SERA_17_Background

Objectives

• To develop an interdisciplinary approach to identify P sensitive watersheds and water bodies; expanding and improving upon the Phosphorus Index site assessment tool.

• To develop best management practices (BMPs) to reduce agricultural P losses to surface waters by erosion and runoff (surface and subsurface).

• To develop an animal manure application strategy based on both P and N.

• To develop upper, environmentally-based, critical limits for soil test P and new soil testing methods that can more accurately identify sites where P loss will be of significant environmental concern.

History

In the early 1990's, USDA began to develop assessment tools for areas with water quality problems, but there was no model considered suitable for the field-scale assessment of the potential movement of P from soil to water.

A group of scientists from universities and governmental agencies met in 1990 to discuss the P issue and later formed a work group (PICT: Phosphorus Index Core Team) to more formally address this problem. The group soon realized there was a lack of integrated research that could be used to develop the field-scale assessment tool for P. The group developed a simple field-based, planning tool to assess, in a relative way, the risk of P movement from soil to water - the Phosphorus Index. Interest grew within PICT to expand the scope of research and extension activities related to P management for water quality protection. In 1992, PICT organized a symposium at the national meetings of the American Society of Agronomy highlighting the Phosphorus Index and the need to expand our knowledge on the role of agricultural P in eutrophication.

The group soon grew to over 50 scientists from the U.S. and other countries. In 1993, the groups' efforts were formalized by establishing a USDA Information Exchange Group (IEG). SERA is an acronym for Southern Extension-Research Activity, and this is the 17th such group formed under the auspices of this regional branch of the Cooperative States Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). Although many of our members are associated with land-grant universities or government agencies, we encourage active participation from all scientists interested in P management for water quality protection, regardless of their affiliation.

A major goal of the group has been to bring together a greater diversity of disciplines to discuss the research and management needs related to agricultural P and water quality. SERA-IEG 17 has expanded rapidly since in 1993 and now has over 75 members with expertise in disciplines ranging from soil science and corn genetics to hydrology and limnology. It has become a valuable informational resource for agencies (USEPA, NRCS) in addressing the need for best management practices (BMPs) to prevent nonpoint source pollution of surface waters by agricultural P.