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Title: QUANTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF SUBSURFACE WATER DYNAMICS FOR DETERMINING WATER AND CHEMICAL FLUXES ON ADJACENT WATERSHED

Author
item Gish, Timothy
item KUNG, SAMUEL - DEPT. SOIL SCI., UNIV WI
item Daughtry, Craig
item MCCARTY, GREG - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY LAB

Submitted to: USDA CSREES Internet Site Listing NRI Award Winners
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fundamental processes governing the movement of agricultural chemicals through soil to neighboring ecosystems are so poorly understood that strategies for mitigating contamination cannot be accurately formulated. The major limitation to accurately determining chemical transport at the watershed scale is our inability to identify subsurface locations where water and agricultural chemicals converge to form discrete loss pathways. Geophysical measurements and geospatial analysis are being linked in this study to determine where and when water and chemicals are flowing in discrete subsurface pathways. The Beltsville, Maryland research site is less than 30 ha, yet still large enough to capture the spatial variability of crop and soil parameters encounter by many farmers. The results from this study will be used to develop methods for identifying surface and subsurface chemical loss pathways into ecosystems surrounding agricultural lands and to develop environmentally friendly and economically beneficial farming practices.