Location: Application Technology Research
Project Number: 5082-21000-001-030-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 15, 2020
End Date: Mar 30, 2025
Objective:
(1) Delineate each micro-shed / collection area and quantifiably characterize irrigation and cultural techniques used for production, including, installation of temporary water volume & quality monitoring stations at strategic points in micro-sheds at a nursery and greenhouse.
(2) Record flux of water quantity and quality across micro-shed, within seasons, capturing the impact of storm and irrigation events.
(3) Integrate and model with data from other Ecoregions where possible.
Approach:
Water monitoring station: We will install temporary monitoring stations, provided by ARS, at one or more anonymous, regionally representative horticultural facilities in northeast Ohio. Each temporary monitoring station will consist of an irrigation flow meter, sonde (underwater probe with sensors installed that measure selected water quality parameters), rain gauge(s), and a sequential portable sampler (programmable sampling intervals and timing). A flume or weir with stilling well will also be installed in a known watershed area at each sampling location and continues water flow and depth information recorded.
Water samples: Water quality and quantity, including diurnal flux of receiving reservoir electrochemistry, from storms and routine irrigation for a minimum of one production season. A minimum of three composite, time-weighted samples will be collected across each irrigation and storm events. Water quantity received or applied to the watershed will be quantified and verified using a tipping rain bucket(s), manual rain gauges, meteorological data, and irrigation flow meters. Water storage and leachate from containers will be examined by measuring leachate directly from containers to correlate with runoff quantity and quality. Influent and effluent water quality samples will be collected based on time or flow where appropriate.
Water quality samples will be submitted to the ARS laboratory for analysis of total suspend
