Dairy Nutrient Management Program
The purpose of the Skagit Conservation District’s Dairy Nutrient Management Program is to assist licensed dairy operations in complying with the 1998 Washington State Dairy Nutrient Management Act. The Act requires that all licensed dairy operations obtain a conservation district approved and certified nutrient management plan and that all structural and management practices that are prescribed in the plan are implemented.
Nutrient management is the practice of utilizing dairy nutrients (manure) to maximize forage and crop growth without degradation of soil and water resources. A Dairy Nutrient Management Plan is a tool used by dairy operators to properly collect, store, transfer and utilize the wastewater and manure that is produced on dairy facilities. The Plan calculates the amount of wastewater and manure that is or will be produced at each individual facility and documents the collection, storage, and transfer systems. The Plan also specifies dates and conditions when manure should not be applied to crop fields and specifies a manure and soil testing schedule.
Each Plan is specific to the individual dairy operation and is written according to USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service standards and specifications. All structural and management practices that are prescribed in the Plan must also meet or exceed these standards and specifications.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Nutrient Management Program is the agency that oversees the implementation and continued management of Dairy Nutrient Management Plans. Each dairy operation is inspected at least once every two years by one of the livestock inspectors. If changes or updates are needed, then the inspector refers the dairy operator to the local conservation district for assistance.
Information in the map is live and updated 1-2 times a week.
Water Quality Monitoring Results Map
WSDA has developed an interactive water quality monitoring results map to address the high demand from residents for the current water quality readings in their area. This map contains storm event sampling done by WSDA. It does not contain ambient, or enforcement data. Click on the map below to access live results.
Assess whether your field conditions are appropriate for manure application and much, much more!