An overview of irrigation drainwater techniques, impacts on fish and wildlife resources, and management options

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In 1991, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to describe the impacts of irrigation drainwater and its resulting constituents on fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. An issue paper was developed to assist the EPA in developing policies under the Clean Water Act and includes the six drainwater priorities developed by the EPA (namely, site-specific and regional assessments of real and potential risks to fish and wildlife from irrigation drainwater, biological evaluation of short- and long-term effects on fish and wildlife of current practices, recommendations for targeting areas for preventative and remedial efforts, biological evaluation of tradeoffs to wildlife of reduced drainwater, recommendations for safe environmental levels for contaminants, information on the predicted effects of various treatments/controls or mitigation options and tradeoffs to wildlife), along with reference information and primary conclusions for each issue. The first part of the document is devoted to presenting an overview of current irrigation drainwater practices, fish and wildlife interests, and active irrigation drainwater programs. The primary topics of concern and interest associated with irrigation drainage and its impacts to fish and wildlife are discussed in categories such as practices and results of irrigation operations, constituents of concern, biotic concerns, National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP), drainwater treatment/disposal, habitat quality/mitigation/legislation, Clean Water Act (CWA), and research needs. Management and regulatory management options are also discussed, along with recommendations for management. Additionally, appendices provide supporting information such as Service trustee responsibilities, statutory authorities, and information from field studies.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology: Multiple Species; Ecology

SWAP (2/19/2016) citation:
[FWS] US Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Environmental Contaminants. 1992. An overview of irrigation drainwater techniques, impacts on fish and wildlife resources, and management options. Washington (DC): US Fish and Wildlife Service. 82 p. Report prepared for US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation