Rick CruseRick Cruse

Iowa Water CenterIowa Water Center

Iowa State UniversityIowa State University

The Bioeconomy: Water Quality ImplicationsThe Bioeconomy: Water Quality Implications

Presented at: EPA-State Innovation SymposiumJanuary 9, 2008

VisionVision

Replace equivalent of 30% of liquid fuels Replace equivalent of 30% of liquid fuels by 2030by 2030

Derived dominantly from plant biomass – a Derived dominantly from plant biomass – a renewable resourcerenewable resource

Perlack, Robert D., Lynn L. Wright, Anthony F. Turnhollow, Robin L. Graham, BryceJ. Stokes, and Donald C. Erbach. 2005. Biomass as a Feedstock for a Bioenergy and BioproductsIndustry: the Technical Feasibility of a Billion-ton Annual Supply. DOE/GO-102005-2135ORNL/TM-2005/66. Available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/research/.

Burton C. English, Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte, Kim Jensen, Chad Hellwinckel, Jamey Menard, Brad Wilson, Roland Roberts, and Marie Walsh. 2006. 25% Renewable Energy for the United States By 2025: Agricultural and Economic Impacts. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Department of Agricultural Economics. http://beag.ag.utk.edu/

Future Bioeconomy and Its Impacts on Future Bioeconomy and Its Impacts on Soil and Water ResourcesSoil and Water Resources

Plant residues, feedstock for liquid fuels, are Plant residues, feedstock for liquid fuels, are renewablerenewable

Plant residue production dependent on soil Plant residue production dependent on soil and water resourcesand water resources

Soil resources are not renewable; water is Soil resources are not renewable; water is only conditionally renewableonly conditionally renewable

Plant residues required for bioindustry – Plant residues required for bioindustry – Plant residues required for soil and water Plant residues required for soil and water conservationconservation

Future Bioeconomy and Its Future Bioeconomy and Its Impacts on Soil and Water Impacts on Soil and Water

ResourcesResources

Do we have the scientific knowledge to Do we have the scientific knowledge to identify acceptable removal rates?identify acceptable removal rates?

Can we balance energy needs, financial Can we balance energy needs, financial interests, and soil/water conservation interests, and soil/water conservation in the bioenergy industry? in the bioenergy industry?

Soil Erosion ImpactsSoil Erosion Impacts

Kazemi, Masoud, L.C. Dumenil, and T.E. Fenton. 1990. Effects of accelerated erosion on corn yields of loess-derived and till-derived soils in Iowa. Final report for Soil Conservation Service, Agreement No. 68-6114-0-8, Des Moines, IA.

Primary Water Quality Primary Water Quality Impairment ComponentsImpairment Components

NitrogenNitrogenPhosphorusPhosphorusSedimentSediment

NitrogenNitrogen

Microbial transformations NOMicrobial transformations NO33--

Mobile N also plant available NMobile N also plant available N Nitrogen management considerationsNitrogen management considerations

Soil temperature (microbial activity)Soil temperature (microbial activity) Amount or loadAmount or load Crop needsCrop needs

NO3-N Concentration in the Raccoon River at Des Moines

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

20.00

1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002

NO

3-N

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n (

mg

/L) Annual Max

Annual Mean

Data provided by Chris Jones Des Moines Water Works

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

NO

3-N

Lo

ad (

To

ns

N)

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

First Quarter NO3-N Load, Raccoon River at Des Moines

Data provided by Chris Jones Des Moines Water Works

PhosphorusPhosphorus

Water solubility limitedWater solubility limited Moves with soil particlesMoves with soil particles Phosphorus management considerationsPhosphorus management considerations

Soil movement/sedimentSoil movement/sediment Soil fertility/P fertilizer applicationsSoil fertility/P fertilizer applications

SedimentSediment

Dependent on soil erosionDependent on soil erosion Rainfall and runoff energyRainfall and runoff energy Soil surface cover – intercept water energySoil surface cover – intercept water energy

Water Quality Management Water Quality Management GoalsGoals

NitrogenNitrogen Reduce loadReduce load

PhosphorusPhosphorus Limit soil erosionLimit soil erosion Reduce loadReduce load

SedimentSediment Limit soil erosionLimit soil erosion Maintain surface coverMaintain surface cover

Residue Impacts on ErosionResidue Impacts on Erosion

Residue Cover (%)

Ero

sion

- %

of

Bar

e 100

0

50

30 %

Effect of Residue Cover on Soil Erosion

100%

Laflen, J. M., and T. S. Colvin.  Effect of crop residue on soil loss from continuous row cropping. Trans. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng. 24(3):605-609.  1981.

What is RUSLEWhat is RUSLE

RRevised evised UUniversal niversal SSoil oil LLoss oss EEquationquation

A =A =RRKSLKSLCCPPA = computed average annual soil loss A = computed average annual soil loss

(T/A)(T/A)R = rainfall factorR = rainfall factorC = crop management factorC = crop management factor

Renard, K.G, G. R. Foster, G.A. Weesies, D.K. McCool, and C. C. Yoder. 1997. Predicting Soil Erosion by Water: A Guide to Conservation Pl,anning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). USDA-ARS. Agric. HandbookNumber 703.

RUSLE Annual ‘C’ Factor As Affected By Residue Removal*

*I-FARM © 2003-2007  Ed Van Ouwerkerk

Cropping System C

Perennial Grass or polyculture .02

Continuous Corn Grain only removed .04

Continuous Corn – 75% residue removed .16

Continuous Corn – 95% residue removed .55

Recommended N ApplicationRecommended N Application

Continuous cornContinuous corn Minnesota – 134 – 174 kg/ha (120 – 155 lb/a)Minnesota – 134 – 174 kg/ha (120 – 155 lb/a) George Rehm, Gyles Randall, and John Lamb. 2006. Nitrogen Guidelines For Corn: Out With

The Old, In With The New . Minnesota Crop e-News

Switchgrass New York – 56 – 84 kg/ha (50 – 75 lb/a)Joe Lawrence, Jerry Cherney, Pete Barney, and Quirine Ketterings. 2006. Establishment and

Management of Switchgrass. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet No. 20.

Recommended N ApplicationRecommended N Application

Hybrid Poplar – Based on leaf N concentration.

Edward A. Hansen, Daniel A. Netzer, and David N. Tolsted. 1993. Guidelines For Establishing Poplar in the North Central U.S. USDA Forest Service Research note NC-363.

Polyculture 0 - ???

David Tilman, Jason Hill, Clarence Lehman. 2006. Carbon-Negative Biofuels

from Low-Input High-Diversity Grassland Biomass. Science. 314:1598-1600.

Water Quality Management Water Quality Management GoalsGoals

NitrogenNitrogen Reduce loadReduce load

PhosphorusPhosphorus Limit soil erosionLimit soil erosion Reduce loadReduce load

SedimentSediment Limit soil erosionLimit soil erosion Maintain surface coverMaintain surface cover

Water Quality Goals - Possible

Common market for wide range of crops Multiple purpose, multiple function

Challenges and Opportunities Challenges and Opportunities To Favorable Water Quality in To Favorable Water Quality in

the Bioenergy Industry the Bioenergy Industry

Climate Change & Water QualityClimate Change & Water Quality

20% precipitation leads to 37% erosion 20% precipitation leads to 37% erosion ((Lee et al. 1996)Lee et al. 1996)

Runoff 10% - 310% for different Midwest Runoff 10% - 310% for different Midwest regions regions ((O’Neal et al. 2005)O’Neal et al. 2005)

Soil loss 33% - 274% for different Soil loss 33% - 274% for different Midwest regions Midwest regions ((O’Neal et al. 2005)O’Neal et al. 2005)

Lee, J.L., D.L. Phillips, and R.F. Dodson. 1996. Sensitivity of the US Corn Belt to climate change and elevated CO2:II. Soil erosion and organic carbon. Agric. Systems 52: 503–521.

Monte R. O’Neal, M.A. Nearing, Roel C. Vining, Jane Southworth, and Rebecca A. Pfeifer.2005.Climate change impacts on soil erosion in Midwest United States with changes in crop management. Catena 61:165-184.

Trends in PrecipitationTrends in Precipitation

Trends in PrecipitationTrends in Precipitation

Groisman, Pavel Ya., Richard W. Knight, David R. Easterling, Thomas R. Karl,Gabriele C. Hegerl, and Vyacheslav N. Razuvaev. 2005. Trends in intense precipitation in the climate record. J. of Climate. 18:1326-1350.

Conversion Process – Impacts Conversion Process – Impacts Management PracticesManagement Practices

Biological – Homogeneous feedstock; Biological – Homogeneous feedstock;

Thermochemical – Mixed feedstockThermochemical – Mixed feedstock

Barriers to a Sustainable Barriers to a Sustainable Bioeconomy/Water QualityBioeconomy/Water Quality

Land ownership profileLand ownership profile Are soil and water “resources” or are they Are soil and water “resources” or are they

a form of investment for short term profit?a form of investment for short term profit? 2006: 39% of Iowa farm land purchases 2006: 39% of Iowa farm land purchases

were by investors – not farmerswere by investors – not farmers

Farmland Ownership – Farmland Ownership – Major ObstacleMajor Obstacle

HARVESTED FARMLAND - % RentedHARVESTED FARMLAND - % Rented11

Iowa – 56% (Cash rent %: 49, 54, 69% - Iowa – 56% (Cash rent %: 49, 54, 69% - 1982, 1992, 2002 respectively)1982, 1992, 2002 respectively)

Illinois – 62% Illinois – 62% Indiana – 58%Indiana – 58%

““Nothing accelerates faster, stops quicker, or Nothing accelerates faster, stops quicker, or corners harder than a rented car” corners harder than a rented car” 22

1http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/volume1/us/st99_2_040_040.pdf

2Personal Communication – Trevor Price, Anheuser Busch ‘ethanol’ distributor. 2006.

Farmland Ownership – Farmland Ownership – Major ObstacleMajor Obstacle

"I think you have to try to be a good steward of the "I think you have to try to be a good steward of the land," said Jerry Peckumn, who farms corn and land," said Jerry Peckumn, who farms corn and soybeans on about 2,000 acres he owns or soybeans on about 2,000 acres he owns or leases near the Iowa community of Jefferson. leases near the Iowa community of Jefferson. "But on the other hand, you can't ignore the "But on the other hand, you can't ignore the price of corn."price of corn."

Peckumn grows alfalfa and natural grass on the Peckumn grows alfalfa and natural grass on the 220 or so acres he owns, but said he cannot 220 or so acres he owns, but said he cannot afford to experiment on the land he rents.afford to experiment on the land he rents.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22301669/ Corn boom could expand ‘dead zone’ in Gulf. Updated 4:45 p.m. CT, Mon., Dec. 17, 2007

Bioeconomy: Water Quality Bioeconomy: Water Quality Implications Implications