““AerWay No Till on Highly AerWay No Till on Highly Erodible Lands”Erodible Lands”

July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012

Capital RC&D CouncilCapital RC&D CouncilHammond, La.Hammond, La.

Problem StatementProblem Statement

East Baton Rouge, East East Baton Rouge, East & West Feliciana, St. & West Feliciana, St. Helena, Livingston and Helena, Livingston and Tangipahoa in Tangipahoa in Southeast La, have a Southeast La, have a large number of HEL large number of HEL Soils. Soils.

There are There are approximately 225,000 approximately 225,000 acres in production. acres in production. About 30 percent are About 30 percent are disked in the winter for disked in the winter for preparation of ryegrass preparation of ryegrass and wheat crops.and wheat crops.

Opening CeremonyOpening Ceremony August 30, 2011August 30, 2011 Kentwood CO-Op, Spring Creek CO-Op & Tri-Parish Kentwood CO-Op, Spring Creek CO-Op & Tri-Parish

CO-OpCO-Op

Disking on HEL SoilsDisking on HEL Soils

Is causing excessive Is causing excessive soil erosion and soil erosion and runoff of nutrients runoff of nutrients and pesticides.and pesticides.

This process is This process is leading to Water leading to Water Quality problems in Quality problems in near by streams and near by streams and lakes throughout the lakes throughout the Florida Parishes.Florida Parishes.

Objective of ProjectObjective of Project To make available three AerWay To make available three AerWay

Implements for use in the Florida Parishes Implements for use in the Florida Parishes through a landowners rental program.through a landowners rental program.

GoalGoal

To allow landowners an To allow landowners an opportunity to plant opportunity to plant directly into an directly into an established sod without established sod without disking. Reducing the disking. Reducing the amount of fertilizer amount of fertilizer applied and improving applied and improving water infiltration water infiltration through the root zone.through the root zone.

BenefitsBenefits

Erosion control on Highly Erosion control on Highly Erodible Soils and Erodible Soils and Improved Water QualityImproved Water Quality

Lower the estimated Lower the estimated annual soil loss from as annual soil loss from as high as 10 tons per acre high as 10 tons per acre loss to as low as 1 ton loss to as low as 1 ton per acre or less.per acre or less.

Better utilization of Better utilization of applied fertilizer applied fertilizer (nutrient management)(nutrient management)

Accomplish To Date, 2003 acres of HEL Accomplish To Date, 2003 acres of HEL soils renovated in twelve monthssoils renovated in twelve months

Summary Review:Summary Review:

Three pieces of AerWay Three pieces of AerWay equipment purchased equipment purchased for $31,500, with a in-for $31,500, with a in-kind match of $116,888.kind match of $116,888.

Forty two landowners Forty two landowners rented the equipment rented the equipment for use on 2003 acres.for use on 2003 acres.

Sedimentation, Sedimentation, Turbidity, Dissolved Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen, Total Oxygen, Total Dissolved Solids, Fecal Dissolved Solids, Fecal Coliform and Total Coliform and Total Suspended Solids Suspended Solids were all listed as were all listed as impairing watersheds impairing watersheds and were addressed and were addressed through this 319 through this 319 rental program.rental program.

Reduction EstimatesReduction Estimates Using a 30 % NPK Using a 30 % NPK

improvement has improvement has lead to a reduction of lead to a reduction of 60,090 units of 60,090 units of Nitrogen, and 43,263 Nitrogen, and 43,263 units of Phosphorus units of Phosphorus and Potassiumand Potassium

Soil Erosion using Soil Erosion using RUSLE2- has lead to RUSLE2- has lead to a reduction of 15,623 a reduction of 15,623 tons of top soil per tons of top soil per acre per year. acre per year.

These estimates were These estimates were achieved from achieved from changing landowner’s changing landowner’s methods of seed bed methods of seed bed preparation, from clean preparation, from clean tilled to reduced tilled to reduced tillage, reducing the tillage, reducing the amount of fertilizer amount of fertilizer applied and improving applied and improving utilization by allowing utilization by allowing moisture movement moisture movement through the root zone.through the root zone.