Template Image
The Florida Phosphorus Index
The Phosphorus Index (P Index)
is a site-specific, qualitative vulnerability assessment tool. This
tool allows a conservation planner to determine the sites that are potentially
most vulnerable to off-site movement of phosphorus. The P Index is used
to determine where application of manure/organic by-products should
be based on either a nitrogen-based budget or a phosphorus-based budget.
The P Index is NOT to be used in any area designated as phosphorus limited
by legislation (e.g. Everglades, Green Swamp, and Okeechobee Basin)
to determine if a nitrogen-based nutrient budget can be used. These
areas are to have phosphorus-based nutrient budgets regardless of the
nutrient source or soil type. The P Index should, however, be used to
implement conservation practices to reduce phosphorus movement in these
areas.
The purpose of the P Index is to aid planners and others in the decision-making process involved in designing conservation plans related to land application of animal wastes. The P Index is not intended to be an evaluation tool to determine compliance of water quality standards by any regulatory agency. Any attempt to use the P Index as a regulatory tool would be grossly beyond the intent of the concept and philosophy of the P Index developers. The P Index is a science-based decision making tool that will support conservation planning and component planning of nutrient management. Concerns regarding P management of manure/organic by-product recycling can be effectively communicated to landowners if the P Index is consistently applied.
Components of the P Index
The P Index assesses two major categories of characteristics: (1) those
related to site and transport and (2) those related to phosphorus source
and management. The P Index results are then obtained by multiplying
the total for Table 1 by the total for Table 2.
P Index = Total for Table 1 (Site and Transport) X Total for Table 2
(Source and Management)
Phosphorus Index Worksheet (FL-CPA-41)
Fillable PDF Phosphorus Index worksheet (fillable pdf)
The result of an analysis using the P Index gives the producer a vulnerability rating for each field or portion of a field analyzed (Table 3 ). This rating may be LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, or VERY HIGH. As the vulnerability rating increases, so does the potential for phosphorus transport off-site, and for phosphorus to become associated with water quality impairment.
More information about Phosphorus Index Development (pdf)
Phosphorus Index by County
|
-
|
-
|
-
|