ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural landscapes have been identified as pri... more ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural landscapes have been identified as primary sources of excess nutrients in aquatic systems. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter strips (PFS) in removing nutrients from cropland runoff in 12 small watersheds in central Iowa. Four treatments with PFS of different spatial coverage and distribution (No-PFS, 10% PFS, 10% PFS with strips, and 20% PFS with strips) were arranged in a balanced incomplete block design across four blocks in 2007. A no-tillage two-year corn (Zea mays L.) -soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotation was grown in row-cropped areas beginning in 2007. Runoff was monitored by H flumes, and runoff water samples were collected during the growing seasons to determine concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) through 2011. Overall, the presence of PFS reduced mean annual NO3-N, TN, and TP concentrations by 35%, 73%, and 82%, respectively, and reduced annual NO3-N, TN, and TP losses by 67%, 84%, and 90%, respectively. However, the amount and distribution of PFS had no significant impact on runoff and nutrient yields. The findings suggest that utilization of PFS at the footslope position of annual row crop systems provides an effective approach to reducing nutrient loss in runoff from small agricultural watersheds.
ABSTRACT Highlights ► Runoff was reduced by 37% by the prairie strips compared to 100% row crop. ... more ABSTRACT Highlights ► Runoff was reduced by 37% by the prairie strips compared to 100% row crop. ► 10% prairie strategically incorporated into watersheds enough to reduce runoff. ► Buffer effectiveness increased along the years. ► Greater runoff reductions in spring–fall by prairie strips compared to 100% crops.
Twelve small watersheds in central Iowa were used to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter... more Twelve small watersheds in central Iowa were used to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter strips (PFS) in trapping sediment from agricultural runoff. Four treatments with PFS of different size and location (100% rowcrop, 10% PFS of total watershed area at footslope, 10% PFS at footslope and in contour strips, 20% PFS at footslope and in contour strips) arranged in a balanced incomplete block design were seeded in July 2007. All watersheds were in bromegrass ( L.) for at least 10 yr before treatment establishment. Cropped areas were managed under a no-till, 2-yr corn ( L.)-soybean [ (L.) Merr.] rotation beginning in 2007. About 38 to 85% of the total sediment export from cropland occurred during the early growth stage of rowcrop due to wet field conditions and poor ground cover. The greatest sediment load was observed in 2008 due to the initial soil disturbance and gradually decreased thereafter. The mean annual sediment yield through 2010 was 0.36 and 8.30 Mg ha for the watersheds with and without PFS, respectively, a 96% sediment trapping efficiency for the 4-yr study period. The amount and distribution of PFS had no significant impact on runoff and sediment yield, probably due to the relatively large width (37-78 m) of footslope PFS. The findings suggest that incorporation of PFS at the footslope position of annual rowcrop systems provides an effective approach to reducing sediment loss in runoff from agricultural watersheds under a no-till system.
ABSTRACT The importance of streambank erosion to watershed-scale sediment export is being increas... more ABSTRACT The importance of streambank erosion to watershed-scale sediment export is being increasingly recognized. However few studies have quantified bank erosion and watershed sediment flux at the basin scale across temporal and spatial scales. In this study we evaluated the spatial distribution, extent, and temporal frequency of bank erosion in the 5218 ha Walnut Creek watershed in Iowa across a seven year period. We inventoried severely eroding streambanks along over 10 km of stream and monitored erosion pins at 20 sites within the watershed. Annual streambank recession rates ranged from 0.6 cm/yr during years of hydrological inactivity to 28.2 cm/yr during seasons with high discharge rates, with an overall average of 18.8 cm/yr. The percentage of total basin export attributed to streambank erosion along the main stem of Walnut Creek ranged from 23 to 53%. Large variations in individual site, annual rates and percentage of annual load suggested that developing direct relationships between streambank erosion rates and total sediment discharge may be confounded by the timing and magnitude of discharge events, storage of sediments within channel system and the remobilization of eroded material.
Moderate resolution (30 m) digital elevation models (DEMs) are normally used to estimate slope fo... more Moderate resolution (30 m) digital elevation models (DEMs) are normally used to estimate slope for the parameterization of non-point source process-based water quality models. These models, such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), utilize the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Modified USLE (MUSLE) to estimate sediment loss. USLE relies on a slope length and steepness (LS) factor which has a very significant effect on USLE outputs. For example, a four-time increase in slope potentially results in a four to 10 times increase in the LS factor and subsequent sediment estimation, depending on the slope length. Recently, the availability of much finer resolution (~2-3 m) DEMs derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data have increased. With the expectation of better and perhaps more accurate model erosion estimates, water quality modelers are eager to take advantage of these finer resolution information. Abstract: South Fork of the Iowa River However, the use of t...
ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural landscapes have been identified as pri... more ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from agricultural landscapes have been identified as primary sources of excess nutrients in aquatic systems. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter strips (PFS) in removing nutrients from cropland runoff in 12 small watersheds in central Iowa. Four treatments with PFS of different spatial coverage and distribution (No-PFS, 10% PFS, 10% PFS with strips, and 20% PFS with strips) were arranged in a balanced incomplete block design across four blocks in 2007. A no-tillage two-year corn (Zea mays L.) -soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotation was grown in row-cropped areas beginning in 2007. Runoff was monitored by H flumes, and runoff water samples were collected during the growing seasons to determine concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) through 2011. Overall, the presence of PFS reduced mean annual NO3-N, TN, and TP concentrations by 35%, 73%, and 82%, respectively, and reduced annual NO3-N, TN, and TP losses by 67%, 84%, and 90%, respectively. However, the amount and distribution of PFS had no significant impact on runoff and nutrient yields. The findings suggest that utilization of PFS at the footslope position of annual row crop systems provides an effective approach to reducing nutrient loss in runoff from small agricultural watersheds.
ABSTRACT Highlights ► Runoff was reduced by 37% by the prairie strips compared to 100% row crop. ... more ABSTRACT Highlights ► Runoff was reduced by 37% by the prairie strips compared to 100% row crop. ► 10% prairie strategically incorporated into watersheds enough to reduce runoff. ► Buffer effectiveness increased along the years. ► Greater runoff reductions in spring–fall by prairie strips compared to 100% crops.
Twelve small watersheds in central Iowa were used to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter... more Twelve small watersheds in central Iowa were used to evaluate the effectiveness of prairie filter strips (PFS) in trapping sediment from agricultural runoff. Four treatments with PFS of different size and location (100% rowcrop, 10% PFS of total watershed area at footslope, 10% PFS at footslope and in contour strips, 20% PFS at footslope and in contour strips) arranged in a balanced incomplete block design were seeded in July 2007. All watersheds were in bromegrass ( L.) for at least 10 yr before treatment establishment. Cropped areas were managed under a no-till, 2-yr corn ( L.)-soybean [ (L.) Merr.] rotation beginning in 2007. About 38 to 85% of the total sediment export from cropland occurred during the early growth stage of rowcrop due to wet field conditions and poor ground cover. The greatest sediment load was observed in 2008 due to the initial soil disturbance and gradually decreased thereafter. The mean annual sediment yield through 2010 was 0.36 and 8.30 Mg ha for the watersheds with and without PFS, respectively, a 96% sediment trapping efficiency for the 4-yr study period. The amount and distribution of PFS had no significant impact on runoff and sediment yield, probably due to the relatively large width (37-78 m) of footslope PFS. The findings suggest that incorporation of PFS at the footslope position of annual rowcrop systems provides an effective approach to reducing sediment loss in runoff from agricultural watersheds under a no-till system.
ABSTRACT The importance of streambank erosion to watershed-scale sediment export is being increas... more ABSTRACT The importance of streambank erosion to watershed-scale sediment export is being increasingly recognized. However few studies have quantified bank erosion and watershed sediment flux at the basin scale across temporal and spatial scales. In this study we evaluated the spatial distribution, extent, and temporal frequency of bank erosion in the 5218 ha Walnut Creek watershed in Iowa across a seven year period. We inventoried severely eroding streambanks along over 10 km of stream and monitored erosion pins at 20 sites within the watershed. Annual streambank recession rates ranged from 0.6 cm/yr during years of hydrological inactivity to 28.2 cm/yr during seasons with high discharge rates, with an overall average of 18.8 cm/yr. The percentage of total basin export attributed to streambank erosion along the main stem of Walnut Creek ranged from 23 to 53%. Large variations in individual site, annual rates and percentage of annual load suggested that developing direct relationships between streambank erosion rates and total sediment discharge may be confounded by the timing and magnitude of discharge events, storage of sediments within channel system and the remobilization of eroded material.
Moderate resolution (30 m) digital elevation models (DEMs) are normally used to estimate slope fo... more Moderate resolution (30 m) digital elevation models (DEMs) are normally used to estimate slope for the parameterization of non-point source process-based water quality models. These models, such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), utilize the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Modified USLE (MUSLE) to estimate sediment loss. USLE relies on a slope length and steepness (LS) factor which has a very significant effect on USLE outputs. For example, a four-time increase in slope potentially results in a four to 10 times increase in the LS factor and subsequent sediment estimation, depending on the slope length. Recently, the availability of much finer resolution (~2-3 m) DEMs derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data have increased. With the expectation of better and perhaps more accurate model erosion estimates, water quality modelers are eager to take advantage of these finer resolution information. Abstract: South Fork of the Iowa River However, the use of t...
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