Koepk Koepke Farm Farms, Inc. s, Inc. The majority of sediment - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1/9/2012 Koepke Koepke Koepke Farms, Inc Far Inc. Koepk Koepke Farm Farms, Inc. s, Inc. • The majority of sediment and nutrient losses from Koepke Farms, Inc. occurred every year during one or two major Single Storm Event Loss Comparison to storm events. Total Annual Sediment and Nutrient Loss • A close evaluation of these single storm events, including the timing, storm intensity and volume can help develop better nutrient and land management practices for agricultural cropland. • This presentation provides information on how sediment and nutrient losses compare between single storms and the annual loss in both surface runoff and through tile flow. Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Farms, Inc Far Inc. Far Farms, Inc Inc. Surface and Tile Water Monitoring Yearly Precipitation and Surface Runoff Koepke Farm, Oconomowoc, WI • Water quality monitoring was conducted from 50 Precipitation and Runoff, in Inches Frozen Precip. (L.E.) Non ‐ frozen Precip. KP3 Runoff Jun 2005 through Oct 2009, on one surface 45 40 water runoff site and two tile flow sites. 30 ‐ yr Avg. Precipitation (33.9 inches) 35 30 25 • The study design was twofold 20 15 16% 10 • Two tile sites would allow for water 5% 5% 5 quality analysis under different cropping 0 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009* systems FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 Percent of precipitation that ran off KP3 • Concurrent surface and tile monitoring at • FY06 and FY09 had lower than average precipitation one location would allow for comparison FY07 and FY08 had higher than average precipitation • of quantity and quality of surface runoff • Surface water runoff ranged from 5% ‐ 16% of annual versus tile flow. precipitation. 1

1/9/2012 Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Far Farms, Inc Inc. Farms, Inc Far Inc. Single Storm Surface Loss Max single storm • A combination of environmental and management factors can contribution result in large differences between total annual losses vs. single through 3 years: Highest Single Storm Event Loss for Each Field Year storm losses of nutrients and/or sediment. at Surface Site KP3 as a Percent of Annual Total Loss • Sediment: 100 90% of annual • Major environmental factors include: 90 Sediment loss 80 Total Phosphorus loss • Timing, volume and intensity of rainfall, frozen vs. non ‐ frozen • Phosphorus: Percent of Annual Loss 70 Total Nitrogen loss 85% of annual soil, depth of snow and/or ice crusting, and soil moisture 60 50 • Nitrogen: • Major management factors include: crops grown, tillage, nutrient 40 72% of annual 30 application rates, timing and methods 20 10 0 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Far Farms, Inc Inc. Farms, Inc Far Inc. Highest single storm losses for each year at each monitoring site Single Storm Surface Loss Sediment Phosphorus Nitrogen % Total % Total % Total % Total % Total % Total • The largest volume runoff events generally resulted in the largest Site Year Date Flow Sediment Date Flow Total P Date Flow Total N sediment, P and N loss. FY2006 04/07/06 9.1 46.3 03/09/06 78.2 85.1 03/09/06 78.2 72.4 – As high volumes of water move across a no ‐ till field, high yields of P KP3 FY2007 10/04/06 51.7 89.4 10/04/06 51.7 62.2 10/04/06 51.7 70.3 and N are lost regardless if ground is frozen or non ‐ frozen. (surface) FY2008 37.8 46.4 37.8 31.5 37.8 21.3 06/08/08 06/08/08 06/08/08 FY2006 12.1 33.5 8.8 19.5 12.1 12.9 05/17/06 04/07/06 05/17/06 • High surface sediment loss KP1 (tile) FY2007 1.7 21.9 1.8 16.4 12.5 14.3 11/30/06 03/12/07 04/27/07 – Mostly related to large rainfall and runoff events FY2008 2.4 27.9 1.2 17.6 16.1 15.6 02/20/08 03/13/08 06/19/08 High surface P loss FY2006 05/17/06 15.5 31.9 01/01/06 3.2 26.7 05/17/06 15.5 18.0 • KP2 (tile) FY2007 10/04/06 1.1 30.4 08/22/07 2.3 12.8 04/27/07 10.3 11.0 – Generally occurred during snowmelt (March) or large summer storms FY2008 02/20/08 1.4 16.8 04/25/08 1.3 17.4 06/19/08 12.1 9.7 Surface runoff: largest volume events generally resulted in the High surface N loss • largest sediment, P and N loss. – Occurred with the largest runoff events – Resulted from both snowmelt or heavy rains. Large storms had more impact on surface runoff than tile flow. 2

1/9/2012 Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Farms, Inc Far Inc. Far Farms, Inc Inc. Single Storm Tile Loss Single Storm Tile Loss Max single storm contribution Highest Single Storm Event Loss for Each Field Year • Tile on this farm ran almost continuously and length of flow through 3 years: at Tile Site KP2 as a Percent of Annual Total Loss events varied from a few days to over a month. 100 • Sediment: 90 Sediment loss 30% of annual • Thus, single storm analysis of tile events is not comparable 80 Total Phosphorus loss Percent of Annual Loss 70 Total Nitrogen loss to surface events. • Phosphorus: 60 27% of annual – It is difficult to determine whether a constituent is from a storm 50 or from base flow. 40 • Nitrogen: 30 18% of annual 20 • Therefore, the data provided for tile drainage is presented 10 on a sampled event basis. 0 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Lower % of annual losses in tile (20 ‐ 30%) vs surface (70 ‐ 90%) Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Far Farms, Inc Inc. Farms, Inc Far Inc. Single Storm Tile Loss Single Storm Tile Loss • Highest sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loss events often occurred • Tile phosphorus loss from a single storm was also highest during spring during different storms in tile snowmelt and large early spring rain events – Different than highest surface losses, typically occurred on the same date for all 3 constituents • Tile nitrogen loss from a single storm was consistently lower than sediment and phosphorus. • Single event sediment loss was much higher than phosphorus and nitrogen. Highest nitrogen loss from both tiles (east and west basin) occurred on • the same storm event, unlike sediment and phosphorus. Highest single event sediment loss in tile was typically observed during spring snowmelt and large early spring rain events 3

1/9/2012 Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Koepke Far Farms, Inc Inc. Far Farms, Inc Inc. Single Storm Tile Loss Conclusions Highest single storm average losses through 3 – year study period Total Sediment Total Phosphorus Total Nitrogen • Surface runoff from a single storm can contribute % runoff % total % runoff % total % runoff % total – nearly 90% of the sediment loss, – over 80% of total P loss, Surface 32.9 60.7 55.9 59.6 55.9 54.6 – and over 70% of total N loss for the entire field Tile 5.7 27.1 3.1 18.4 13.1 13.6 year. • In tile, sediment and phosphorus loss are not directly correlated to runoff volume • Total nitrogen loss does have a close relationship to tile flow Koepke Koepke Koepke Far Farms, Inc Inc. Conclusions • Tile flow from a single event basis delivered – over 30% of the sediment loss, – up to 27% of total P loss, – and 18% of total N loss for the entire field year. • Single storm events that contribute the majority of the total annual sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loss appear to be more prominent in surface runoff than tile flow. 4