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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313741
Title: The MANAGE drain load database: Review and compilation of more than fifty years of North American drainage nutrient studies

Author
item CHRISTIANSON, LAURA - Freshwater Institute
item Harmel, Daren

Submitted to: Agricultural Water Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/22/2015
Publication Date: 7/7/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61281
Citation: Christianson, L.E., Harmel, R.D. 2015. The MANAGE drain load database: Review and compilation of more than fifty years of North American drainage nutrient studies. Agricultural Water Management. 159:277-289.

Interpretive Summary: As agriculture in the 21st century is faced with increasing pressure to reduce negative environmental impacts while continuing to efficiently produce food, fiber, and fuel, it becomes ever more important to reflect upon more than half a century of drainage water quality research to identify paths forward. This work provided a quantitative review of the water quality and crop yield impacts of artificially drained agronomic systems across North America by compiling data from drainage nutrient studies in the “Measured Annual Nutrient loads from AGricultural Environments” (MANAGE) database. Of the nearly 400 studies reviewed, 91 individual journal publications and 1279 study-years were included in the new MANAGE Drain Load table with data from 1961 to 2012. Across all of the data, the mean and median percent of precipitation occurring as drainage were 25 and 20%, respectively, with wet years resulting in significantly greater drainage discharge and nutrient loss. Water quality and crop yield impacts due to management factors such as cropping system, tillage, and drainage design were also investigated. This work provided an important opportunity to evaluate gaps in drainage nutrient research. In addition to the current analyses, the resulting MANAGE drainage database will facilitate further analyses and improved understanding of the agronomic and environmental impacts of artificial drainage.

Technical Abstract: As agriculture in the 21st century is faced with increasing pressure to reduce negative environmental impacts while continuing to efficiently produce food, fiber, and fuel, it becomes ever more important to reflect upon more than half a century of drainage water quality research to identify paths forward. This work provided a quantitative review of the water quality and crop yield impacts of artificially drained agronomic systems across North America by compiling data from drainage nutrient studies in the “Measured Annual Nutrient loads from AGricultural Environments” (MANAGE) database. Of the nearly 400 studies reviewed, 91 individual journal publications and 1279 site-years were included in the new MANAGE Drain Load table with data from 1961 to 2012. Across site-years, the mean and median percent of precipitation occurring as drainage were 25 and 20%, respectively, with wet years resulting in significantly greater drainage discharge and nutrient loads. Water quality and crop yield impacts due to management factors such as cropping system, tillage, and drainage design were also investigated. This work provided an important opportunity to evaluate gaps in drainage nutrient research. In addition to the current analyses, the resulting MANAGE drainage database will facilitate further analyses and improved understanding of the agronomic and environmental impacts of artificial drainage.