MARB River Basin. Hypoxia Zone. Executive Director

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1 nd Executive Director MONITORING FOR DECISION MAKING August 27, 2007 Austin, TX Leonard Binstock Over 25 Years of Experience in the Drainage Industry Ellingson Drainage Exec. Dir. MN Land Improvement Contractors of America MN Corn Growers Association Born & Raised on MN. Farm Production Agriculture for 24 yrs MARB River Basin Environmental Working Group The Main Culprit: An annual flood of wasted fertilizer from heavily farmed land, running off into rivers, and finally into the Gulf. Accounts for more than 70% of N entering the Gulf University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science The majority of the nitrogen and phosphorus delivered to the Gulf, and nearly all of the spring nitrogen flux, comes from nonpoint sources in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio-Tennessee subbasins, constituting the tile-drained, cornsoybean landscape of Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. Increasing water residence time in drained fields, wetlands, floodplains, and reservoirs would substantially reduce the export of both nitrogen and phosphorus. Hypoxia Zone Area (km 2 ) 20,000 15,000 10,000 5, Long-Term Average 1987 Action Plan Goal year Average Data source: Nancy N. Rabalais, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium ( nd is no data)

2 Hypoxia Draft Report 2007 The Integrated Assessment reports identified several research needs related to agricultural drainage. Brezonik et al. (1999) emphasized the importance of agricultural drainage in nutrient transport from cropland and identified increased spacing of subsurface drainage tile and controlling water table levels (controlled drainage) among those practices that could potentially reduce nitrate losses from cropland. Mitsch et al. (1999) noted that controlled drainage was not widely practiced in US Corn Belt and that most of the research on controlled drainage had been conducted in more southern climates. Comments from Richard Swenson NRCS Clean Water Division NRCS recognized the need for additional research to address the impacts of subsurface tile drainage on water quality and in 2001 established it as one of 14 national priority research needs. Subsequently, the USDA Partnership Management Team consisting of Agricultural Research Service (ARS), CSREES, and NRCS supported establishment of the Agricultural Drainage Management Task Force (ADMS TF) to bring researchers together with field practitioners to improve drainage practices to reduce adverse imp acts while enhancing crop production and conserving water. Comments from Richard Swenson NRCS Clean Water Division The key strategy for reducing nutrient loads from agricultural non-point sources should be to apply appropriate conservation practices at the point of origin to keep the water clean before it becomes concentrated. This would provide both on-site and off-site benefits and likely be more cost effective than other downstream treatment measures. Assistance should be provided to producers to develop and implement conservation plans that integrate a system of practices to reduce runoff, erosion, and nutrient losses. Key practices could include: cover crops, crop residue management, nutrient management planning to get very specific as to the timing, rates, sources, and methods of application, and drainage water management. Comments from Jim Fouss USDA ARS Soil & Water Research Unit The on-farm drainage water management system should be considered one of the principle methods of reducing nitrate loss from cropland that contributes to the nitrate load in the Mississippi River System. One of its main advantages is that it is an on-farm method, and addresses the problem at the source and not downstream. Conservation Innovation Grant ADMC Awarded Largest Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) Nationally (2006) Total USDA/NRCS $971,790 Matching Funds $974,019 Partners/Collaborators Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition Agricultural Research Service, Columbus Iowa State University Minnesota Department of Agriculture National Corn Growers Association National Soil Tilth Laboratory Purdue University The Ohio State University University of Illinois University of Minnesota 2

3 Deliverables Deliverables (1) 20 paired (DWM vs. conventional drainage) field evaluations of environmental effectiveness and performance of drainage water management in five states (2) Field evaluations that include as a minimum, the collection of crop yields, profitability of drainage water management, operation timing, climatic conditions, and drainage outflows (3) Synthesis of environmental effectiveness and crop productivity on a regional basis, and educational materials for drainage water management use in the Midwest (4) Establishment of a communications network to increase awareness and availability of drainage water management data and information. Automated v s Manual A Little about structures. Each structure will be outfitted with: Rainfall Sensor Temp/Humidity Sensor Magnetic Flow Meter Electro-conductivity Sensor Two-way Satellite Communications Will report on system status, water level, valve position, transmit all data Covers Five States 3 Year Project Iowa Illinois Indiana Minnesota Ohio 3

4 Iowa CIG Sites Illinois CIG Sites?Hamilton Cty? Story City? Barry Hume? (2 sites) Crawfordsville?? Pekin Carmi? Indiana CIG Sites Minnesota Sites? Francesville? Reynolds site 1? Reynolds site 2? Montgomery Cty.? Dundas? Wilmont? Mapleton? Hayfield Ohio Sites Control Structure at Wilmont, MN? Defiance? Henry? Hardin? Logan 4

5 Control Structure at Reynolds, IN Control Structure at Hume, IL Water Table Profiles Water Table Profile 5

6 C.I.G. Site Barry DWM Site Free Drainage 20.2 acres 70 ft Spacing Free Drainage 10.6 acres 40 ft Spacing Barry, IL Free Drainage 11 acres ft Spacing Managed Drainage 9 acres ft Spacing W Nitrate-N (pp Nitrate-N (mg/l) Barry DWM Site /23/04 09/20/04 02/17/05 07/17/05 12/14/05 05/13/06 10/10/06 03/09/07 Free Drainage Managed Drainage Flow (L/s) Barry DWM Site /1/06 3/21/06 4/10/06 4/30/06 5/20/06 6/9/06 6/29/06 DWM FD Questions??? Leonard Binstock, Executive Director lbinstock@admcoalition.com Phone: Fax: