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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172991
Title: IMPACT OF A WETLAND RESERVOIR SUBIRRIGATION SYSTEM ON THE SHALLOW HYDROLOGY

Author
item Baker, Barbara
item Allred, Barry
item WANG, Y - THE OHIO STATE UNIV.
item CLEVENGER, W - THE OHIO STATE UNIV.
item Fausey, Norman
item BROWN, L - THE OHIO STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2004
Publication Date: 11/4/2004
Citation: Baker, B.J., Allred, B.J., Wang, Y., Clevenger, W.B., Fausey, N.R., Brown, L.C. 2004. Impact of a wetland reservoir subirrigation system on shallow hydrology. Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting. 2004. Seattle, WA. Paper 5327.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An innovative agricultural water management practice involving capture, treatment, storage and reuse of drainage water is being tested in northwest Ohio with concurrent goals of reducing non-point source pollution from agricultural fields while improving crop yields. A Wetland Reservoir Subirrigation System is comprised of three interconnected components, a wetland, a water storage reservoir and cropland containing an underground pipe system for drainage or subirrigation depending on crop needs. A test site in the Maumee River drainage basin in Defiance County has a variety of test plots including subirrigated with 2.4 and 4.8m drain spacing, drained only with 6 and 12m drain spacing and surface drained only. There is an extensive shallow ground water monitoring program consisting of water table wells equipped with level recorders and suction lysimeters at two depths, 0.6m and 1.2m. Results from the lysimeters indicate the subirrigated soils with drain spacing of 2.4m and 4.8m have a greater EC than drained only soils. Nitrate concentrations from the lysimeters indicated that the nitrate nitrogen levels are lower in the subirrigated soil than the soils that are drained only with 6m drain spacing but are not lower than drained only with 12m spacing. Current indications are that the use of subirrigation at the Defiance County location is not adversely impacting ground or surface water.