Best Practice Dairying Catchments for Sustainable Growth
SFF Project Summary
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Final Report: Final report [155K PDF]
Project Description
This project is an initiative by the dairy industry to integrate environmentally safe practices into dairy farming. The project will encourage the adoption of best management practices that meet industry and regulatory authority requirements and address local issues.
Ways in which management change can be implemented to achieve both productivity and environmental gains will be examined. The results of the study will be publicised to demonstrate industry commitment to sustainable management and to encourage other farmers to consider these issues and adopt improved management practices.
Problem/opportunity that the project is addressing
The dairy industry's goal is to achieve an annual productivity gain of 4%. It is important to ensure that this productivity gain is achieved without comprising the quality and integrity of NZ's clean and green environment. The dairy industry has undertaken a study of the Toenepi catchment in the Waikato and this project builds on that study by including three additional catchments in a long-term study.
This Best Practice Dairying Catchment approach will establish the effect that current farming practices are having on catchment quality and is a unique opportunity to bring together the detailed study of dairy farm management options with the effects on catchment water quality and aquatic ecosystem status.
Progress to Date
Monitor catchments with local coordinators have been established at Toenepi in the Waikato, Waiokura in Taranaki, Waikakahi in South Canterbury and Bog Burn Southland.
Initial analysis of water quality data show that nitrate nitrogen concentrations are uniformly high and similar among all four dairy streams. Median nitrate-N levels are 1.4-2.4 mg/L (maximum values up to 8 mg/L). Faecal bacteria levels are typically 200-400 cfu/100mL in all four streams, but values of up to 5000 cfu/100mL are occasionally observed. Sedimentation is also evident in the three new streams, some of which derives form stock management on stream banks, while some material derives from other non-dairy land uses, such as forestry.
Biological assessment of the Waikakahi, Bog Burn and Waiokura streams took place in late winter. Sedimentation had an impact on all three streams and two of these (Waikakahi and Bog Burn) were affected by stream channelisation. The low water temperatures supported a relatively diverse community of stream fauna in all streams.
A survey of the farmers in all four catchments has been completed. The survey and visits were conducted to help identify the on-farm issues, climate stations established in the catchments and soil monitoring sites established.
A newsletter to the main participants and stakeholders in the Monitor Catchment study was prepared in August 2001.
