Improving surface water quality through pesticide education and outreach

Growers need effective and affordable pest control technologies as part of Pest Management Strategies.  Yet various farm inputs are being detected in surface waters that exceed water quality criteria established by state and/or federal regulatory agencies.  Such inputs include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and nutrients.  Reducing levels of pesticides requires identifying transport mechanisms, identifying sources, determining appropriate Best Management Practices, and working with stakeholders to inform, educate and engage.  In the Central Valley and Coastal Valleys of California, pesticide drift and runoff from irrigation or rainfall events are the primary transport mechanisms of pesticides in surface water.  Cross referencing downstream surface water monitoring results with upstream pesticide use reporting then allows identification of most likely contributing sources.  Multiple education and outreach initiatives have been employed.  The most effective strategy has been targeted, on-farm inspections with growers, applicators, and/or advisors to identify and develop site-specific mitigation measures.  Over ten years of BMP research and stakeholder outreach and education have resulted in significant reductions in surface water exceedances in many watersheds based on historical trend analyses.