How to Use the County Bulletins

Does the Information in the County Bulletins Apply to You?

How to Use the County Bulletins

Reducing Runoff and Drift

Does the Information in the County Bulletins Apply to You?

To determine whether this information applies to your use of a pesticide, review the questions below. The information appies to you only if you answer "yes" to both questions:

• Do you intend to use pesticides within or near the shaded area on the county map?
• Are any of the ingredients listed on the front panel of your pesticide product named in the Table of Pesticide Active Ingredients?

If you answer "yes" to both questions, you should follow the instructions on "How to Use the County Bulletins" to determine if you should limit use of the pesticide to help protect listed species.

If you answer "no" to either question, you should follow usage directions on the pesticide product label.

1. Go to the Species Map of the United States.
2. Choose the state where you will be using the pesticides.*
   (Note: Only states in color have County Location Information and are listed below the map)
3. Once you are at the state map, click on the county which interests you. (Note: Only counties in color have information.)
4. On the county maps, areas where pesticide use should be limited in order to protect listed species are identified by shaded areas. (Note: Click on the Map for a larger view.) Each shaded area corresponds to a species in need of protection. On the county map, find the specific shading patterns that cover, or are close to, the area where you intend to apply pesticides.
5. Read the descriptor in the shading key for those patterns. In addition to showing the name of the species that each shading pattern represents, the description may further identify the area involved, in terms of Township, Range and Section, or by giving detaiils about the habitat of the species.
6. Look at the "Table of Pesticide Active Ingredients". The first column lists the active ingredients in a pesticide for which there should be limitations on use in order to protect certain species. Locate the active ingredients in the pesticide you intend to apply.
7. Locate the codes to the right of the active ingredient name and the shading pattern that apply to you. These codes indicate the specific limitation that is necessary to protect the species.
8. When using the pesticide, you should follow the limitations indicated for those codes described under "Limitations on Pesticide Use."
9. If you are applying more than one listed active ingredient or applying a listed active ingredient in an area with more than one shaded pattern (species), multiple codes may apply. If so, you should follow the most restrictive limitation.
10. Use the following information to reduce the runoff and drifting of pesticides.

Careful use of pesticides can diminish harm to the environment and reduce exposure of endangered and threatened species to pesticides. Using pesticide runoff and drift measures may be helpful in keeping more of the applied pesticide on the field and may also lower your costs of pesticides.

Runoff

Where possible, use methods which reduce soil erosion, such as limited till and contour plowing; these methods also reduce pesticide runoff.

Where feasible, use application techniques such as T-banding and in-furrow techniques which incorporate the pesticide into the soil.

Pesticides with ground water warning labels are more likely to enter the ground and surface water than those without such warnings. When possible, use a pesticide that does not contain a ground water warning.

Keep informed about changing weather conditions, and try to avoid pesticide application when heavy rainfall is expected.

Drift

Wind direction, speed and evaporation are important factors in reducing drift. Most importantly, pesticides should be applied when the wind direction is away from areas of concern; try to avoid application during periods of high winds. Avoiding application during the hottest part of the day, when evaporation is highest, will further reduce drift.

When high winds and excessive evaporation are not present, a drift retardant may be useful for aerial applications.

Using the largest droplet size compatible with the pesticide coverage will reduce drift. Typically, higher spray volumes will also result in less drift.

For the Protection of Your Land, Always Read and Follow Label Directions

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