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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #162819
Title: SEDIMENT POND EFFECTIVENESS FOR REMOVING P FROM PAM-TREATED IRRIGATION FURROWS

Author
item Bjorneberg, David - Dave
item Lentz, Rodrick

Submitted to: Applied Engineering in Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2005
Publication Date: 8/17/2005
Citation: Bjorneberg, D.L., Lentz, R.D. 2005. Sediment pond effectiveness for removing p from pam-treated irrigation furrows. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 21(2):227-236.

Interpretive Summary: Polyacrylamide, or PAM, can greatly reduce erosion from furrow irrigated fields. Sediment ponds can remove eroded sediment from field runoff by slowing the water flow so sediment can settle. The objective of this project was to measure the effectiveness of using PAM in combination with a sediment pond. Six sediment ponds were installed to receive runoff from either PAM-treated or untreated irrigation furrows. Three crop-years of data showed that applying PAM to furrows reduced sediment and total phosphorus flowing into the ponds 50 to 80%, which consequently reduced the amount of sediment and total phosphorus retained in the ponds. However, PAM application did not change the relative effectiveness of the ponds to retain sediment and phosphorus. On average, 87% of the sediment and 75% of the total phosphorus was retained in the sediment ponds. Using PAM in combination with a sediment pond reduced soil loss by greater than 90% and total phosphorus loss by greater than 75% compared to runoff from untreated furrows without a sediment pond. In practice, using sediment ponds on fields that are treated with PAM is more effective than using sediment ponds alone because PAM greatly reduces the amount of sediment in the ponds. Reducing the amount of sediment in the pond means that ponds do not have to be cleaned as often and slows the gradual decline in effectiveness due to reduced retention time as the pond fills with sediment.

Technical Abstract: Polyacrylamide (PAM) greatly reduces erosion on furrow irrigated fields and sediment ponds can be constructed to remove suspended sediment from irrigation runoff. Both practices are approved for reducing phosphorus (P) loading in the Lower Boise River Pollution Trading Project in southwest Idaho. The objective of this project was to measure the effectiveness of using PAM in combination with a sediment pond. Six sediment ponds were installed to receive runoff from either PAM-treated or control furrows. Three crop-years of data showed that applying PAM to furrows reduced sediment and total P loading to the ponds 50 to 80%, which also reduced the mass of sediment and total P retained in the ponds. However, PAM application did not change the relative effectiveness of the ponds to retain sediment and P. On average, 87% of the sediment and 75% of the total P was retained in the sediment ponds. These results indicate that the relative effectiveness of PAM application and sediment pond practices is additive so full credit could be given for each practice when used in combination on the Lower Boise River Pollution Trading Project. In practice, the PAM'pond combination may be more effective than sediment ponds alone because PAM greatly reduces the sediment load into the ponds. Reduced sediment load increases the effective life of the pond by increasing the time between pond cleaning and decreases the gradual decline in effectiveness due to reduced retention time as the pond fills with sediment.