Turfgrass Nutrient Management and Regulatory Issues in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Water quality in the Chesapeake Bay has been impaired for decades from excess N, P, and sediment. As a result, the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (CBTMDL) program was established by the USEPA in 2010. This program requires each of the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states and the District of Columbia to develop watershed implementation plans to limit N, P, and sediment loading. Watershed implementation plans include sections on stormwater management and improving turfgrass fertilization practices in developed areas. As a consequence, legislation restricting use of fertilizer on home lawns, sports turf, and golf courses was recently passed in Maryland, Virginia, and New York, and a similar bill has been introduced in the Pennsylvania legislature. Depending on the state, turfgrass nutrient management legislation requires government agencies to establish certification programs for professional fertilizer applicators, restrictions on P fertilizer, limits on N fertilizer rates, and restrictions on dates and location of applications. Although most turf managers are adapting to current regulations, proposed plans for monitoring nutrient use and additional restrictions are creating concern in the turfgrass industry. Increased focus on the environmental impact of turfgrass fertilization practices has led to a renewed emphasis on research to determine if N and P inputs can be reduced without a significant sacrifice in turfgrass quality and performance.