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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #196440
Title: BENEFITS OF VEGETATED AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE DITCHES (VADD) AS A BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE IN YOLO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Author
item DENTON, DEBRA - USEPA
item WRYSINSKI, JEANETTE - YOLO COUNTY RCD
item Moore, Matthew
item Cooper, Charles
item ROBINS, PAUL - YOLO COUNTY RCS

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/27/2006
Publication Date: 8/1/2006
Citation: Denton, D.L., Wrysinski, J., Moore, M.T., Cooper, C.M., Robins, P., 2006. Benefits of vegetated agricultural drainage ditches (vadd) as a best management practice in yolo county, california. Abstracts of the 232nd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Francisco, CA. p. 94.

Interpretive Summary: Interpretive summary not required. Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Widespread contamination of California water bodies by the orthophosphate insecticides diazinon and chlorpyrifos is well documented. While their usage has decreased over the last few years, a concomitant increase in pyrethroid usage (replacement insecticides) has occurred. Researchers have also documented diazinon toxicity pulses in California’s Central Valley due to dormant orchard drainage. Vegetated agricultural drainage ditches (VADD) have been proposed as a potential economical and environmentally efficient management practice to mitigate the effects of pesticides in dormant season runoff. VADD have been effective in mitigating simulated pyrethroid runoff storm events in the Mississippi Delta; however, California poses a different scenario in timing of runoff (winter), rainfall intensity, and ditch vegetation and soil types. Multiple lines of evidence will be required to determine the effectiveness of VADD as an applicable management practice in California. This research will incorporate temporal and spatial sampling and chemical testing of water, sediment, and plants, in addition to ditch biological assessments and toxicity evaluations. Initial data will provide baseline information for model generation to predict necessary ditch conditions for appropriate pesticide mitigation. Utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach, the effectiveness of VADD in California will be determined. Such economical and environmentally successful management practices will offer farmers, ranchers, and landowners a viable alternative to more conventional (and sometimes expensive) practices currently suggested by conservation organizations.