Introduction of Best Management Practices (BMPs):
Mitigation Measures for Runoff
Dr. Volker Laabs
Global Sustainability & Product Stewardship - Crop Protection
BASF S.E.
EU Stakeholder Workshop, 26 April 2012, Brussels
Best Management Practice
Mitigation measures follow risk diagnosis
Runoff risk diagnosis
Basic runoff risk
Soil management
Cropping practices
Landscape factors and
concentrated flow issues
Mitigated runoff risk
Selection of suitable
measures…
…from toolbox of
mitigation measures
Optimized soil
management
Adapted cropping
practices
Use of buffers and/or
retention structures
Optimized crop protection
practices
Key Mitigation Challenge for Runoff:
Increase infiltration of water
Picture: Jeremy Dyson, Syngenta
General BMP Structure
Harmonized approach
“Statement”
“Specifications”
What to do?
How to do it?
A clear communication in form
of a general recommendation
statement, which will form the
core of the harmonized EU
BMP.
A detailed description of
requirements, materials,
conditions, and parameters to
consider in order to realize the
recommendation goal
(Subject to country-specific modifications in
national BMP toolboxes)
Example BMP
Runoff mitigation
Statement:
Manage tramlines to avoid concentrated runoff.
Specifications:
Whenever possible, tramlines should run across the slope.
If possible, shift tramlines in field from year to year
Minimize soil compaction by low-pressure tires
Tramlines where runoff occurs should be
- disked after passing of the tractor OR
- vegetated OR
- equipped with bunds.
A deep soil compaction under tramlines should be broken up mechanically.
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Category: Soil Management
Reduce tillage intensity
Do contour tilling/disking
Adopt lowest possible tillage
intensity
Improving aggregation and
pore continuity
Reducing slaking/micro-erosion due to mulch
 Soil cultivation follows
contour lines in fields
 Enhances infiltration due
to across-slope ridges
Manage tramlines
Position tramlines across slopes
Shift tramlines from year to year
Disk or vegetate tramlines
Break deeper compactions
Avoiding concentrated runoff in tramlines
Manage surface
soil compaction
Break soil crusts
Maintain residues on
surface
Maximizing infiltration in
topsoil
Prepare rough seedbed
Manage subsoil compaction
Maintain clods on soil surface by adapted tillage
Improving infiltration on rough surface
 Avoid working too moist soils
 Break compaction by mechanical means or
improve with deep-rooting intercrops
 Optimizing deep infiltration of water to subsoil
Establish in-field bunds
Build bunds in vulnerable areas
Avoiding concentrated runoff
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Category: Cropping practices
Use crop rotation
Use annual cover crops
Design crop rotation to increase soil organic
matter and optimize soil structure and cover
Improving soil aggregation
 Maximize cover crop use to avoid bare soil
 Reducing rainsplash erosion, increasing soil
organic matter content, improving aggregation
Do strip cropping
Position field strips across slopes
Alternate row and broadcast crops
Breaking up long slopes
Use perennial cover crops
Use suitable plant species to vegetate rows in
plantations
Protecting soil from
rainsplash erosion
Improving aggregation
of soil and surface
roughness
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Category: Vegetative buffers
Use in-field buffers
Manage field access areas
Position buffers to break up long/steep slopes
Stopping and infiltrating water at source
 Vegetate field access areas
 Stopping formation of linear runoff towards
roads
Establish talweg buffers
Position buffer in areas of concentrated runoff
formation
Avoiding runoff in talweg positions
Use riparian buffers
Position buffers alongside
water bodies
Stopping runoff before
entering ditches/streams/lakes
Use edge-of-field buffers
Position buffer at downslope field edge
Stopping runoff from exiting field
Establish hedges
Position at downslope
edge of field
Stopping runoff from exiting field; providing
wind shield and biodiversity benefits
Establish/maintain woodlands
 Position at downslope/riparian landscape
position
 Stopping runoff in landscape; providing wind
shield and biodiversity benefits
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Category: Retention structures
Use edge-of-field bunds
Construct at downslope position where
water tends to exit the field
Stopping runoff from exiting the field
Establish vegetated
ditches
 Position at locations where
runoff is unavoidable
and occurs regularly
 Capturing, retaining, and
slowly infiltrating runoff
in the landscape
Establish retention ponds/artificial
wetlands
 Position at locations where runoff is unavoidable
and occurs regularly
 Capturing, retaining and slowly infiltrating runoff in
the landscape; additional biodiversity benefits
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Category: Adapted use of pesticides
Adapt application timing
Adapt product and rate selection
Apply pesticides only when no significant
rainfall is forecast (e.g. for ≥2 days)
Reducing pesticide concentrations in
potential runoff
 Chose products according to crop protection
requirements
If water contamination does not improve in spite
of other mitigation measures (point, diffuse) …
 Optimize product choice with regard to
- seasonal timing
- use rate
- substance properties
 If possible, minimize treated area via band or
sensor-based spraying
 Reducing pollution of known water
contaminants
Optimize seasonal timing
Apply pesticides outside of main groundwater
recharge / drainflow season
Reducing pesticide
concentations in
runoff and drainflow
Runoff Mitigation Measures
Summary: Toolbox for flexible mitigation
Mitigation measure toolbox:
Soil management
• Reduce tillage intensity
• Manage tramlines
• Prepare rough seedbed
• Establish in-field bunds
• Manage surface soil compaction
• Manage subsoil compaction
• Do contour tilling/disking
Cropping practices
• Use Crop rotation
• Do strip cropping
• Use annual cover crops
• Use perennial cover crops
Vegetative buffers
• Use in-field buffers
• Establish talweg buffers
• Use riparian buffers
• Use edge-of-field buffers
• Manage field access areas
• Establish hedges
• Establish/maintain woodlands
Retention structures
• Use edge-of-field bunds • Establish Retention ponds/artificial
• Establish vegetated ditches wetlands
Adapted use of
pesticides
• Adapt application timing • Adapt product and rate selection
• Optimize seasonal timing
Optimized irrigation
• Adapt irrigation technique • Optimize irrigation timing and rate
Runoff Mitigation
Last step: Catchment risk management plan
Example: Risk management plan
for Fontaine du Theil, FR (Arvalis)
Most difficult part: Making
implementation of measures happen