Lower Fox Watershed Network

Transcription

1 Lower Fox Watershed Demonstration Farms Network Tom Krapf Assistant State Conservationist, NRCS Jim Jolly Director Brown County, LWCD Brent Petersen Project Manager, Brown County, LWCD

2 History and Development The agreement between USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Great Lakes Commission(GLC)is a five year,,$ $1 million project. GLC and NRCS have a long history of conservation within the Great Lakes Basin. Agreement Requires GLC to Seek Partner Support, Commitment and Additional Resources.

3 Lower Fox River Watershed 641 square miles drainage area Home of over 400,000 people Impaired excessive TSS and P loading 14 Impaired Tributaries Growing Dead Zone Includes City of Green Bay/ surrounding communities, Appleton and Fox Valley communities Oneida Tribal Lands.

4 Runoff Event April 12, 2012

5 Problems with P and TSS evident

6 Purpose of Agreement Establish a Network Of Demonstration Farms in the Lower Fox Watershed. Support Existing Phosphorus Reduction Efforts. Showcase the Effectiveness and Adaptability of Conservation Practices. Demonstrate Innovative Field Technologies.

7 Project Purpose Establish 4 demonstration farms in LFR Watershed Test effectiveness current and innovative practices State of art monitoring i of reductions Viable and sustainable economic and environmental results Technology Transfer Outreach strategy

8 Partnerships This effort relies strongly gyon local organizations and partnerships(to date). 1. Brown County Land & Water Conservation Department andoutagamie CountyLand Conservation Department 2. USGS 3. NEW Water 4. USDA NRCS 5. Private Consultants 6. Landowners 7. UW Extension & UWGB

9 Project Administration GLC Designate and lead local steering committee/advisory board Contract with local sponsor Brown County Develop outreach & technology transfer program Obtain additional resources from partners Evaluates all outside proposals/requests to participate p

10 Opportunities and influence Create Opportunities for Others 1. Research Agencies 2. Agribusiness 3. Farmers 4. Stakeholders 5. Local politicians maintain viable delivery system for conservation effort 6. Water Quality Trading Program refine trade ratios

11 Project Strategies Economic Incentives 100% costs covered for innovative practices May require rental of equipment NRCS Higher ranking for GLRI funding Technical Assistance Project Manager dedicated to success of project Conservation plan with schedule of implementation Coordinate with private agronomists, implement dealers, commercial ilmanure haulers, etc. Chair a local advisory committee Ag professionals, farmers, etc.

12 Project Strategies Technology Transfer (outreach efforts) Field trials Test plots Tours/field days Publish outcomes Data collection/analysis quantify results

13 Project Implementation Landowner Contract SmallFinancialIncentive Provided for Participation 200 acre average per primary farm operation Satellite farm field size/payment TBD First installations fall 2014

14 Project Goals Increase soil health Reduce amount Phosphorus and nutrients leaving thecrop production fields Reduce sedimentation Increase yields with sustainability Reduce nutrient applications Manure timing i and applications Think out of the box

15 Advisory Team Four Producers (progressive) Four Crop Consultant (CCA Agronomists) Three UWEX agents UW Green Bay Brown & Outagamie County Conservationists Farm Demo Team Leader NRCS Technical Representative

16 Farm Size & Type Approximately200 acresperfarm Satellitesites approval by ManagementTeam 2 CAFO, 1 cash crop with manure, 1 cash crop no manure Group within common HUC 12 watersheds

17 Farm Selection Farmer enthusiasm and history of proven progressiveness Typical soils & topography Willingness to host on farm g demonstrations/tours

18 Farm Selection Willingness to allow edge of field monitoring O fi i l d i l i Open financial records economic analysis on field basis

19 Data Collection and Analysis Edge of field monitoring station Potential ilpartnership with ihars, UWGB (TBD) Soil Health Analysis mandatory on all 4 farms

20 Monitoring (edge of field) Time based composite samples for all storms (year round) Discharge for every event Combined discharge with composite samples to produce event load Estimated "missed" storms combined with sampled storms to compute annual load Evaluation of soil temperature and site conditions to break annual load into frozen and unfrozen ground periods of runoff

21 USGS Data Analyzed suspended sediment dissolved phosphorus p (basically ortho that has the chloride acid added after filtering for longer preservation) NO2+NO3 total phosphorus p Ammonium total nitrogen and organic nitrogen

22 Soil Health Protocol Bulk Density: Density of soil depends greatly on the mineral make up of soil and the degree of compaction. Aggregate Stability: The ability of the soil to resist destabilization from various sources. Organic Matter: Organic Matter component of soil, consisting of plant andanimal animal residuesat various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil organisms, and substances synthesized by soil organisms. Respiration: Refers to the production of carbon dioxide when soil organisms respire. This includes respiration of plant roots, the rhizosphere, microbes and fauna.

23 Soil Health Protocol Infiltration: Infiltration is governed by two forces: gravity and capillary action. While smaller pores offer greater resistance to gravity, very small pores pull water through capillary action in addition to and even against the force of gravity. Soil Testing: 2.5 acre/ GPS Grid Sampling (P, K, O.M., ph, and CEC). Micros have yet to be determined. % Residue/Ground Cover: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Phospholipid Fatty Acid: Identification of the types of microbial life present in the soils.

24 Some of the ideas Cover Crops Copsnon harvest est(timing, species, es, and placement) Covers for forage (early spring harvest P. rye) No till crops after cover crop Manure applications before or after plant cover crop Tile line drainage management Gypsum soil amendment Slag P removal dissolved P from tile

25 Manure application ideas

26 Airway system results Manure application Seconds after pass

27 Crop Enhancer

28 Radish planted after winter wheat 3rd week of August 2009 on the left. Dead radish March of 2010, after spring snow melt on right.

29 Radish October

30 Radish following spring, after spring melt. (80 90 % residue)

31 Roots, fungi hyphae and polysaccharides stabilize soil macro aggregates g and promote good soil structure.

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33 Disturbed vs. Non diturbed

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38 What if I want to Participate? Prepare a proposal with scope of work to Gary Overmier at GC GLC garyo@glc.org

39 Questions USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer