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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbus, Ohio » Soil Drainage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #94126
Title: FARM LEVEL ECONOMICS AND CAPITAL COSTS ANALYSIS OF THREE WETLAND-RESERVOIR SUBIRRIGATION SYSTEM SITES IN NORTHWESTERN OHIO

Author
item RICHARDS, S - OH STATE UNIV
item BATTE, M - OH STATE UNIV
item BROWN, L - OH STATE UNIV
item CZARTOSKI, B - USDA-NRCS
item Fausey, Norman
item BELCHER, H - MICHIGAN STATE UNIV

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Meetings Papers
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Three Wetland-Reservoir-Subirrigation Systems (WRSIS) have been designed and constructed in Northwestern Ohio. These systems have the potential to improve downstream water quality by reducing direct discharge to streams, to provide wildlife habitat, to increase wetland acres and vegetation, and to provide a reliable supply of subirrigation water for sustained crop production. In a WRSIS, a wetland is constructed to receive subsurface drainage and runoff from adjacent cropland. The cropland is subirrigated by a water supply reservoir that is also linked to the constructed wetland. The wetland, reservoir and subirrigated cropland are integrated to recycle runoff and drainage waters. The construction of all three sites was completed in 1996 and 1997. Construction and all other capital costs were documented and analyzed. A survey of drainage and land improvement contractors has been implemented to ascertain local construction costs information (average costs and ranges) for different system components (design, site preparation, wetland, reservoir, subirrigation, pumping plant, drainage, waterways, etc.) to compare to the costs data for these three systems. Yield data from the first two years of this project and from subirrigation research plots from other locations in Ohio, are being used to analyze the benefits of these systems for improved and sustained crop production. Analysis of these costs will be used to provide farmers with information for evaluating their application of the technology.