Conservation Practices and Water Quality Goals

Detailed Description
Illustration showing common conservation practices that are expected to reduce nutrient and sediment loads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These conservation practices include but are not limited to the following:
- Nutrient management adjusts the source, method, rate, and timing of fertilizer and manure applications to reduce nutrient losses.
- Cover crops provide vegetative cover outside of the growing season to hold soil and nutrients in place, which reduces nutrient losses.
- Conservation tillage leaves plant residue on the field and preserves soil structure to reduce sediment runoff.
- Vegetative streamside buffers use trees, shrubs, and grasses planted near streams to remove groundwater nutrients and reduce sediment runoff.
- Livestock exclusion fencing prevents livestock from accessing streams to reduce sediment erosion and direct nutrient deposition in streams.
- Alternative watering facilities provide non-stream sources of drinking water to avoid water-quality impacts of livestock accessing streams.
- Manure transport removes manure off of a farm to prevent nutrient losses caused by excess manure applications.
- Animal waste management systems provide manure storage and disposal options to reduce nutrient losses.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
Adapted from USGS Fact Sheet 2023-3050