2014 SERA17 Meeting – Des Moines, IA

Nutrient reduction strategies and

ongoing research in Ohio Mark Williams & Kevin King

USDA–ARS Soil Drainage Research Unit, Columbus, OH

2011

Phosphorus loading has been identified as a

major water quality issue in Ohio

Annual total P loads to the Western Lake Erie Basin

have decreased since the early 1970s

D. Baker, Heidelberg University

D. Baker, Heidelberg University

Annual dissolved P loads have been increasing

since the mid-1990s

Bloom

Toxin

No contact OEPA, 2013

Lake Erie is not the only problem in Ohio

What is the state of Ohio doing to improve water

quality in Lake Erie and other surface waters?

Directors’ Agricultural Nutrients and Water Quality

Working Group

Tasked with developing recommendations for improving Ohio’s water resources while maintaining the integrity of the region’s agricultural industry

Ohio Clean Lakes Initiative

Provided $3 million for

projects in the WLEB to help

address water quality issues

As of April 2013:

290 farmers have

participated and BMPs have

been implemented on more

than 35,000 acres

Ohio Phosphorus Task Force

Developed reduction targets

for total and dissolved P

loads in the WLEB

Recommended that a 40%

reduction in P load is

required to significantly

reduce or eliminate algal

blooms in the WLEB

Recommended that more

data on BMPs be collected

in Ohio

Ohio Senate Bill 150

Provides education and a new certification program

for applying commercial fertilizer in Ohio

Similar to pesticide applicator certification

Ohio Senate Bill 150

Who is required to be certified?

Anybody who applies commercial fertilizer to >50 acres

Certified persons must maintain records of fertilizer

application for 3 years

When do they need to be certified by?

Must be certified by September 2017 or face fines and

misdemeanor offense

Need to be recertified every 3 years

4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification

4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification

Voluntary program for CCAs

and agricultural retailers

Provides a consistent,

recognized standard for

nutrient management and

sustained crop production

Outlines 43 criteria to be

implemented

Private 3rd party audit to

maintain certification

Ongoing phosphorus research in Ohio

at the Soil Drainage Research Unit

46% of fields in Ohio have subsurface drainage

Flow pathways

Edge-of-field

Watershed

Research objectives

1. Quantify how, when, and under what conditions

nutrients are transported to tile drains

2. Quantify the amount of water and nutrient loss in

surface and subsurface flow paths under various

management and antecedent conditions

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs in mitigating

nutrient delivery to surface waters

4. Determine the effect of agricultural management

on watershed-scale nutrient transport

Edge-of-field research

Monitoring 34 fields (17

paired fields) representative

of Ohio crop production

agriculture

Surface runoff and tile

discharge measurements

Using a before-after control-

impact study design

Edge-of-field research

Management and BMPs

• Cover crops

• Application method

• Timing of application

• Tillage

• Application rate

• Organic vs. inorganic fertilizers

• Controlled traffic and variable rate

application

• Surface amendments (gypsum)

• Drainage water management

Edge-of-field instrumentation

H-flumes for surface runoff

Thel-mar compound weirs and Isco area velocity sensors for tile

Case Study #1

Surface drainage area:

13.4 ac

Subsurface drainage area:

22.4 ac

Soil:

Paulding clay

Tile spacing:

40 ft

Tile depth:

60 cm

Wheat planted in October 2012

P applied: 50 lb P2O5/ac

Soil test P: 35 mg/kg Mehlich-3

Deep tillage after harvest in July 2013 prior to oats

Da

ily

Dis

ch

arg

e (

m3

)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Cu

mu

lati

ve

So

lub

le P

Lo

ss

(k

g)

0

1

2

3

Y A

xis

3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Discharge

Soluble P

Rainfall

Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0

1

2

3

Surface

Tile

N Fertilizer Harvest Oats

Case Study #1

Hydrology:

6% of rainfall in surface runoff

(15% of discharge)

36% of rainfall in tile flow

(85% of discharge)

P concentration and load:

0.13 kg DRP/ha in surface

runoff (0.3 mg/L)

0.37 kg DRP/ha in tile flow

(0.14 mg/L)

Case Study #2

Quantify tile discharge and nutrient dynamics before and

after implementation of drainage water management

B2

B4

0 90 180 m

Ditch

Legend

Tile drain

Drainage area

Drainage area:

B2 = 12.0 ha; B4 = 27.8 ha

Tile depth:

0.9 - 1.0 m

Soil type:

Bennington silt loam

Pewamo clay loam

Soil test P concentration:

60 mg/kg (0-20 cm)

2006-2008: Both sites were free draining

2009-2012: DWM was implemented at B4

Case Study #2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 366 731 1096 1461 1826 2191 2556

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 366 731 1096 1461 1826 2191 2556

Til

e D

isch

arg

e (

mm

)

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

B2

B4

6–27% reduction in annual tile discharge with DWM

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

2005.520062006.520072007.520082008.520092009.520102010.520112011.520122012.5

Mean

DR

P c

on

c. (m

g L

-1)

Year

B2

B4

0.00

0.30

0.60

0.90

1.20

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Year

An

nu

al

DR

P l

oad

(kg

/ha)

DWM did not significantly affect DRP concentration

65-74% reduction in annual DRP load with DWM

Case Study #2

Williams et al. (unpublished data)

Evidence of preferential flow

Peaks in dissolved P concentration coincide

with peaks in tile flow

Date

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Dis

so

lved

P c

on

c. (m

g/L

)

0.000

0.075

0.150

0.225

0.300

0.375

Til

e f

low

(L

/s)

Frank Gibbs (9/10/2013)

Visible connection between

surface soils and tile drains

Sample

collection Suction cup

lysimeter

Tile

Pan lysimeter

Suction cup lysimeters

sample slowly moving water

in soil pores and the bulk

soil matrix

Pan lysimeters

sample fast, free draining

water (preferential flow paths)

Using lysimeters to quantify P transport

to tile drains

4R Research Project

Overall objective is to assess the environmental and

socio- economic benefits of the 4R nutrient

stewardship concept and the 4R Certification Program

in the WLEB

4R Research Project

•To monitor the impacts of 4R practices and the 4R Certification Program

on crop productivity, nutrient losses, and biotic integrity from select fields,

streams, and watersheds in the WLEB

•To model the environmental benefits in Lake Erie (turbidity and HABs)

following various levels of implementation of 4R practices and the 4R

Certification Program in three WLEB agricultural watersheds

•To determine the behavioral impact of 4R educational efforts and the 4R

Certification Program on the knowledge, beliefs, and management

practices of crop growers and nutrient service providers in the WLEB

•To conduct a triple bottom line evaluation of the economic, social, and

environmental performance of the 4R Certification Program in the WLEB

2011 2012

Is there hope for Lake Erie?

Lake Erie responds rapidly to changes in nutrient loads

Understanding nutrient transport processes and testing

of BMPs through research will help us keep nutrients in

the field and out of the Lake

Contact Information

Mark Williams

590 Woody Hayes Dr.

Columbus, OH 43210

mark.williams2@ars.usda.gov

Kevin King

kevin.king@ars.usda.gov