Conservation efforts in Cannonsville: Are they working?

Authors: Veith, Tameria - Tamie; Bryant, Ray; Gburek, William

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2007
Publication Date: 9/10/2007
Citation: Veith, T.L., Bryant, R.B., Gburek, W. 2007. Conservation efforts in Cannonsville: Are they working?[abstract]. Watershed Science and Technical Conference. p. 36.

Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.

Technical Abstract: The Cannonsville Reservoir is a major component of the unfiltered New York City water supply system. This year, the voluntary, incentive-based Watershed Agricultural Program marks a 15-year history of collaboration among producers, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Delaware County (NY) Soil and Water Conservation District, and Cornell Cooperative Extension to address the problem of phosphorus (P) loading effects on water quality through implementation of whole farm plans for watershed farms. As a result of the efforts of these and other scientists, a wide range of conservation practices have been tested and implemented in the watershed. For the past 5 years, Cannonsville has been a benchmark watershed for the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), which is collaboratively funded by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES). As a result, the watershed and its farms have been a focus of numerous studies documenting the effectiveness of implemented or potential conservation practices. For example, an NRCS-developed system for simultaneous seeding of cover crops with silage corn reduced total P loads in runoff by 72%. In-stream deposits by pastured cattle equates to approximately 10% of watershed-level P loadings attributed to agriculture, and efforts to exclude pastured cattle from streams as part of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program are estimated to have already reduced in-stream deposition of fecal phosphorus by 32%. The Integrated Farm System Model, modified to include a process-level soil P model, was used to assess precision feed management, which more precisely balances dairy cattle diets and improves production and utilization of homegrown forage. More accurate feeding of P, integrated with increased productivity of grass-forage and the proportion of forage in the diet, resulted in a farm P balance reduction of 75% and a soluble P loss reduction of 17%. Predicted soluble P loss reduction at the watershed outlet was 10%. By developing a better understanding of the effectiveness of applied conservation practices and using in-depth watershed knowledge to design and predict the effectiveness of novel management practices, we can continue to improve and maintain an environmentally healthy watershed and a clean, unfiltered water supply for New York City.