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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322691
Title: Edge-of-field research to quantify the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality in Ohio

Author
item Williams, Mark
item King, Kevin
item Ford Iii, William
item Fausey, Norman

Submitted to: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/22/2015
Publication Date: 1/1/2016
Citation: Williams, M.R., King, K.W., Ford III, W.I., Fausey, N.R. 2016. Edge-of-field research to quantify the impacts of agricultural practices on water quality in Ohio. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 71:9A-12A.

Interpretive Summary: Drainage is needed to sustain agricultural production to meet the demands of a growing global population, but it also transports nutrients from fields to surface water bodies. The State of Ohio is facing the tremendous challenge of maintaining agricultural production while protecting the environment and critical ecosystem services. This article describes a monitoring network established by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service located in Columbus, OH to quantify the impacts of agricultural practices on edge-of-field water quality. The monitoring network is comprised of 40 agricultural fields in Ohio and it will allow us to determine how, when, where, and what nutrients are transported from fields to receiving streams and ditches. It will also be utilized to quantify the impacts of management practices such as drainage water management, cover crops, tillage type, and 4R nutrient stewardship on water quality and crop yields. Results from this research will propel agriculture in tile-drained regions into a more productive, environmentally sustainable future.

Technical Abstract: Drainage is needed to sustain agricultural production to meet the demands of a growing global population, but it also transports nutrients from fields to surface water bodies. The State of Ohio is facing the tremendous challenge of maintaining agricultural production while protecting the environment and critical ecosystem services. This article describes a monitoring network established by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service located in Columbus, OH to quantify the impacts of agricultural practices on edge-of-field water quality. The monitoring network is comprised of 40 agricultural fields in Ohio and it will allow us to determine how, when, where, and what nutrients are transported from fields to receiving streams and ditches. It will also be utilized to quantify the impacts of management practices such as drainage water management, cover crops, tillage type, and 4R nutrient stewardship on water quality and crop yields. Results from this research will propel agriculture in tile-drained regions into a more productive, environmentally sustainable future.