considering a ban on phosphates in dishwasher
detergent.
The study concluded that about 9 percent to 12 percent of the nitrogen
and phosphorous delivered to the Gulf comes from urban sources versus
more than 70 percent from agricultural sources.
The study is based on a computer modeling of land use and water flows.
Critics say the study is flawed because it relied on land-use data from
a 1992 agricultural census.
Since then, many farms have taken measures to avoid polluting streams,
including installing fences to keep cattle out of the water, said Don
Parrish, who follows the Gulf issue for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
But the study shows that Congress needs to target land-conservation
measures in states where the pollutants originate, said Michelle Perez,
an agricultural policy analyst for the Environmental Working Group, an
advocacy organization. Versions of a farm bill passed by the House and
Senate do not address the issue adequately, she said.
Contact Maureen Groppe at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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