Tailwater Recovery Systems

 

The Mason Tailwater Recovery (TWR) system is located in Sunflower County, near Drew, Mississippi.  The system is comprised of an 11 acre reservoir which feeds approximately 142 acres of row-crop agriculture in a rice-soybean annual rotation and a tailwater ditch which collects runoff from the four fields irrigated by the reservoir.  The ditch has approximately 13 acre feet of storage, allowing for almost all runoff to be collected and pumped back into the reservoir.  The WQERU began collecting grab samples of water in late 2013, and we continue bimonthly routine grab water samples.  Nine sites within the TWR system are being instrumented with acoustic Doppler sensors as well as ISCO GLS samplers for storm or irrigation runoff samples.  Water quality analyses include routine physicochemical parameters, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus species.  Seasonal pesticide analyses are also being conducted in water samples. 

 

 

 

 

WQERU Contacts

Mark Griffith, Biologist                                Project Liaison and Data Manager                              

Matt Moore, Research Ecologist                 Water Quality / Ecosystem Services                             

Richard Lizotte, Research Ecologist           Water Quality / Ecosystem Services

Martin Locke, Research Leader                  Soils / Water Quality                                             

Jason Taylor, Research Ecologist               Denitrification / Water Quality                                   

Lindsey Yasarer, Research Hydrologist       Hydrology

JR Rigby, Research Hydrologist (WPPRU)   Hydrology