Quantifying the water quality benefits of implementing manureshed concept based manure management in the Susquehanna River Basin

Authors: SAHA, ARGHAJEET - Pennsylvania State University; SAHA, GOURAB - Pennsylvania State University; CIBIN, RAJ - Pennsylvania State University; Spiegal, Sheri; Kleinman, Peter; Veith, Tameria - Tamie; WHITE, CHARLES - Pennsylvania State University; DROHAN, PATRICK - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Chesapeake Research Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2022
Publication Date: 4/4/2022
Citation: Saha, A., Saha, G., Cibin, R., Spiegal, S.A., Kleinman, P.J., Veith, T.L., White, C.M., Drohan, P.J. 2022. Quantifying the water quality benefits of implementing manureshed concept based manure management in the Susquehanna River Basin. Chesapeake Research Conference Proceedings. Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: The manureshed concept was developed to address the uneven distribution of manure nutrients in and around livestock operations and recycle manure in areas where crops require nutrients. The implementation of manureshed concept can improve manure nutrient use efficiency and reduce manure nutrient loss to downstream waterbodies. The study aims to quantify the water quality benefits of implementing manureshed concept for nutrient management in the Susquehanna River Basin (SRB) through scenario-based analyses using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The specific objectives include (i) formulation of manureshed concept-based nutrient redistribution scenarios for the SRB, (ii) evaluation of water quality impacts of manureshed concept-based manure management in SRB both at outlet draining to the Chesapeake Bay and at local streams. Six manureshed concept-based manure redistribution scenarios were formulated for the SRB, which included (i) Crop N demand-based Restricted Manure Transport (BL, Baseline), (ii) Crop N demand-based Manure Balanced (N-MB; manure redistributed to nearby nutrient demand areas), (iii) Crop N demand-based Suitable Soil Transport (N-SST; Manure applied only in suitable areas), (iv) Crop P demand-based Restricted Manure Transport (P-RT), (v) Crop P demand-based Manure Balanced (P-MB), and (vi) Crop P demand-based Suitable Soil Transport (P-SST). Scenario-based analyses demonstrated that the crop P demand-based manure application significantly reduced manure nutrient loss; the P-MB scenario simulated 3% TN and 25% TP loss reductions at the SRB outlet compared to the BL scenario. The crop N demand-based manure application simulated a 3-5% reduction in nutrient loading at the watershed outlet compared to baseline; the N-SST scenario simulated 3% TN and 4% TP loss reductions at the SRB outlet. The study results are promising and encourage stakeholders to implement manureshed concept-based manure management in SRB.

Technical Abstract: The manureshed concept was developed to address the uneven distribution of manure nutrients in and around livestock operations and recycle manure in areas where crops require nutrients. The implementation of manureshed concept can improve manure nutrient use efficiency and reduce manure nutrient loss to downstream waterbodies. The study aims to quantify the water quality benefits of implementing manureshed concept for nutrient management in the Susquehanna River Basin (SRB) through scenario-based analyses using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The specific objectives include (i) formulation of manureshed concept-based nutrient redistribution scenarios for the SRB, (ii) evaluation of water quality impacts of manureshed concept-based manure management in SRB both at outlet draining to the Chesapeake Bay and at local streams. Six manureshed concept-based manure redistribution scenarios were formulated for the SRB, which included (i) Crop N demand-based Restricted Manure Transport (BL, Baseline), (ii) Crop N demand-based Manure Balanced (N-MB; manure redistributed to nearby nutrient demand areas), (iii) Crop N demand-based Suitable Soil Transport (N-SST; Manure applied only in suitable areas), (iv) Crop P demand-based Restricted Manure Transport (P-RT), (v) Crop P demand-based Manure Balanced (P-MB), and (vi) Crop P demand-based Suitable Soil Transport (P-SST). Scenario-based analyses demonstrated that the crop P demand-based manure application significantly reduced manure nutrient loss; the P-MB scenario simulated 3% TN and 25% TP loss reductions at the SRB outlet compared to the BL scenario. The crop N demand-based manure application simulated a 3-5% reduction in nutrient loading at the watershed outlet compared to baseline; the N-SST scenario simulated 3% TN and 4% TP loss reductions at the SRB outlet. The study results are promising and encourage stakeholders to implement manureshed concept-based manure management in SRB.