Clackamas Subbasin Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan March 2019 Developed by the: Oregon Department of Agriculture With support from the: Clackamas Local Advisory Committee Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District oda.direct/AgWQPlans Clackamas Management Area Contacts: Oregon Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Programs 635 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97301 (503)-986-4700 Clackamas Subbasin Agricultural Water Quality Specialist Office: (503)-986-5141 Visit the website for more information and full copy of the area plan: oda.direct/AgWQPlans Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District 221 Molalla Ave. Suite 102 Oregon City, OR 97045 (503)-210-6000 www.conservationdistrict.org Table of Contents Acronyms and Terms Used in this Document ............................................................................... i Required Elements of Area Plans ................................................................................................... iii Plan Content ........................................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Agricultural Water Quality Management Program Purpose and Background ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose of Agricultural Water Quality Management Program and Applicability of Area Plans ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 History of the Ag Water Quality Program ................................................................................. 1 1.3 Roles and Responsibilities .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3.1 Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) .......................................................................................... 2 1.3.2 Local Management Agency ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.3.3 Local Advisory Committee (LAC)............................................................................................................ 5 1.3.4 Agricultural Landowners ........................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.5 Public Participation ...................................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Agricultural Water Quality ............................................................................................................. 6 1.4.1 Point and Nonpoint Sources of Water Pollution............................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Beneficial Uses and Parameters of Concern ....................................................................................... 7 1.4.3 Impaired Water Bodies and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) ........................................ 7 1.4.4 Water Pollution Control Law – ORS 468B.025 and ORS 468B.050 .......................................... 8 1.4.5 Streamside Vegetation and Agricultural Water Quality ................................................................ 9 1.5 Other Water Quality Programs ................................................................................................... 10 1.5.1 Confined Animal Feeding Operation Program ................................................................................ 10 1.5.2 Groundwater Management Areas......................................................................................................... 10 1.5.3 The Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds ................................................................................. 10 1.5.4 Pesticide Management and Stewardship ........................................................................................... 11 1.6 Partner Agencies and Organizations ........................................................................................ 11 1.6.1 Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) ................................................................. 11 1.6.2 Other Partners .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1.7 Measuring Progress ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.7.1 Measurable Objectives .............................................................................................................................. 13 1.7.2 Land Condition and Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 13 1.7.3 Focused Implementation in Small Geographic Areas ................................................................... 14 1.8 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management ........................................................... 14 1.8.1 Agricultural Water Quality Monitoring .............................................................................................. 15 1.8.2 Biennial Reviews and Adaptive Management ................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2: Introduction and Local Background ................................................................... 17 2.1 Local Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................ 17 2.1.1 Local Advisory Committee (LAC).......................................................................................................... 17 2.1.2 Local Management Agency ...................................................................................................................... 18 2.2 Area Plan and Rules: Development and History ................................................................... 18 2.3 Geographical and Physical Setting ............................................................................................. 18 2.3.1 Location and Land Use .............................................................................................................................. 18 2.3.2 Agriculture ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.3 Water Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.4 Biological Resources .................................................................................................................................. 22 2.4 Water Quality in the Clackamas Subbasin .............................................................................. 25 2.4.1 Water Quality Concerns ............................................................................................................................ 25 2.4.2 Sources of Impairment .............................................................................................................................. 27 2.5 Prevention and Control Measures ............................................................................................. 28 2.6 Voluntary Measures and Strategies ........................................................................................... 29 2.6.1 Streamside Area Management ............................................................................................................... 29 2.6.2 Agricultural Waste ...................................................................................................................................... 29 2.6.3 Livestock Waste: Nutrients and Bacteria .......................................................................................... 29 2.6.4 Crop Nutrients .............................................................................................................................................. 30 2.6.5 Pesticide Use.................................................................................................................................................. 30 2.6.6 Irrigation Tailwater .................................................................................................................................... 31 2.6.7 Sediment ......................................................................................................................................................... 31 2.6.8 Warning Signs That Agricultural Waste May Be Reaching Water ........................................... 33 2.6.9 Upland Management .................................................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 3: Strategic Initiatives .................................................................................................. 35 3.1 Measurable Objectives ................................................................................................................... 35 3.1.1 Management Area ....................................................................................................................................... 35 3.1.2 Focus Areas ...................................................................................................................................................