Site Evaluation

Site Evaluation Worksheet

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Routine Soil Testing	Low	Low - Moderate	High - Moderate	High
Frequency of routine soil tests	Cropland fields are tested every 3 years; every year for vegetable crops.	Cropland fields are tested every 4-6 years; every other year for vegetable crops.	Cropland fields are tested every 7+ years; every 3-4 years for vegetable crops.	No soil testing conducted.
Sampling density	At least 8 soil cores are collected from 5 acres or less to form a composite soil sample	At least 5 soil cores are collected from 5 to 10 acres to form a composite sample and at least 2 soil samples collected per field.	At least 5 soil cores are collected from 10 to 20 acres to form a composite sample.	A single soil sample is collected from 20 or more acres.
Nutrient appli - cation rates	Nutrient appli - cation rates do not exceed University of Wisconsin recom - mendations.	Nutrient appli - cation rates exceed University of Wisconsin recom - mendations by 10-25%.	Nutrient appli - cation rates exceed University of Wisconsin recom - mendations by 25-50%.	Nutrient appli - cation rates exceed University of Wisconsin recom - mendations by greater than 50%.
Yield goal estimates	For nitrogen recom - mendations, yield goals are not used (for example, nitrogen rates are based on the Univ. of WI. recom - mendation program). For phosphate and potash recom - mendations, yield averages from 5 or more years are used for determining realistic yield results.	All fertilizer recom - mendations are based on yield goals using 3- to 5- year average yields.	All fertilizer recom - mendations are based on yield goals using 3- to 5- year average yields.	All fertilizer recom - mendations are based on yield goals using the highest yield ever obtained on each field. Or Measured yield informa - tion is not collected, or, if collected, is not used to determine fertilizer recom - mendations.
Soil testing for corn
	Soil nitrate test are used when and where appropriate			Soil nitrate tests are never utilized.
Nutrient credits
Manure
Application rate	Manure is applied to fields at rates not exceeding the nutrient need of the crop to be grown.	Manure is applied to most fields at rates not exceeding the nutrient need of the crop to be grown.	Manure is applied to most fields at rates exceeding the nutrient need of the crop to be grown.	Manure appli - cation rate to fields is unknown.
Nutrient content	Manure nutrient content is determined through laboratory analysis.	Manure nutrient content is estimated using University of Wisconsin laboratory averages (book values).	Manure nutrient content used in determining manure nutrient credits is a "partial value" from either a laboratory analysis or university book value.	Manure nutrient content is unknown.
Crediting	Manure nutrient credits are confirmed through the use of a pre - sidedress soil nitrate test and fertilizer appli - cation rates are reduced accordingly.	Manure nutrient credits are calculated and fully deducted from fertilizer appli - cation rates.	Manure nutrient credits are partially deducted from fertilizer appli - cation rates.	Manure nutrient credits are not deducted from fertilizer appli - cation rates.
Legumes
	Legume nitrogen credits are calculated according to University of Wisconsin guidelines and are fully deducted from nitrogen fertilizer appli - cation rates.	Legume nitrogen credits are confirmed through the use of a pre - sidedress soil nitrate test and nitrogen fertilizer appli - cation rates are reduced accordingly.	Legume nitrogen credits are partially deducted from fertilizer appli - cation rates. (At least 50% of the nitrogen credit is used.)	Legume nitrogen credits are ignored. Fertilizer appli - cation rates are not adjusted.
Organic wastes (such as whey and sludge)
	Organic wastes are applied to fields at rates not exceeding the nutrient need of the crop to be grown.		Organic wastes are applied to fields at rates exceeding the nutrient need of the crop to be grown.	Organic waste appli - cation rate to fields is unknown.
Manure management Note: the following series of categories deals with management practices pertaining to the land appli - cation of manure. If you do not apply manure to your property, skip to the next section.
Field selection	Manure is applied to fields testing less than 30 ppm for soil test phosphorus (P).	Manure is applied to fields testing from 30 to 75 ppm soil test P.	Manure is applied to fields testing from 75 to 150 ppm soil test P.	Manure is applied to fields testing more than 150 ppm soil test P.
Animal units* to spreadable acres ratio	Less than 0.5 animal units per acre of spreadable cropland.	Between 0.5 and 1.0 animal units per acre of spreadable cropland.	Between 1.0 and 2.0 animal units per acre of spreadable cropland.	More than 2.0 animal units per acre of spreadable cropland.
Slope	Manure applied on fields with slopes of 0-2%.	Manure applied on fields with slopes of 2-6%.	Manure applied on fields with slopes of 6-12%.	Manure applied on fields with slopes greater than 12%.
Field History	Manure appli - cations are made to fields that have been in corn production for three or more years with alfalfa, corn, or some other high nitrogen demanding crop to be grown the next year.	Light manure appli - cations (10 tons/acre or less) are made to alfalfa as a top-dress fertilizer appli - cation.	Manure appli - cations are made to second - year corn fields that followed alfalfa that received manure	Heavy manure appli - cations (25 tons / acre or more) to alfalfa fields prior to rotating to corn or other non - legume crop.
Distribution	Manure is applied only to fields with optimum or lower soil test phospho - rus values at rates not exceeding crop nutrient need.	Manure is applied to as many fields as possible at rates not exceeding crop nutrient need.	Manure is applied to fields with high soil test phosphorus values at rates exceeding crop nutrient removal.	Manure is applied to same field(s) every year without any consid - eration of nutrient credits or crop rotation.
Timing and method of appli - cation	Fall and/or spring manure appli - cations of manure are injected or incor - porated within three days of appli - cation.	Fall and/or spring manure appli - cations of manure are incorporated more than three days after appli - cation.	Manure is applied to frozen soils on fields of less than 6% slope.	Manure is applied to frozen soils on fields of more than 6% slope. Or Manure applied in the fall on sands when soil temp - eratures are greater than 50 degrees F.
Uniformity of appli - cations	Manure is applied uniformly across fields over a short period of time (1- 2 days) when emptying a storage facility.	Manure is applied uniformly across fields on a daily haul basis.		Manure is applied in a random, haphazard manner across fields.
Application rate	Manure appli - cation rate is estimated by a custom manure applicator us-ing calibrated equipment.	Manure spreader is calibrated and loads applied to fields are counted to estimate appli - cation rate.	Manure appli - cation rate is estimated visually.	Manure appli - cation rate is not estimated.
Application strategy	Manure is applied at rates to meet the phosphorus (P) need of crop to be grown.	Manure is applied at rates not to exceed the crop removal of P and to maintain current soil test P levels.	Manure is applied at rates to meet the nitrogen need of crop to be grown.	Manure is applied without regard to crop nutrient need.
Field charac - teristics/site consid - erations Note: Physical charac - teristics of cropland fields that limit their suitability for receiving manure include soil depth (less than 20 inches over bedrock); soil texture/tim-ing of appli - cation (early fall appli - cations of manure on sands when soil tempera-tures are greater than 50 o F); proximity to surface water (appli - cations within 200 feet of lakes and streams or in areas of concentrated water flow, such as water-ways and terrace channels).
	No cropland acres have physical charac - teristics that would limit their suitability for receiving more.	A small ercentage of cropland acres (less than 10%) have physical charac - teristics that would limit their suitability for receiving manure.	A moderate percentage of cropland acres (10-30%) have physical charac - teristics that would limit their suitability for receiving manure.	A significant percentage of cropland acres (more than 30%) have physical charac - teristics that would limit their suitability for receiving manure.
Nitrogen (N) fertilizer appli - cations
Sandy soils Note: The following three categories pertain to nitrogen fertilizer management on sandy soils. If your farm does not have sandy soils, skip to the categories on medium and fine textured soils. If you have sandy and heavier soils on your farm, complete the following five categories.
Timing of N fertilizer appli - cations	Single sidedress or multiple delayed appli - cations of N.	Split appli - cations of N involving preplant and sidedress appli - cations.	Preplant appli - cations of N with the use of a nitri - fication inhibitor.	The majority or all of N is applied in the fall. OR Preplant appli - cations of N without the use of a nitri - fication inhibitor.
Cover crops	Cover crops are established in the fall after the primary crop is har-vested on all sandy soil fields.	Fall cover crops are established on the majority of sandy fields.	Fall cover crops are established on the minority of sandy fields.	Fall cover crops are not used.
Source of N	Anhydrous ammonia or ammonium sulfate forms of N fertilizer are used.	Ammonium nitrate, urea, or N solution (28%, 32%) forms of N fertilizer are used.		Potassium nitrate or calcium nitrate forms of N fertilizers are used.
Medium and fine-textured soils
Timing of N fertilizer appli - cations	Preplant or split (preplant and sidedress) appli - cations of N.	Sidedress appli - cation(s) of N.	Fall appli - cations of N with a nitri - fication inhibitor.	The majority or all of N applied in the fall without a nitri - fication inhibitor.
Source of N for fall N appli - cations Note: ignore this catgory if N is not applied in the fall.		Ammonium forms of N fertilizers treated with a nitri - fication inhibitor used in the fall.	Ammonium forms of N fertilizers without a nitri - fication inhibitor used in the fall.	Nitrate, urea or N solution (28%, 32%) forms of N fertilizers used in the fall.
Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer appli - cations
Timing of P and K appli - cations	Immediate incorporation of broadcast appli - cations. Or Band appli - cation (such as starter fertilizer).	Incorporation within three days of broadcast appli - cation.	Broadcast appli - cations to frozen soils of less than 6% slope.	Broadcast appli - cations to frozen soils of greater than 6% slope.
Starter fertilizer rates
	Starter fertilizer appli - cations on medium and fine textured soils that have soil test values for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) of optimum or less. Application rates delivering approx - imately 10 lb of N, 20 lb of P 2 O 5 , 20 lb of K 2 0 (such as 100 lb of 9-23-30).	Starter fertilizer appli - cations on medium- and fine textured soils that have soil test values for P and K of high or excessively high. Application rates delivering approx - imately 10 lb of N, 20 lb of P 2 O 5 , 20 lb of K 2 0 (such as 100 lb of 9-23-30).		Starter fertilizer appli - cations in excess of 10 lb of N, 20 lb of P 2 O 5 , 20 lb of K 2 O on soils testing high or excessively high for P and K.
Calibration of fertilizer appli - cation equipment
	Application equipment is adjusted and calibrated at least once a year.	Application equipment is adjusted and calibrated every other year.	Application equipment has not been calibrated in the last 5 years.	Application equipment has never been calibrated.
Irrigation scheduling
	The Wisconsin Irrigation Scheduling Program (WISP) is followed.	Some type of irrigation scheduling program is used that utilizes weather information and field measure - ments of evapo - transpiration.	Irrigation performed when judged necessary by land manager. Decision is based on past experience combined with some field measure - ments.	Irrigation frequency is not based on any measured parameters.
Recordkeeping
	Crop nutrient management decisions are based on detailed field history records (yield, manure appli - cations, crop rotation, etc.).			Field history records are not kept.
Soil con - servation
	A farm con - servation plan is being followed that does not allow tolerable soil loss (T) to be exceeded for any cropland fields.	A farm con - servation plan is being followed only on designated highly erodible land (HEL) acres. These acres are planned to not exceed T.	A farm con - servation plan is being followed but the plan allows erosion in excess of T (for example, a plan includes alternate con - servation systems).	No farm con - servation plan is being followed. Visible evidence of soil erosion.
Crop rotation
	Rotation with more years of deep rooted legume crops (alfalfa and/or soybean) than row crops.	Rotation of row crops with a deep rooted legume crop at least one out of every three years.	Rotation of row crops with small grain (oats, wheat, etc.) crops.	Continuous corn or other high intensity row crop(s).

*Animal unit equivalency factors

Animal Type
Animal unit equiv - alency factor
Animal type
Animal unit equiv - alency factor
Animal type
Animal unit equiv - alency factor
Dairy cattle Swine Ducks
Milking and dry cows
Heifers (800-1,200 lb)
Heifers (400-800 lb)
Calves (under 400 lb)
1.4
1.1
0.6
0.2
Pigs (55 lb to mkt)
Pigs (up to 55 lb)
Sows
Boars
0.4
0.1
0.4
0.5
Per bird (wet lot)
Per bird (dry lot)
0.2
0.01
Beef cattle Sheep Chickens
Steers or cows (1,000 lb to mkt)
Calves (under 600 lb)
Bulls
1.0
0.5
1.4
Per animal 0.1 Layers
Broilers
0.01
0.005
Horses Turkeys
Per animal 2.0 Per bird 0.018

For example, 60 milk cows=84 animal units (60 x 1.4 = 84 animal units). If the farm has 120 acres of spreadable cropland, the animal unit to spreadable acres ratio is 0.7 (84 animal units / 120 acres = 0.7).

Assess the number of categories that you have given a high risk or moderate to high risk. The more high and moderate to high-risk ratings you have, the greater your risk for contributing to water quality problems. To avoid potential problems, you should look for ways to improve your rankings in the high-risk categories.

To assess your rankings of individual activities, use these guidelines:

Low-risk practices (4s) are ideal and should be your goal.
Low-to-moderate-risk practices (3s) provide reasonable protection of water quality.
Moderate-to-high-risk practices (2s) provide inadequate protection of water quality in most circumstances.
High-risk practices (1s) indicate a high potential for degrading water quality.

To fully interpret your potential for harming drinking-water quality through your nutrient management practices, you may also wish to consider a site assessment. The Site Evaluation Worksheet (Worksheet 11) ranks soil and subsurface geologic materials and their ability to protect groundwater and surface water quality. Any site that falls in a category higher than low risk has a reduced ability to attenuate contaminants--that is, in those settings even low to moderate or moderate to high risk practices have the potential to degrade water quality. If your farm is located on a high or moderate to high risk site, you should view the groundwater risk as being one category of risk higher than your rankings indicate, and you should develop a plan for implementing practices to enhance groundwater protection.

Read the companion University of Wisconsin-Extension publication A3557, Nutrient Management: Practices for Wisconsin Corn Production and Water Quality Protection, and consider how you may modify your nutrient management practices to better protect water quality on your farm. Additional information on any of the agricultural practices discussed in the assessment worksheet can be obtained from your county University of Wisconsin-Extension office.

July 23, 1998
Dennis Hoffman, Project Leader
Steve Dagitz, Webmaster