Michigan Water
Stewardship Program
The Michigan Water Stewardship Program (MWSP) provides educational, technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and residents to identify and reduce groundwater contamination risks. The program encourages individuals to take voluntary, proactive steps to protect Michigan's water quality and, therefore, the quality of our drinking water.
Pesticide registration and tonnage fees levied on the purchase of all nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides pay for this service -- so in a way, you're already paying for our assistance with every bag of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide you buy. Why not capitalize on your investment and call our office today?
Call Melanie Stoughton, Water Stewardship Technician
St. Joe County Conservation District
(269) 467-6336, ext. 117
Agricultural producers who participate in the Groundwater Stewardship program can become environmentally assured through the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program. Click here for further information on MAEAP. Environmental assurance indicates a farm is in conformance with state and federal environmental laws and guidelines and is protecting Michigan's important natural resources for use by future generations.
Agricultural operations can be verified in any combination of three applicable systems: Farmstead, Cropping and Livestock. MAEAP verification is available for all types and sizes of farms and all comodities - including for nurseries, greenhouses, and fruit growers.
Through the St. Joe County Conservation District's Groundwater Stewardship Program, St. Joseph and Branch county farmers and growers can prepare for MAEAP verification in both Farmstead, Cropping, and Livestock systems. Our Technical staff can assess the conditions at your farm, suggest corrective or improvement steps you can take to overcome MAEAP requirements, demonstrate cost effective solutions you can implement to reduce ground and surface water pollution, and can even offer cost share payments to help pay for some of these practices and improvements! We'll help you right through the process, representing your best interests and making the verification process as easy and swift as possible.
The Power of the Local Community: Advocating on your behalf, local citizens, farmers, commodity groups, agribusinesses, County and State personnel, NRCS, MSU-Extension, and the St. Joe County Conservation District comprise a Local Water Stewardship Team whose duty it is to be a collective local voice working to see our local community's interests reflected in Statewide programmatic policy. In other words, we have the Water Stewardship program in St. Joseph and Branch counties thanks in part to the local community's push to see State funds assist us, assist ourselves. Join our effort and reap your own benefits!
Program Features
Environmental Risk Assessments
Farm*A*Syst
The Farmstead Assessment System (Farm*A*Syst) looks at management practices, structures and site conditions at the farm headquarters and helps producers identify and reduce risks to both groundwater and surface water supplies. Completion of a Farm*A*Syst with a local technician is done on-farm at the convenience of the producer in a confidential and voluntary manner. Farmers can earn 2 - 4 RUP credits towards pesticide license recertification and can prepare for MAEAP Farmstead Verification in the process.
Crop*A*Syst
The Cropping Assessment System (Crop*A*Syst) helps producers develop and implement a management plan to prevent contamination of groundwater and surface water resources in production fields, orchards and nurseries. The process includes a voluntary, confidential review of management practices and records of pesticide, fertilizer, water use, and conservation practices. Like Farm*A*Syst, the Crop*A*Syst is also completed at the farm with the local water stewardship technician. Farmers can earn 2 - 4 RUP credits towards pesticide license recertification and can prepare for MAEAP Cropping System Verification in the process.
Greenhouse*A*Syst
The Greenhouse Assessment System (Greenhouse*A*Syst) is a tool specifically designed for the way greenhouse operations work, comprised of both the Farm*A*Syst and Crop*A*Syst rolled into one streamlined process to address both the headquarters and growing facilities that are often housed together in a greenhouse setting. Completing the Greenhouse*A*Syst will simultaneously prepare growers for MAEAP verification in both the Farmstead System and Cropping System. As with the other tools, the Greenhouse*A*Syst can earn a grower 2 - 4 RUP credits towards their pesticide license recertification.
Environmental Risk Assessments through the Michigan Water Stewardship
Program are voluntary and confidential. For more information about MWSP, please
contact Melanie Stoughton, Water Stewardship Technician for St.Joseph and Branch Counties
Michigan Water Stewardship Practices
A number of stewardship practices are available which will help to reduce the risk of ground and surface water contamination, including:
*abandoned well plugging
*permanent and/or portable mix/load pads
*permanent and/or temporary pesticide storage
*equipment calibration
*pre-side dress nitrate testing
*nutrient managing
*bulk fertilizer scondary containment
*irrigation backflow prevention device
*spray controller and monitor
Abandoned Well Closures
An abandoned well poses many risks to groundwater. Old and new abandoned wells are direct routes for fertilizers, pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals to enter into the aquifer, and into our drinking water. This is a series of photos that demonstrates a large dug well being properly closed. Cost share through the Michigan Water Stewardship Program helped this producer successfully close a well at a livestock facility. Layers of bentonite clay and native soils are added to the well in order to seal and prevent any contaminants from entering the groundwater and nearby surface water.