roxanne johnson extension water quality associate february 24, 2009 tile drainage forum ndsu
TRANSCRIPT
Roxanne JohnsonExtension Water Quality Associate
February 24, 2009
Tile Drainage ForumNDSU
• Overview of Project– Focus Group– Funding– Cooperators– Preliminary
Results– What’s next?
• Focus Group – April 2008– Land owners– Tile drain installers– County, State and Federal Agencies
• County Water board members• Soil Conservation District board members and technicians • Health Department• NRCS• RC&D members• State Water Commission
– NDSU• Engineers• Soil Scientists• Hydrologists
Discussion included–Acres tile drained
•Do we really know?
–Permitting •Authority•Based on what?
– Impacts•Water Quality & Quantity•Neighbors -Red River – Lake Winnipeg
Discussion included– Reasons for subsurface tiling
• Increased precipitation• Higher water table• Earlier access to fields
North Dakota Annual Precipitation History
1900 - 2000
Discussion included– Reasons for subsurface tiling
• Increased salinity
Calcium carbonate
Magnesium sulfate
Sodium sulfate
Franzen 2007
Roxanne Johnson – Extension Water Quality AssociateThomas Scherer – Extension Agricultural EngineerSteve Fischer – Lake Agassiz RC&D Coordinator
Red River Valley Tile Drainage Water Quality Assessment
Phase I
Funding• 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution
ND Department of Health Fargo and Bismarck
• Cass County Soil Conservation District• CSREES Northern Plains & Mountains
Regional Water Program
• Cooperators– 10 land owner/operators
• Tile maps• Cropping and fertilizer
history• Soil tests• Precipitation
19 sites 2 lift stations 17 gravity flow
170 mile round trip32 weeks
385428Wheat
Installed 2007Acres drained 275
Lift Station
385428
385438
CornNorth of Erie
385438 June 2008
385444
Perched drain
CornDurbinMaple River
385444
385454 AlfalfaCornEmden
385454
December 5,2009
December 5,2009
Phase I
Yet to do:• Assess data• Determine information and education for landowners and general public
Phase II 2009
7 COUNTIES SAMPLE 1 TILE
DRAIN FOR WATER QUALITY
ONLY
CASS COUNTY INSTALLS
AUTOMATED EQUIPMENT FOR
FLOW RATE, WATER QUALITY,
AND PRECIPITATION
Phase II 2010
4 COUNTIES CONTINUE
SAMPLING 1 TILE DRAIN FOR
WATER QUALITY
GRAND FORKS, RICHLAND,
AND SARGENT COUNTIES
INSTALL AUTOMATED
EQUIPMENT FOR FLOW RATE,
WATER QUALITY, AND
PRECIPITATION
Phase II 2009-2013
Water quality samples taken at• Drain or lift station (automated sampler)• Downstream location within a mile from the tile outlet• Surface runoff of tiled field (automated sampler)• Surface runoff of comparable un-tiled field
Flow measurements taken at• Drain or lift station (flume/weir)• Surface runoff of tiled field (in automated sampler)
Soils must be salt affected
Soil Samples at 4 sitesRain gauges – Automated or Dewey
To determine the effect tile drain effluent from saline soils has on water quality in tributaries of the Red River.
Phase II 2009-2013
Project Coordinators and Partners:
• Work with SCD’s to locate proper sites for sampling
• Meet with producers as needed
• Build and/or install equipment
• Coordinate training of sample collectors and oversee the
collection and transportation of samples to the ND Dept of
Health
• Download data from the automated equipment at sites
• Develop BMPs for landowners
• Prepare and present results of the assessment to the
public
•
Phase II 2009-2013
Funding: North Dakota State Water Commission Cass County Soil Conservation DistrictEPA 319 Nonpoint Source PollutionCSREES Northern Plains Regional Water Quality Program
Red River Valley Tile Drainage Water Quality Assessment
Questions?