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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Agroecosystems Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #282375
Title: Effectiveness of conservation practices within watersheds: Case study in tile-drained systems

Author
item Moorman, Thomas
item Smith, Douglas
item King, Kevin
item Malone, Robert - Rob

Submitted to: Soil and Water Conservation Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/29/2012
Publication Date: 7/22/2012
Citation: Moorman, T.B., Smith, D.R., King, K.W., Malone, R.W. 2012. Effectiveness of conservation practices within watersheds: Case study in tile-drained systems [abstract]. Abstract Book - 67th International SWCS Annual Conference. p. 24.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effectiveness of conservation practices are governed in part by the spatial and temporal patterns of water flow as runoff and subsurface (tile) drainage. The variability in patterns of nitrate loss were examined using data from different sized catchments with four CEAP watersheds located in central Iowa, northern Indiana and central Ohio. Bioreactors, drainage water management, cover crops, no-tillage, conservation cropping systems, grassed waterways, blind inlets (aka French drains), and ditch management are practices that reduce nitrate and phosphorus through plant uptake, denitrification, sedimentation, or soil adsorption. We assess the likely effectiveness of these practices given the constraints on hydrologic residence time imposed by terrain, seasonal precipitation patterns, and storm event effects on hydrology for these watersheds.