Custodian: NRCS
Goal: This work team reviewed and revised the current NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) 635 Vegetated Treatment Area (VTA), focusing on the following issues related to VTAs:
- disincentives or barriers to implementation;
- siting parameters and the specific criteria for the treatment of open lot runoff from small and medium animal feeding operations; milking center wastewater; and runoff from feed storage areas; and
- software tools and technical references to complete the design.
The team researched, evaluated and questioned conditions for use and the outcomes of VTAs. Criteria for the standard is based on existing science and state laws and regulations.
Team work followed the Full Process detailed in the SOC Technical Standards Process Handbook. The team examined existing research, consider new technologies, proposed criteria, and considered input through expert and public review.
Work Team Status: Team meetings begin in April 2023 and were held approximately monthly until the draft standard was completed. Details on meetings, including agendas and notes, were posted on the right side of this website as the work developed.
Initial Review: Dec. 19, 2023 – Jan. 22, 2024 – See responses to Initial Review comments here
Broad (Public) Review: Feb. 19, 2024 – March 14, 2024 – See responses to public comments here
Publication Date: November 2024 – Posted by NRCS in the WI FOTG
Team Resources
- NRCS WI CPS 635 Vegetated Treatment Area, September 2016.
Note: Current WI CPSs and associated guidance documents are available in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide. Select Wisconsin, then go to Section IV > Conservation Practices > select individual standards from the alphabetical list > Practice Standard or other support documents. - Brown, R. N., Percivalle, C., Narkiewicz, S., & DeCuollo, S. (2010). Relative Rooting Depths of Native Grasses and Amenity Grasses with Potential for Use on Roadsides in New England. HortScience, 45(3), 393-400, 2010.
- Koelsch, R., B. Kintzer, and D. Meyer (ed.). Vegetated Treatment Systems for Open Lot Runoff – A Collaborative Report. USDA, NRCS, 2006.
- Koelsch, R. K., Lorimor, J. C., and Mankin, K. R. Vegetative Treatment Systems for Management of Open Lot Runoff: Review of Literature. Applied Engineering In Agriculture, 22(1), 141-153, 2006.
- Laboski, C.A.M. and J.B. Peters. Nutrient Application Guidelines for Field, Vegetable, and Fruit Crops in Wisconsin (A2809). University of Wisconsin Extension, Madison, WI, 2012.
- Larson, R.A. and Safferman, S.I. Field Application of Farmstead Runoff to Vegetated Filter Strips: Surface and Subsurface Water Quality Assessment. Journal of Environmental Quality, 41:1- 12, 2012.
- NRCS NHCP CPS 635 Vegetated Treatment Area, July 2022.
- NRCS, USDA. National Engineering Handbook, Part 651, Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook, 2009.
- NRCS, USDA. National Engineering Handbook, Part 652, Irrigation Guide, 1997.
- NRCS, USDA. Wisconsin Supplements to the National AWMFH, 1995.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service. WinSRFR 5.1.1, 2019.
- Vadas, Peter A., Annual Phosphorous Loss Estimator for Outdoor Cattle Lots (APLE-Lots). Version 3.0, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Spring 2022.
- WinSRFR software, Version 5.1.1.
- Wisconsin DNR, Chapter NR 151 Implementation Series: Determining Direct Runoff from Feedlots to Waters of the State, May 2022.
- Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter NR 213 Lining of Industrial Lagoons and Design of Storage Structures.
- Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter NR 243 Animal Feeding Operations.
- Wunderlin, A, Cooley, E., Larson, B., Herron, C., Frame, D. Radatz, A., Klingberg, K., Radatz, T, and Holly, M. Evaluation of Silage Leachate and Runoff Collection Systems on Three Wisconsin Dairy Farms, University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms and University of Wisconsin–Extension, 4/11/2016 (Revised 5/31/16).
- Young, R.A., Otterby M.A., and Roos, A. An Evaluation System to Rate Feedlot Pollution Potential, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, ARM-NC-17, 1982.