PADILLA BAY RESERVE "BUYS THE FARM"
Agriculture is a major industry in the fertile Skagit River delta. Researchers at Padilla Bay Reserve are interested in the effects of agricultural practices on water quality and ecosystem health in the bay, and they hope to address long-term solutions to these problems using an agricultural research site.

The Padilla Bay Demonstration Farm will test conservation practices in a real-life laboratory. In 1993, a study was commissioned by the reserve to investigate the feasibility of a research/education program and a one hundred-acre farm was purchased in 1994 with funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Property Acquisition Budget.

The purpose of the Padilla Bay Demonstration Farm is to provide local demonstration, education and research with a focus on minimizing agricultural non-point pollution impacts to water quality.

Padilla Bay Reserve is now developing an operational plan for the Demonstration Farm with funds from a CZMA Section 308 grant provided by NOAA/OCRM. This operational plan will outline an approach for developing solutions to non-point pollution from agricultural crop production. The Demonstration Farm will provide a valuable link for implementing Section 6217 of the CZMA, as well as local, state, and other federal water quality programs.

BACKGROUND
A summary of water quality information was compiled as part of the Padilla Bay Watershed Non-point Action Plan development. This summary indicated that Padilla Bay drainages have high levels of suspended sediments, fecal coliform and high temperatures, and low levels of dissolved oxygen as compared to other rural watersheds in the Puget Sound Basin. Sources for non-point pollution included agriculture, development, forestry and rural land use activities.

Two-thirds of the watershed's 23,000 acres are in agricultural production. The majority of that land is in annual crops. Mild winters allow for the production of a variety of crops with long growing seasons. Late harvests of long season crops make establishment of winter cover crops difficult. Flooding is common on much of the productive farmland. Extremely wet winter conditions often drown winter cover crops. Improving drainage is often difficult because many farm elevations are near sea level and require expensive pumping systems. As a result, much of the Skagit Valley farmland has no winter soil cover.

NEED FOR RESEARCH
Local information about conservation practices for crop farming is very limited. The number and diversity of crops grown and their varied production requirements result in a unique style of farming in the Skagit Valley and the Puget Sound lowland. The demonstration farm provides a place where researchers and educators can work closely with Skagit Valley's highly skilled farmers to explore the possibilities for water quality protection and enhancement.

COLLABORATIVE PROCESS
Padilla Bay Reserve has initiated a collaborative planning process to develop an operational plan, or framework, under which demonstration, education and research activities on the farm will be conducted. Local farmers, agribusiness, Washington State University Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension, environmental groups and Padilla Bay Reserve staff have been meeting regularly since March to establish a plan that addresses the concerns of all partners.

Implementation of the plan will continue the collaborative approach. An advisory panel comprised of a similar mix of organizations will provide Padilla Bay Reserve with expertise, program feedback and guidance. Interest groups representing a variety of local agencies, groups and perspectives will provide consultation and partnerships with Padilla Bay Reserve on specific projects.

THE OPERATIONS PLAN
The plan's main focus is to evaluate measures that reduce agricultural non-point pollution from commercial agricultural operations and to determine their cost effectiveness. Plan goals, objectives and all associated tasks seek to achieve water quality improvements and protection throughout all program activities and to emphasize partnership opportunities in all aspects of the Demonstration Farm.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information about the Padilla Bay Demonstration Farm contact the Reserve.