Comparison of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Loss in Surface Runoff versus Tile Flow in Wisconsin Tile Drained Landscapes

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1 Comparison of Phosphorus and Nitrogen Loss in Surface Runoff versus Tile Flow in Wisconsin Tile Drained Landscapes Eric Cooley Research Coordinator UW Discovery Farms

2 What Are Discovery Farms? The Discovery Farms Program will develop on-farm and related research to determine the economic and environmental effects of Best Management Practices on a diverse group of Wisconsin farms;

3 Discovery Farms Tile Research A - Kewaunee County Two tile line sites ( ) B - Manitowoc County Two tile line sites ( , ) C - Waukesha County Two tile line sites ( )

4 Tile line water monitoring

5 Tile line water monitoring

6 Tile monitoring equipment

7 Discharge, cubic feet per second 4/1/05 3/31/05 3/30/05 3/29/05 3/28/05 3/27/05 3/26/05 3/25/05 Air Temperature, Degrees F Surface and Tile Runoff Under Snowmelt Conditions Surface Water and Tile Runoff Snowmelt Surface-Water Flow Tile Flow Air Temperature Tile flow began before surface flow Relative volumes of water flowing in surface and tile were similar for this snowmelt period

8 Tile flow periods

9 Efficiency of tile water removal

10 Water Budget Percentage of total precipitation leaving the landscape as surface water Farm A Farm B Farm C Surface runoff 10% 6% 9% Tile flow 24% 16% 16%

11 Surface & tile phosphorus loss Farm A: Chisel plow, injected Farm B: grazed paddocks Farm C: no-till, surface

12 Surface & tile nitrogen loss Farm A: Chisel plow, injected Farm B: grazed paddocks Farm C: no-till, surface

13 Surface Sediment Surface & tile loss timing Frozen Non-frozen Frozen Non-frozen Farm A 16% Surface 84% 34% Tile 66% Farm B Frozen 34% Non-frozen 66% Frozen 22% Non-frozen 78% Farm AC 16% 3% 84% 97% 34% 37% 66% 63% Farm B 34% 66% 22% 78% Farm C 3% Total 97% Phosphorus 37% 63% Surface Total Phosphorus Frozen Non-frozen Frozen Non-frozen Farm A 37% Surface 63% 52% Tile 48% Farm B Frozen 36% Non-frozen 64% Frozen 41% Non-frozen 59% Farm AC 37% 21% 63% 79% 52% 33% 48% 67% Farm B 36% 64% 41% 59% Farm C 21% Total 79% Nitrogen 33% 67% Surface Sediment Farm A: Chisel plow, injected Farm B: grazed paddocks Farm C: no-till, surface Total Nitrogen Tile Tile Tile Frozen Non-frozen Frozen Non-frozen Farm A 57% Surface 43% 52% Tile 48% Farm B Frozen 42% Non-frozen 58% Frozen 46% Non-frozen 54% Farm AC 57% 16% 43% 84% 52% 24% 48% 76% Farm B 42% 58% 46% 54% Farm C 16% 84% 24% 76%

14 Nutrient loss timing and speciation Phosphorus Speciation Surface Tile Particulate Dissolved Particulate Dissolved Farm A 73% 27% 46% 54% Farm B 13% 87% 54% 46% Farm C 18% 82% 23% 77% Farm A: Chisel plow, injected Farm B: grazed paddocks Farm C: no-till, surface Nitrogen Speciation Surface Nitrate Ammonium Organic Nitrate Ammonium Organic Farm A 45% 18% 37% 93% 2% 5% Farm B 20% 38% 41% 50% 18% 32% Farm C 22% 17% 61% 94% 1% 5% Tile

15 Corn planted Corn silage harvested Corn re-planted Tile flow (inches) Alfalfa chemically killed 10/25/04 Sand manure surface Sand manure surface Solid starter w/ planting Liquid manure injected Liquid starter side dress Applied Nitrogen (lbs/acre) The Perfect Storm tile nitrogen losses Tile flow events, nitrogen applications and cropping history Applied Nitrogen Runoff Events Rain on frozen ground Draught w/ yield reductions Warm, wet fall Wet spring Dec-04 Mar-05 Jun-05 Sep-05 Dec-05 Mar-06 Jun-06 Corn planted

16 Constituent Concentration (mg/l) The Perfect Storm tile nitrogen losses Tile nitrogen concentrations in various forms Total N Nitrate Ammonium Organic Dec-04 Mar-05 Jun-05 Sep-05 Dec-05 Mar-06 Jun-06

17 Constituent Concentration (mg/l) Runoff (inches) The Perfect Storm tile nitrogen losses Tile nitrogen concentrations in various forms with runoff Total N Nitrate Ammonium Organic Runoff /1/2004 3/2/2005 6/1/2005 8/31/ /30/2005 3/1/2006 5/31/ Storm Start Date

18 Constituent Yield (lbs/acre) Alfalfa chemically killed 10/25/04 Sand manure surface Sand manure surface Solid starter w/ planting Liquid manure injected Liquid starter side dress Applied Nitrogen (lbs/acre) The Perfect Storm tile nitrogen losses Tile nitrogen yield in various forms Applied Nitrogen Total N Nitrate Ammonium Organic Nitrogen Rain on frozen ground Draught w/ yield reductions Warm, wet fall Wet spring Dec-04 Mar-05 Jun-05 Sep-05 Dec-05 Mar-06 Jun

19 The Perfect Storm tile nitrogen losses Tile Surface Total (lbs/acre) WY05 WY06 WY07 WY05 WY06 WY07 Total Nitrogen Nitrate Ammonium < <0.1 Organic Nitrogen WY = Water Year (October 1 through September 30)

20 Frozen Ground Management Frozen Ground can contribute the majority of the surface water runoff and tile flow nutrient losses On-farm management of manure is critical to the losses of nutrients during this period (for both solid and liquid manure)

21 Non-frozen Ground Management Use pre/concurrent tillage to break-up macropores when applying manure If applying fall manure or nitrogen fertilizer, wait until soil temperatures remain under 50 F to minimize the conversion of ammonium and organic nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen Use cover crops and other best management practices to conserve soil and retain nutrients

22 Environmental Risks of Tiles - Macropores - Preferential flow Earthworm 0 - burrows 1 - Root channels 2 - Shrinkage cracks Structural porosity Dyed Burrows Dyed Burrow 3 - Credit: John Panuska

23 Soil drying and crack formation

24 Factors Influencing Manure Contamination of Tile Lines Consistency of manure: 0-2% solids: high risk 2-5% solids: moderate risk > 5% solids: low risk Application rate Tillage / manure incorporation Soil moisture content / tiles flowing Frozen soils

25 Take home points Tile drains can flow up to 365 days a year, even during frozen ground conditions Tile drainage can deliver the majority of water and total nitrogen leaving agricultural fields and can also deliver significant phosphorus Good manure and fertilizer management is critical to reduce the loss of nutrients in tile drained landscapes

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