Quantification of Constituent Loads from Farm Fields at the Pioneer Farms in Wisconsin
Project Number: BQY13
Project Chief: David W. Owens
Project Topics: xxxc
Cooperators: State of Wisconsin Pioneer Farm
Period of Project: October 2001–October 2008
Many farmers do not want to implement best management practices (BMP) without knowing the cost and benefits of each BMP. The Pioneer Agricultural Stewardship Farm located at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Farm has been established to evaluate and promote management practices within the context of the farming systems.
Problem
Wisconsin has many operating farms throughout the State where best-management practices (BMPs) could be implemented. These BMPs are designed to protect the environment and enhance the farm operations. Many farmers, however, do not want to implement BMPs without knowing the cost and benefits of each BMP. The Pioneer Agricultural Stewardship Farm located at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Farm has been established to evaluate and promote management practices within the context of the farming systems in order to develop compatible methods and technologies that will help farmers achieve their economic goals while protecting and enhancing natural resources.
Objectives
The main objective of this project is to provide field-level water quality and quantity data from rainfall and snowmelt runoff events. These data will be used to: (1) verify the Wisconsin Phosphorus Index, (2) verify the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation II (RUSLE II), (3) establish “base-line” in-stream conditions, and (4) evaluate individual BMPs such as infiltration trenches and/or rotational grazing practices.
Approach
Water-quality-monitoring stations will be installed at several sites throughout the experimental farm. These sites include five field-level stations and one in-stream station located downstream of the experimental farm. The stations will monitor runoff volume and will collect water-quality samples throughout the runoff event. These samples will be analyzed for solids, nutrients, bacteria, and selected pesticide concentrations. Stations need to be designed to collect data during snow-melt runoff events.
Progress
Two new field-level water-quality sampling stations were installed to support the rotational grazing research being conducted at the Pioneer Farm. Snowmelt and rainfall runoff samples were collected at one stream and nine field-level monitoring sites. Soil moisture and temperature-monitoring strings were installed at different soil elevations to measure the effects of aspect and crop type on soil moisture. Stand-alone time-lapse digital cameras were also installed to document field activities such as field cultivation, crop planting, growth, harvesting, and snow depth.
Plans
Maintain and operate monitoring stations to support additional research. Two additional research efforts include evaluation of infiltration effectiveness in grass waterways and BMP evaluation of an existing and then reconstructed barnyard filter strip.
Publications and Reports
TBD
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