United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Great Lakes
National Program Office
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
C.
EPA-905/9-91-008A
GL-09A-91
x>EPA
The Maumee River Basin
Pilot Watershed Study
Volume IV - Continued Watershed
Monitoring (1981 -1985) and
Rainulator Study (1986)
Printed on Recycled Pape
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FOREWORD
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) was created because of increasing
public and governmental concern about the dangers of pollution to the health and welfare
of the American people. Noxious air, foul water, and spoiled land are tragic testimony
to the deterioration of our natural environment.
The Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) of the U.S. EPA was established in
Chicago, Illinois to provide specific focus on the water quality concerns of the Great
Lakes. The Section 108(a) Demonstration Grant Program of the Clean Water Act (PL 92-
500) is specific to the Great Lakes drainage basin and thus is administered by the Great
Lakes National Program Office.
Several sediment erosion-control projects within the Great Lakes drainage basin have been
funded as a result of Section 108(a). This report describes one such project supported by
this Office to carry out our responsibility to improve water quality in the Great Lakes.
We hope the information and data contained herein will help planners and managers of
pollution control agencies to make better decisions in carrying forward their pollution
control responsibilities.
Director
Great Lakes National Program Office
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EPA-905/9-91-008A
GL-09A-91
THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN PILOT WATERSHED STUDY
Continued Watershed Monitoring (1981-1985) and
Rainulator Study
Volume IV
by
TERRY J. LOGAN
Principal Investigator
AND
ROBERT RETTIG
of
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
and
Defiance County, Soil and Water Conservation District
Defiance, Ohio
GRANT NO. R005774
Ralph G. Christensen John C. Lowrey
Project Officer Technical Assistant
Submitted to:
GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
230 SOUTH DEARBORN STREET
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60604
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Great Lakes National
Program Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and
approved for publication. Approval does not signify that
the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies
of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency nor does
mention of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
ii
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to acknowledge the continued financial support of
the Great Lakes National Office for this research and the financial support and
technical assistance of the Defiance County Soil and Water Conservation
District. In particular, the direct involvement of Mr. Robert Rettig, project
leader in Defiance, was invaluable to completion of the project and the
assistance of Mr. Dennis Flanagan is also greatly appreciated.
Acknowledgment must also be given to the Mrs. Billie Harrison for the
laboratory analyses and to the late Saranchandran Nair who was killed in an
automobile accident while returning from the field with samples taken during
the rainulator study. The USDA-ARS National Erosion Laboratory team who
worked on the rainulator study, Mr. Otto Stein, Dr. William Neibling and their
assistants, must also be thanked for their cooperation.
Finally, thanks must be given to the farmers in Defiance County who let us
disrupt their land in pursuit of knowledge and particularly to
Mr. Louis Shininger who allowed us literally to camp on his land while
conducting the rainulator study.
in
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
4
Page
DISCLAIMER 11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ill
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES vii
LIST OF FIGURES ix
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
1. INTRODUCTION 5
2. FIELD MONITORING OF RUNOFF IN DEFIANCE COUNTY 7
2.1 Study Approach 7
2.2 Study Methods 7
2.2.1 Original Monitoring Sites in Defiance County 10
2.2.1.1 Surface Runoff and Tile Drainage Measurement 12
2.2.1.2 Sample Handling and Processing 13
2.2.1.3 Cropping Practices 14
2.2.1.4 Analysis of Water Samples 14
2.2.2 New Watersheds on Paulding Soil 14
2.2.2.1 Surface Runoff Measurement and Sampling 15
2.2.2.2 Sample Handling and Processing 18
2.2.2.3 Cropping Practices 19
2.3 Results 19
2.3.1 Original Monitoring Sites (1981-83) 19
2.3.1.1 Roselms(lll) 19
2.3.1.2 Blount (401) 23
2.3.1.3 Blount (402) 27
2.3.1.4 Paulding (501) 29
2.3.1.5 Paulding (502) 29
2.3.2 New Paulding Watersheds (1982-1985) 29
2.3.2.1 Shininger (701) Watershed 29
2.3.2.2 Baldwin (801) Watershed 34
2.3.2.3 Rethmel (901) Watershed 40
v
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Continued
Page
3. EFFECTS OF RESIDUE ON PHOSPHORUS LOSSES FROM 44
NO-TILL RIDGES IN A RAINULATOR STUDY
3.1 Introduction 44
3.2 Methods 45
3.3 Results and Discussion 50
4. PHOSPHORUS ANALYSIS OF MAJOR SOIL SERIES SAMPLES FROM 61
THE LAKE ERIE BASIN
4.1 Introduction 61
4.2 Approach 63
4.3 Analytical Methods 64
4.3.1 Total P 64
4.3.2 NaOH Extractable P 65
4.3.3 Bray PI Extractable P 65
4.4 Results 65
4.5 Conclusions 77
5. LITERATURE CITED 78
VI
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LIST OF TABLES
Page
1. Characteristics of the Defiance County plots (111, 401, 501) 9
and Paulding watersheds (701, 801, 901) monitored in the
period 1981-1985.
2. Concentrations and loads from Roselms (111) surface runoff. 22
3. Concentrations and loads from Blount (401) surface runoff. 26
4. Concentrations and loads from Blount (402) tile drainage. 28
5. Concentrations and loads from Paulding (501) surface runoff. 32
6. Concentrations and loads from Paulding (502) tile drainage. 33
7. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by 35
event from the Shininger (701) watershed in 1982-85.
8. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by 38
event from the Baldwin (801) watershed in 1982-85.
9. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by 41
event from the Rethmel (901) watershed in 1982-85.
10. A summary of treatments used in the rainulator study. 49
11. Runoff, loads and flow weighted mean concentrations of 59
sediment and phosphorus from the dry, wet and very wet runs
combined. Mean of all replications.
12. Total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray PI extractable phosphorus by 66
soil series for Lake Erie Basin soils of Ohio.
vii
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LIST OF TABLES Continued
Page
13. Total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray PI extractable phosphorus by 71
soil series for Lake Erie Basin soils of Ohio. Range, means
and standard deviations by series.
14. Relationships between total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray PI 75
phosphorus for Lake Erie Basin soils of Ohio.
viii
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LIST OF FIGURES
Page
1. The monitored sites in the Maumee River Basin (1981-1985). 8
2. The H-flumes and sampling house used at the 701, 801 and 16
901 watersheds (1982-1985).
3. Clock-driven stage recorder on the H-flumes at watersheds 701, 17
801 and 901. Solenoid-driven hammer at right is used
to mark sample times on the chart.
4. Precipitation, runoff and sediment loads by month from 20
Roselms (111) in 1975-1980 (Logan, 1981).
5. Precipitation, runoff and sediment loads by month . 21
from Roselms (111) in 1981-1983.
6. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by 24
month from Blount (401/402) in 1975-1980 (Logan, 1981).
7. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads 25
by month from Blount (401/402) in 1981-1983.
8. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by 30
month from Paulding (501/502) in 1975-1980 (Logan, 1981).
9. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by 31
month from Paulding (501/502) in 1981-1983.
10. The National Erosion Laboratory rainulator at the study 46
site.
IX
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LIST OF FIGURES Continued
Page
11. Flumes for collecting runoff from the ridges in the 47
rainulator study.
12. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 51
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the MBB plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
13. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 52
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the NBB plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
14. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 53
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the NBR plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
15. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 54
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the NFB plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
16. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 55
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the NFR plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
17. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 56
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the RBB plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
18. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP 57
(dotted line) concentrations in runoff from the RFR plot
during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents data for the period 1981-1984 of studies on nutrient
losses from agricultural land in the Maumee River Basin of Ohio. This work was
begun in 1975 as one of several studies of U.S. and Canadian watersheds
draining to the Great Lakes. The Maumee River Basin is the largest of the
Great Lakes watersheds and contributes the highest loads of sediments and
nutrients. It is largely agricultural with annual crop production the primary
enterprise. The watershed is unique in its predominance of poorly-drained,
fine-textured soils, the extensive use of subsurface tile drainage, the vast
network of man-made ditches, and the small overall watershed gradient. The
soils are young and nutrient-rich and this, together with the high rates of
fertilization of nitrogen for corn and phosphorus for com, soybeans and wheat,
produce very high tributary loads of these nutrients. Soil slopes in the
watershed are low, but soil erodibility is quite high and the fine texture of the
soils keeps a high percentage of eroded sediment in suspension. This results in
relatively high unit area sediment loads to Lake Erie.
This study has focussed on a few major questions:
1) How do the watershed soils differ in soil and nutrient losses under
representative management practices?
2) What are the relative losses of sediment and nutrients in runoff and
tile drainage?
3) When is the period and what are the conditions for maximum loss and
transport of sediment and nutrients from the watershed?
4) How effective are tillage and nutrient management practices in
reducing losses of nitrogen and phosphorus from Maumee River Basin
soils?
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The approach used in this study was to monitor sediment and nutrient
losses from several small watersheds in the Maumee River Basin. These
watersheds were established on the major soil series of the Basin and the
watersheds were planted with com, soybeans, or wheat, the major crops of the
area. The prevailing tillage method studied was fall moldboard or fall chisel
plowing. In contrast, no-till and no-till ridges were also examined. The level
of available phosphorus in the soil as a result of fertilization and its effects on
phosphorus losses were studied as well. The watershed studies were
supplemented with a detailed examination of the effects of residue cover on
soil and phosphorus losses using the programmable rainfall simulator of the
National Soil Erosion Laboratory at Purdue University. Detailed laboratory
studies of the chemistry and bioavailability of phosphorus in Maumee River
Basin soils and sediments were also conducted over the course of this research.
These studies resulted in several important findings:
1) Although soil losses from Maumee River Basin watersheds are not high
(generally <5 mt/ha/yr), a high percentage is delivered to the stream system in
the form of clay-sized sediments. Highest losses were from the Paulding soil
which has a clay texture and very poor structure. Comparison of sediment
yields from small plots (1-3 ha) and larger (8-14 ha) field-sized watersheds
indicate that much of the sediment deposition following erosion occurs within
the field.
2) Unit area phosphorus losses were high (>2 kg/ha/yr) from most of the soils
studied and most of the phosphorus was associated with sediment. This is a
direct consequence of the high total phosphorus levels (700-900 mg/kg) of these
soils, and the high correlation of total P content and soil clay content indicate
that the fine texture of the soils in the Basin contributes to the high phosphorus
loads in the Maumee River.
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3) Dissolved phosphorus loads in surface runoff were low (<0.1 kg/ha/yr)
except where plant-available levels were high as a result of P fertilization.
Surface application of phosphorus fertilizer to no-till soil produced dissolved P
losses >1 kg/ha/yr because of direct wash off of fertilizer and desorption of P
weakly held by the soil at the soil surface.
4) Tile drainage contributed a significant percentage of the water leaving the
watersheds, but sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen loads in tile drainage were
low. Nitrate levels rarely exceeded the 10mg/lNO3~N drinking water
standard except where nitrogen fertilizer was applied for corn, and annual loads
were usually < 10 kg/ha.
5) Field studies on Hoytville showed no significant effect of no-till on
sediment and phosphorus losses but erosion on this soil was very low
(< 1000-1500 kg/ha/yr). The rainulator study on Paulding soil showed that
no-till greatly reduced soil and sediment losses. In the case of no-till ridges, an
important finding was that residue in the furrow alone was as effective in
controlling erosion as having residue over the entire soil surface.
6) The period of maximum runoff and erosion is from early spring
(March-April) when the soil is water-saturated or frozen until late May or early
June when evapotranspiration has increased significantly and rains have
diminished. Fall-plowed soils are bare during this period and susceptible to
erosion by both raindrop detachment and runoff transport. This period also
coincides with application of fertilizer and pesticides.
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These findings have led to the following conclusions for remedial measures
(best management practices) for agricultural activities in the Maumee River
Basin and similar areas in the Great Lakes Basin:
1) Practices such as no-till, no-till ridge, or fall chisel plow which maintain a
high degree of residue cover during the early spring period of maximum runoff
and erosion can reduce sediment and total phosphorus loads.
2) Tile drainage does not contribute significantly to sediment and nutrient
losses compared to runoff losses and may be important in allowing the use of
no-till on the more poorly-drained soils of the Basin where no-till crop yields
can be less than those from tilled soil.
3) In addition to reducing tillage as much as is economically feasible, the best
approach to the control of phosphorus runoff losses is to reduce the buildup of
plant-available phosphorus soil levels beyond the range shown by research to be
adequate for optimum crop production. Also, phosphorus fertilizer applied to
no-till land should be placed below the soil surface to prevent wash off and the
accumulation of high levels of available phosphorus at the soil surface.
4) Nitrogen application rates for corn should not exceed those recommended
for optimum production, and use of ammonia forms with a nitrification inhibitor
may reduce nitrate leaching losses from tile.
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1. INTRODUCTION
The Maumee River was chosen by PLUARG (Pollution From Land Use
Activities Reference Group) to be one of four pilot watersheds to be studied on
the U.S. side of the Great Lakes drainage basin as part of Task C~pilot
watershed studies. Since there was already an ongoing PL-92-500 Sec. 108
demonstration project in Black Creek basin, an Indiana tributary to the
Maumee, the Task C project was directed to the Ohio portion of the Maumee to
supplement the work being done in Black Creek.
The objectives of PLUARG were to determine the effects of prevailing
land use practices on pollution entering the Great Lakes. Specifically, the
PLUARG Task C objectives were to answer the following questions:
1. From what sources and from what causes (under what conditions,
management practices) are pollutants contributed to surface and ground
water?
2. What is the extent of pollutant contributions and what are the unit area
loadings by season from a given land use or practice to surface or ground
water?
3. To what degree are pollutants transmitted from sources to boundary
waters?
4. Are remedial measures required? What are they and how effective might
they be?
5. Were deficiencies in technology identified? If so, what is recommended?
The Maumee River Basin is primarily agricultural in land use, and the
intensive crop production in the Basin accounts for most of the sediment and a
major part of the nitrogen and phosphorus delivered to Lake Erie (Corps of
Engineers, 1975; Sonzogni et al, 1978). Because of the importance of
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agriculture as a source of pollutants in the Maumee Basin, it was decided to
place emphasis in the Task C project on soil and nutrient loss from small
agricultural watersheds and on specialized studies on sediment transport.
Specific objectives of this study were:
1. To determine the effects of land use practices on the loss of sediment and
associated chemicals from representative small agricultural watersheds in
the Basin and to compare these data with downstream reference samples.
2. To study and determine the physical, chemical, and mineralogical
properties of major soils in the Basin and relate these data to their
susceptibility to erosion and fluvial transport.
3. To determine the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of
suspended sediments and bottom sediments in order to identify fluvial
transport mechanisms and to evaluate equilibrium stabilities of minerals in
suspended and bottom sediments.
4. To determine phosphate sorption-desorption and precipitation interactions
with sediment characteristics and concentration levels.
5. To determine heavy metals leaving small agricultural watersheds as
contrasted to downstream reference sources.
The results of this study (1975-1977) have been published previously (Logan
and Stiefel, 1979; Logan, 1979, Logan, 1981) and the reader should consult them
for more complete details of the study results. This report presents the results
of the continued monitoring of three of the Defiance County watersheds for the
period 1981-1983, monitoring of three additional watersheds on Paulding soil in
1982-1985, a rainulator study of tillage and residue effects on sediment and
phosphorus losses in runoff, and determination of background levels of
phosphorus in Lake Erie Basin soils.
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2. FIELD MONITORING OF RUNOFF IN DEFIANCE COUNTY
2.1 Study Approach
The basic approach of this study was to measure the generation of
sediment and nutrients from intensively cultivated cropland under prevailing
management practices. The study investigated the differences in pollutant
generation on several of the major soils of the Maumee Basin and determined
the effects of season and soil characteristics on sediment and nutrient
generation. Pollutant transport by tile drainage as also studied because of the
extensive use of underground tile for drainage in the Basin. Effects of no-till
versus fall plowing was also studied on Paulding soil.
2.2 Study Methods
Three sites, ranging from 1-3 hectares in area were chosen in Defiance
County on three major soils of the Basin (Figure 1 and Table 1). Surface runoff
was monitored at all sites and tile drainage was only monitored on the Paulding
and Blount sites. A continuous-flow monitoring system and integrated sampler
were used so that all events were monitored and sampled. The sampling period
was from January, 1981-December 1983. Rainfall was monitored at each site.
Tillage management and crops grown varied from year to year on the three
sites.
In 1981, three additional sites on Paulding soil (Figure 1 and Table 1) were
instrumented with H-flumes, water stage recorders and pump samplers and
monitored for flow, sediment, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in runoff.
Flow measurement was begun in 1981 but extensive sampling did not begin until
1982. Rainfall was monitored with weighing bucket rain gauges to provide
rainfall intensity and duration data.
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The Maumee River Basin
T^ Watersheds
1 Hammersmith Roselms
4 Heisler Blount
5 Speiser Paulding
7 Shininger Paulding
8 Baldwin Paulding
9 Rethmel Paulding
0 5 10 15 20 25
Figure 1. The monitored sites in the Maumee River Basin (1981-1985).
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Table 1. Characteristics of the Defiance County plots (111, 401, 501) and Paulding watersheds (701, 801, 901) plots
monitored in the period 1981-1985.
Site
Code
111
501
502
401
402
701
801
901
Dominant
Soil Series
Roselms
Paulding
Paulding
Blount
Blount
Paulding
Paulding
Paulding
Soil Taxonomy
Aerie Ochraqualf
Typic Haplaquept
Typic Haplaquept
Aerie Ochraqualf
Aerie Ochraqualf
Typic Haplaquept
Typic Haplaquept
Typic Haplaquept
Physiographic
Region
Lake Plain
Lake Plain
Lake Plain
TiU Plain
TiU Plain
Lake Plain
Lake Plain
Lake Plain
Parent
Material
Lacustrine Clays
Lacustrine Clays
Lacustrine Clays
Clay Loam TiU
Clay Loam TiU
Lacustrine Clays
Lacustrine Clays
Lacustrine Clays
Drainage
Slope Area
(%) (ha)
3-16 3.2
1 1.0
--* 0.1
3-4 0.9
0.9
<1 14.2
<1 8.1
<1 8.5
Drainage
Systems
Monitored
Surface Runoff
Surface Runoff
Subsurface Tile
Surface Runoff
Subsurface Tile
Surface Runoff
Surface Runoff
Surface Runoff
* Not applicable.
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10
2.2.1 Original Monitoring Sites in Defiance County
Five small agronomic sites were chosen in Defiance County to monitor soil
and nutrient loss under prevailing crop management practices. The sites
represent four of the more important soil series in the Basin: Paulding, Blount,
Roselms and Lenawee (similar to Latty). The sites were selected using the
following criteria:
1. Topography was typical for that soil series
2. The watershed was dominated by a single soil series
3. The watershed could be defined hydrologically
4. There were no septic tank or livestock waste discharges within the
watershed
5. Cooperation from the landowner was available
6. Site was accessible from the road, had adequate flow outlet, and electrical
service could be brought to the site.
Using these criteria, a large number of sites were examined and five were
selected. These were described in detail by Logan and Stiefel (1979) in their
report on the 1975-77 monitoring period. In the 1978-80 period, only the
Hammersmith/Roselms (111), Heisler/Blount (401, 402) and Speiser/Paulding
(501, 502) watersheds and the Hoytville plots (SOX) were monitored (Logan,
1981). A detailed description of the properties of the watershed soils has been
previously given by Logan (1979). In the 1981-83 period reported here, only the
111, 401, 402, 501 and 502 sites were monitored.
Table 1 summarizes the site characteristics and Figure 1 identifies their
location. A more detailed description of each site is given next. A 3-digit code
was used to identify the sites and for identification of samples from each site:
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First digit: 1-6 identifies the primary site
Second digit: 0-8 identifies the sub-site within the primary site
Third digit: 1 refers to surface runoff and 2 to tile drainage, which were
monitored separately.
Hammersmith/Roselms (111); This site is located in the central area of
Defiance County and in the lake plain. The drainage area is 3.2 ha and is
composed of Roselms on most of the area with Broughton on the steep slopes.
The watershed has a well-defined drainageway (Logan, 1981), and the
monitoring system is placed at the point where the drainageway'exits the
watershed. Slopes vary from 1-3% on the more level part of the watershed to
as high as 15% where the landscape breaks into the drainageway.
Heisler/Blount (401, 402); This site is located in the northwest corner of
Defiance County and is in the till plain region of the Maumee River Basin. The
area is bermed on the upslope perimeter and on the lower side to channel the
flow toward the flume. The upper part of the site is Blount loam while the
lower end is Mermill loam, which represents the unconsolidated soil eroded
from the top of the slope and deposited downslope. The surface drainage area
(401) is 0.8 ha. A previously installed tile system was also monitored (402), and
the drainage area has been estimated to be between 1 and 2 ha.
Speiser/Paulding (501, 502); This site is located in the south central area
of Defiance County in the lake plain region. The major part of the plot is
occupied by Paulding-Roselms clay, a series which has all the characteristics of
a typical Paulding clay but whose clay content is minimal for Paulding. About a
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12
third of the plot is Paulding clay itself. The surface-drained area (501) is 0.9 ha
and was defined by constructing a berm. This soil is normally surface-drained
by using shallow field ditches, and in this instance, the ditches were used to
carry surface runoff to the sampler. Three tile drains were installed
12.7 meters apart and 1 meter deep. The central tile, 55.7 meters and with a
drainage area of 0.09 ha, was monitored.
2.2.1.1 Surface Runoff and Tile Drainage Measurement
Surface Runoff; It was decided early in the development of this research
that sophisticated instrumentation of the sites in Defiance County was not
feasible or warranted. A number of physical restraints guided the selection of
monitoring devices: both small and large events must be monitored; equipment
would have to be automatic because events on small areas are very rapid and
the sites had to be serviced by a single technician; it was important to be able
to operate in the winter because much of the runoff occurs in the initial storms
after thawing in the early spring; there was a general lack of hydraulic head at
all sites. The system that was developed had the following basic principle: the
runoff was channeled over a drop structure and a known fraction of the flow
was intercepted. The intercepted flow was then passed over a Coshocton
wheel, which intercepted another fraction. This water then discharged into a
sump. A sump pump of known discharge rate (gallons per minute) was activated
when water in the sump reached a given level. The pump was connected to a
timer, which recorded time of pumping. The water was pumped up into a
container from which a sample could be taken. By knowing the fraction of total
runoff intercepted and the pump rate and time of pumping, total runoff in a
given interval was calculated. The sample taken from the pump discharge
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13
represented runoff for that interval. Samples were taken after each event.
Details of the equipment are given in Logan and Stiefel (1979) and Logan (1981).
Tile drainage; In all cases, a single tile line was monitored, except for the
Blount site (402), where a small tile system was monitored by intercepting the
main at the point where it discharged into the drainage ditch. The tile was
usually at a depth of 1 meter, and a specially constructed fiberglass sump was
set into the ground in the same sampling shelter used for surface runoff. The
sump intercepted the tile and collected all discharge. As in the case of surface
runoff, a calibrated sump pump was used to pump the water out of the sump. A
timer was used as before to measure pumping time, and the pump was activated
at a given water level by electrode; it could also be activated manually. An
orifice inserted into the discharge pipe from the pump delivered a sample of the
water to an 80-liter plastic garbage can, where it was subsampled as described
previously. This sample was considered to be representative of the tile flow for
a given time interval, since all of the flow was sampled. The amount of sample
taken by the orifice was adjusted by a valve.
J
2.2.1.2 Sample Handling and Processing; All sites in Defiance County were
serviced by a technician every 48 hours or sooner if significant precipitation
occurred. A 4-liter subsample of the sample in the garbage can was taken after
thorough mixing and the remainder discarded. Sumps were pumped dry
manually after subsampling, time of pumping was recorded and rainfall at the
site was measured from a manual rain gauge. Samples were stored in a
refrigerator at 4°C at field headquarters until they could be transported to the
laboratory at Columbus.
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14
2.2.1.3 Cropping Practices! The following cropping practices were employed
by the cooperating farmers on the three watersheds in 1981-1984:
Site
111
401/402
501/502
2.2.1.4
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1981
1982
1983
1984
1981
1982
1983
1984
Analysis of Water Samples:
Crop
Wheat
Soybeans
Soybeans
Wheat
Corn
Soybeans
Soybeans
Corn
Soybeans
Wheat
Idle
Soybeans
As soon as samples
Tillage Practice
Spring plow
Fall chisel plow
Fall plow
Fall disk
Fall chisel plow
No- till
No- till
No- till
Fall plow
Fall disk
Fall plow
Fall disk
were received in th
laboratory, the 4-liter polyethylene bottles were shaken thoroughly and a
250 ml sample was placed in another bottle and refrigerated. A 100 ml aliquot
of the unfiltered sample was filtered through a preweighed 0.45 ym Nucleopore
membrane filter. The sediment and filter were oven-dried, reweighed, and
sediment concentration calculated. The filtered solution was refrigerated until
further analysis. The filtered sample was routinely analyzed for: nitrate plus
nitrite (NC>3 + NC>2), ammonia (NHs), and filtered reactive-P (FRP). The
unfiltered sample was analyzed for total P. Methods of analysis were discussed
in detail by Logan and Stiefel (1979).
2.2.2 New Watersheds on Paulding Soil
Based on the results of the 1975-1980 monitoring study, it was decided to
study the effects of tillage management on runoff, erosion and nutrient losses
-------
15
from the Paulding soil because this soil had been shown to have the highest
runoff, sediment loads and P losses of the Maumee Basin soils studied.
Specifically, the intent was to study the relative effects of fall moldboard
plowing versus no-till and no-till on ridges. Three sites were located on
Paulding soil (Figure 1 and Table 1) and are designated Shininger (701), Baldwin
(801) and Rethmel (901). The numbers correspond to the numbering system used
for the other plots and the names represent the owner-cooperators.-
2.2.2.1 Surface Runoff Measurement and Sampling; After a preliminary survey
of the three sites, surface runoff outlejs were identified where flumes could be
t"
installed. In all cases, the outlets were from the edge of the field bordering on
an open road ditch so as to provide enough hydraulic head to prevent serious
inundation of the H-flume. H-flumes can be partially inundated and still
maintain their flow calibration (USDA, 1979). Each site was equipped with a
standard (60 cm depth) H-flume (Figure 2), stilling well and FW-1 (USDA, 1979)
clock-driven water stage recorder (Figure 3). A small solenoid-activated
hammer placed next to the metal tape on the stage recorder was electrically
connected to the pump sampler such that it struck the tape and made a small
vertical mark on the chart every time the sampler was activated (Figure 3).
This mark was used to determine the flow interval associated with each sample.
Flow was calculated from the stage/flow relationship given in' the USDA
Agricultural Hydrology Handbook (USDA, 1979) for a 60 cm H-flume.
Samples were taken from the base of the flume at the point just prior to
where it narrows for discharge (Figure 2). During 1982 and 1983, samples were
taken with a custom built pump sampler constructed by the Purdue University
Department of Agricultural Engineering for the Black Creek Study (Lake and
-------
16
Figure 2. The H-flumes and sampling house used at the 701, 801 and 901
watersheds (1982-1985).
-------
17
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-------
18
Morrison, 1977) and based on the Chikasha sampler design (USDA, 1979).
Controlled by a microprocessor, samples are pumped with a peristaltic pump
through tygon tubing into a carousel of 50 250 ml polyethylene bottles at
intervals of 5-30 minutes. However, this equipment was found to be unreliable
and did not provide a consistent desirable separation between sampling times
which was 30-60 minutes for the runoff events monitored on these sites.
Therefore, in 1984 and 1985, ISCO-brand pump samplers were used at a sample
interval of ^30 minutes. The event marker previously described was wired into
the sampler to identify the time of sampling.
The sampler and water stage recorder were housed in a wooden box on a
platform mounted above the stilling well (Figure 2). The samplers were
powered by standard 12-volt automobile bateries and the stage recorders were
clock-driven. A styrofoam-wrapped mercury switch was mounted in the stilling
well at the depth corresponding to the base of the flume and wired to the
sampler. Flow in the flume raises this float switch and activates the sampler.
The equipment was monitored annually from the first thaw in the spring
(usually early March) until the first hard freeze in the fall (usually mid to late
December). Anti-freeze was placed in the stilling well during the winter and
the equipment was removed for storage.
Rainfall was measured with a standard USGS weighing bucket rain gauge
(USDA, 1979) with a clock-driven chart recorder.
2.2.2.2 Sample Handling and Processing! The number of samples per event
varied from 25-50 for the Purdue samplers and approximately 10 samples per
event were taken with the E3CO samplers. The samplers were serviced within
24 hours of an event and the sample bottles were transferred to a refrigerator
-------
19
) at the Defiance County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)
office in Defiance and stored until they were shipped to Columbus, Ohio for
analysis, a period of 7-14 days. Samples were analyzed as described in
Sec. 2.14.
2.2.2.3 Cropping Practices; The cropping and tillage practices on the three
watersheds
Site
701
801
901
are summarized
Year
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
below for 1981-1985:
Crop
Corn
Corn
Soybeans
Corn
Soybeans
Soybeans
Soybeans
Soybeans
Soybeans/wheat*
Soybeans
Corn
Soybeans
Soybeans
Corn
Soybeans
Tillage Practice
No-till on ridges
No-till on ridges
No-till on ridges
No-till on ridges
No-till on ridges
Spring disk
Fall plow
No-till
Spring disk/fall disk
Spring disk/fall disk
Plowed
New ridges (fall'81)
No-till on ridges
New ridges (fall '83)
No-till on ridges
* Approximately 17 percent of the area.
2.3 Results
2.3.1 Original Monitoring Sites (1981-83)
2.3.1.1 Roselms (111): Results in 1981-1983 (Figure 5, Table 2) generally
corresponded with those in 1975-1980 (Figure 4). Most runoff occurred in the
period January-June with winter and spring rains and snowmelt while storms in
the fall produced lesser amounts of runoff because of lower antecedent soil
moisture levels. Highest sediment losses were associated with the very high
monthly precipitation (33.6 cm) in June 1981 and precipitation of half that
amount in May 1982 and June 1983. The fact that the excessive rainfall in June
-------
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1975 1976 1977
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ROSELMS SOIL
Surface runoff
Tile flow
Precipitation
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1978 1979 1980
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Figure 4. Precipitation, runoff and sediment loads by month from Roselms (111) in 1975-1980 (Logan, 1981).
-------
21
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2
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8
10
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1981 1982 1983
Figure 5. Precipitation, runoff and sediment loads by month from Roselms
(111)in 1981-1983.
-------
Table 2. Concentrations and loads from Roselms (111) surface runoff.
Sediment
1981
April
May
June
September
October
1982
January
February
March
April
May
July
November
December
1983
February
March
April
May
June
November
December
Free.
cm
13.15
9.08
33.63
16.64
12.54
3.38
6.66
7.66
6.63
10.82
9.88
19.08
9.05
1.26
5.30
8.26
12.76
17.08
11.50
14.58
Flow
cm
0.46
0.76
7.32
0.24
0.51
5.74
3.61
13.35
0.41
2.05
0.21
0.25
1.46
0.11
0.43
1.73
1.59
4.07
1.82
2.07
FWM*
Vg/ml
274
109
3856
1413
42
180
92
665
5961
9941
6095
5660
3403
2682
1661
2956
1981
3939
500
628
Load
kg/ha
13
8
2823
34
21
103
33
888
244
2038
128
142
497
30
71
511
315
1603
91
130
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM*
Vg/ml
0.22
0.13
0.03
<0.01
<0.01
0.07
0.03
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.38
0.03
0.06
0.05
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.01
0.02
<0.01
<0.01
0.04
0.01
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.06
0.01
0.01
0.01
Total-P
FWM*
Vg/ml
0.43
0.26
3.05
1.25
0.20
0.30
0.25
0.60
3.90
5.46
4.29
<0.01
1.99
1.82
0.93
1.79
2.01
2.80
1.32
1.88
Load
kg/ha
0.02
0.02
2.23
0.03
0.01
0.17
0.09
0.80
0.16
1.12
0.09
<0.01
0.29
0.02
0.04
0.31
0.32
1.14
0.24
0.39
(Nitrate +
nitrite)-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
1.1
0.5
0.9
4.6
1.6
2.0
1.0
0.8
1.7
3.5
0.5
1.2
1.2
2.7
2.1
0.9
5.1
1.7
1.2
2.1
Load
kg/ha
0.1
<0.1
0.7
0.1
0.1
1.2
0.4
1.1
0.1
0.7
<0.1
<0.1
0.2
<0.1
0.1
0.2
0.8
0.7
0.2
0.4
Ammonia-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.2
1.0
0.4
0.7
<0.1
0.3
1.0
0.8
<0.1
<0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.6
0.1
0.9
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
to
to
Flow weighted mean concentration (FWM).
-------
23
1981 did not produce more runoff or erosion was probably due to the soil cover
provided by the winter wheat in 1981 versus soybeans in 1982 and 1983. Total P
loads corresponded closely with sediment loads, and while total P
concentrations were quite high, loads only exceeded 1.0 kg/ha/month once in
each of the three years.
Filtered reactive P (FRP) was not correlated with either flow, sediment, or
total P, and FRP loads were all <0.1 kg/ha/month and concentrations were <
0.4 yg/ml. The low FRP loads and concentrations can be attributed to the low
level of fertility at this site where Bray PI level was 13 kg/ha in 1983.
Both ammonia and nitrate loads and concentrations were low on this site
correponding to the lack of N fertilization of both the wheat or soybean crops.
2.3.1.2 Blount (401); In the 1981-83 monitoring period, this site was in no-till
the last two years and chisel-plowed in 1981. The precipitation and runoff data
are summarized by month in Figure 7 and Table 3. Figure 6 gives the same data
for the previous six years. Runoff was low on this site in 1981-83 and there was
no significant runoff in 1984 (because of problems with the flume at this
location, we believe that only events greater than 3-5 cm runoff could be
reliably measured; smaller events were omitted from the data set). The
reduced runoff can be attributed to the generally low precipitation in this
period compared to 1975-80. As a percentage of precipitation, runoff did not
show a consistent trend for increase or decrease with no-till versus plowing.
This is in keeping with the previous data on this site (Logan, 1981) where no-till
appeared to have little effect on runoff and supports the contention of Logan
and Adams (1981) that no-till has little effect on runoff on poorly drained soils
like the Blount. Unlike runoff, no-till appeared to significantly reduce sediment
-------
Flow (cm)
Precipitation (cm)
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16
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BLOUNT SOIL
Surface runoff
Tile flow
Precipitation
n
JFMAM JJASOND JFMAMJJ ASO NDJFMAMJ JASO NO
1981 1982 1983
Figure 7. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by month from
Blount (401/402) in 1981-1983.
-------
Table 3. Concentrations and loads from Blount (401) surf ace runoff.
Filtered
Sediment
1981
June
July
September
October
November
1982
January
March
May
July
1983
June
Free.
cm
28.56
2.94
15.74
14.02
1.76
2.75
9.34
10.98
12.90
16.68
Flow
cm
9.40
2.91
1.19
2.67
1.09
3.97
13.48
5.38
1.28
9.57
FWM*
uj/ml
5046
10,364
4861
250
51
26
83
1617
588
559
Load
kg/ha
4743
3016
579
67
6
10
112
870
75
535
React! ve-P
FWM*
Ig/ml
0.19
0.07
0.08
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.05
0.06
<0.01
0.56
Load
kg/ha
0.18
0.02
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.07
0.03
<0.01
0.54
Total-P
FWM*
Ig/ml
5.75
3.81
4.96
0.11
0.18
0.20
0.20
2.25
0.78
1.54
Load
kg/ha
5.40
1.11
0.59
0.03
0.02
0.08
0.27
1.21
0.10
1.47
(Nitrate +
nitrite)-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
18.30
5.43
2.02
2.96
5.60
1.96
0.55
0.19
1.48
0.7
Load
kg/ha
17.2
1.6
0.2
0.8
0.6
0.8
0.7
0.1
0.2
0.7
Ammonia-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
4.6
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
0.5
0.9
0.7
0.9
0.1
0.2
Load
kg/ha
4.3
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.3
1.0
0.5
<0.1
0.2
to
OJ
Flow weighted mean concentration (FWM).
-------
27
concentrations and loads. This can be seen, for example, by comparing the no-
till data for July 1982 with that for fall chisel plowing in the same month in
1981 (Table 3).
As noted for the Roselms soil, total P loads were generally correlated with
sediment and represented the bulk of P loss. Consequently, there was some
reduction in total P load with no-till. However, FRP concentrations and loads
appeared to be affected little by runoff or tillage and were low compared to
other monitoring data for Maumee Basin soils (Logan and Stiefel, 1979; Logan,
1981). Bray PI was 70 kg/ha on this site in 1983 which is high for agricultural
soils in this area.
Nitrate and ammonia losses were low (Table 3) except for June 1981 where
the generally high NHs concentrations seemed to indicate loss from recent
fertilizer application. This is also supported by the higher than normal total P
and FRP concentrations and loads for the same period.
2.3.1.3 Blount (402); As in previous years (Figure 6), tile flow was highest in
the spring and late fall periods (Figure 7). There were no major trends in the
data except for the elevated nitrate concentrations in June 1981 which probably
corresponds with N fertilizer application to corn (Table 4). Previous monitoring
(Logan and Stiefel, 1979; Logan, 1981) showed that NC>3-N concentrations in
tile drainage seldom exceeded 10 mg/liter with wheat or soybeans but were
usually higher when corn was grown. There were few trends for sediment or
phosphorus except for somewhat higher levels of both in 1982 and 1983 which
appeared to be more correlated with tile flow than with tillage.
-------
Table 4. Concentrations and loads from Blount (402) tile drainage.
Sediment
1981
February
April
May
June
July
September
October
November
December
1982
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
November
December
1983
January
February
March
April
May
June
November
December
Free.
cm
0.00
13.78
9.41
28.56
2.94
5.36
14.02
1.76
7.27
2.75
4.44
9.34
3.08
10.98
7.16
12.90
19.32
8.86
1.84
2.26
6.37
9.74
13.77
16.68
14.69
5.26
Flow
cm
0.73
2.79
3.05
3.93
0.16
1.02
3.35
0.30
0.53
2.04
2.59
7.69
2.77
2.06
0.94
1.80
3.71
5.87
0.13
0.57
0.84
5.10
2.23
0.38
2.13
3.28
FWM*
Vg/ml
21
120
41
168
94
97
85
30
32
42
9
54
19
150
90
83
239
320
115
170
233
379
371
168
427
207
Load
kg/ha
2
34
13
66
2
10
28
1
2
9
2
42
5
31
9
15
89
188
2
10
20
193
83
6
91
68
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.01
0.04
0.07
0.15
<0.01
0.20
0.06
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.04
0.07
0.10
0.11
0.06
0.32
0.14
<0.01
0.18
0.12
0.08
0.09
0.26
0.09
0.12
Load
kg/ha
<0.01
0.01
0.02
0.06
<0.01
0.02
0.02
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.03
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.12
0.08
<0.01
0.01
0.01
0.04
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.04
Total-P
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.01
0.47
0.26
0.23
0.63
<0.01
0.18
<0.01
0.19
0.20
0.04
0.09
0.18
0.39
0.32
0.28
0.73
0.89
0.77
0.53
0.60
0.71
0.67
0.53
2.30
1.62
Load
kg/ha
<0.01
0.13
0.08
0.09
0.01
<0.01
0.06
<0.01
0.01
0.04
0.01
0.07
0.05
0.08
0.03
0.05
0.27
0.52
0.01
0.03
0.05
0.36
0.15
0.02
0.49
0.54
(Nitrate +
nitrite)-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.1
13.7
10.0
48.6
10.6
17.3
8.4
2.0
4.0
4.8
1.0
1.5
4.6
2.6
3.7
3.3
3.0
0.8
0.8
2.5
1.9
0.8
1.4
0.5
2.9
2.6
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
3.8
3.1
19.1
0.2
1.8
2.8
0.1
0.2
1.0
0.3
1.2
1.3
0.5
0.4
0.6
1.1
0.5
<0.1
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.3
<0.1
0.6
0.9
Ammonia-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.5
<0.1
11.7
0.9
0.7
0.6
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.2
3.9
0.2
0.4
0.3
<0.1
0.5
0.1
0.1
0.3
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.2
<0.1
1.2
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
<0.1
0.4
<0.1
0.1
0.2
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
to
oo
Flow weighted mean concentration (FWM).
-------
29
2.3.1.4 Paulding (501); Results for 1981-83 are given in Table 5 and Figures 8
and 9 give summary results for 1975-1980 as a contrast. Runoff was highest in
the spring months and sediment loads were strongly correlated with runoff.
However, there was a large event in December, 1982 and several large events in
September 1981 associated with >22 cm of rainfall which were lost because of
sampler malfunction. Sediment loads continued to be high from this nearly
level site compared to the other sites monitored and this has previously been
attributed to the poor infiltration and structure of this soil (Logan and Stiefel,
1979; Logan, 1981).
FRP losses were low in 1981-83 (Table 5) and total P losses were correlated
with sediment loads. Bray PI was 67 kg/ha. Nitrogen losses were low as
expected since cropping on this site was soybeans, wheat, and idle in 1981-1983
where little or no N fertilizer was used.
2.3.1.5 Paulding (502); Tile flows were generally higher in 1981-83 (Figure 9)
compared to those in 1975-1980 (Figure 8) with highest flows in spring and fall.
This fine-textured soil produced high concentrations of sediment in tile flow
(Table 6) as was also seen in previous monitoring (Logan and Stiefel, 1979j
Logan, 1981). The relatively high total P loads in tile flow can be attributed
almost entirely to sediment as the DIP loads were low (Table 6). Nitrogen
losses were low in 1981-83 as expected because of the little or no N fertilizer
usage.
2.3.2 New Paulding Watersheds (1982-1985)
2.3.2.1 Shininger (701) Watershed; The results of runoff from the watershed
are summarized by event and by monthly totals for 1982-1985. The total
-------
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o
IT™*^* i""'wjTiTii'Tir ._t'u.'"'iui'»nnr •rnuu^__
J F M A M J J A S 0 N D J F M A M J J A S 0 N D J F M A M
1978 1979 I960
W
Figure 8. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by month from Paulding (501/502) in 1975-1980
(Logan, 1981).
-------
31
a
o.
U
£
Q.
O
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22-
24-
24-
22-
20-
18
16
14
12
IO
8
6
4
2
0
I
PAULDING SOIL
1 I Surfoce runoff
MM Tile flow
•••• Precipitation
5
5?
§
'Nl
B
U
FMAMJ JASONDJFMAMJ JASOND JFMAM J OASOND
1981 1982 x 1983
Figure 9. Precipitation, runoff, tile flow and sediment loads by month from
Paulding (501/502) in 1981-1983.
-------
Table 5. Concentrations and loads from Faulting (SOI) surf ace runoff.
Sediment
1981
April
May
October
1982
January
February
March
April
July
November
December
1983
April
May
June
November
December
Free.
cm
5.22
9.78
11.92
4.16
6.90
6.73
5.60
11.20
18.22
9.43
8.97
13.38
17.44
14.22
6.69
Flow
cm
8.55
4.56
3.18
10.75
6.91
21.48
5.17
0.61
1.27
10.44
7.61
6.72
11.29
10.77
5.84
FWM*
Vg/ml
2031
1733
420
92
59
529
310
652
376
1222
1862
1515
926
1121
242
Load
kg/ha
1737
790
134
99
41
1137
160
40
48
1276
1417
1018
1046
1208
141
Filtered
React! ve-P
FWM*
Vg/ml
0.19
0.07
0.06
0.01
0.03
0.03
0.02
<0.01
<0.01
0.01
<0.01
0.04
0.07
0.10
0.15
Load
kg/ha
0.16
0.03
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.07
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.01
<0.01
0.03
0.08
0.11
0.09
Total-P
FWM*
W/ml
2.42
1.32
<0.0l
0.20
0,27
0.52
1.12
0.82
0.71
1.25
2.05
1.61
0.99
3.75
3.92
Load
kg/ha-
2.07
0.60
<0.01
0.21
0.19
1.12
0.58
0.05
0.09
1.31
1.56
1.08
1.21
4.04
2.29
(Nitrate +
nitrite)-N
FWM*
]f/ml
8.5
0.1
2.9
<0.1
1.5
1.9
1.8
17.7
4.9
0.3
0.6
0.6
2.4
1.4
0.6
Load
kg/ha
7.3
0.1
0.9
<0.1
1.0
4.1
1.0
1.1
0.6
0.3
0.5
0.4
2.7
1.5
0.4
Ammonia-N
FWM*
W/ml
<0.1
<0.1
1.6
<0.1
<0.1
0.6
0.5
<0.1
0,2
0.1
<0.1
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
0.3
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
<0.1
0.5
<0.1
<0.1
1.2
0.3
-------
Table 6. Concentrations and loads from Paulding (502) tile drainage.
Sediment
1981
February
March
April
May
June
September
October
November
December
1982
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
November
December
1983
February
March
April
May
June
October
November
December
Free.
cm
0.00
0.00
5.22
9.78
14.82
11.52
11.92
2.12
4.30
4.16
6.90
6.73
5.60
11.75
9.02
11.20
18.22
9.43
1.49
4.32
8.97
13.38
17.44
9.70
14.22
6.69
Flow
cm
0.28
0.69
2.21
1.85
2.10
2.70
1.13
0.30
0.26
0.24
1.31
1.33
0.70
0.40
0.40
0.30
4.11
3.90
0.33
2.14
1.72
0.66
1.05
1.34
3.88
2.05
FWM*
Vg/ml
29
6
164
303
744
63
444
133
50
42
24
131
696
130
50
107
294
504
239
153
597
727
59,3
122
319
403
Load
kg/ha
1
< 1
36
56
156
17
50
4
1
1
3
17
49
5
2
3
121
196
8
33
103
48
62
16
124
83
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM*
vg/mi
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.22
0.14
0.11
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.08
<0.01
<0.01
0.25
0.25
<0.01
0.05
0.03
<0.01
0.05
<0.01
<0.01
0.10
0.22
0.15
0.20
Load
kg/ha
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.04
0.03
0.03
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.01
0.01
<0.01
0.02
0.01
<0.01
0.01
<0.01
<0.01
0.01
0.03
0.06
0.04
Total-P
FWM«
Vg/ml
1.43
0.14
0.41
0.54
1.38
0.22
0.44
0.33
0.38
<0.01
0.23
0.30
0.86
0.75
0.25
0.33
0.39
1.13
1.82
0.89
1.34
0.76
0.67
1.49
1.80
2.34
Load
kg/ha
0.04
0.01
0.09
0.10
0.39
0.06
0.05
0.01
0.01
<0.01
0.03
0.04
0.06
0.03
0.01
0.01
0.16
0.44
0.06
0.19
0.23
0.05
0.07
0.20
0.70
0.48
(Nitrate +
nitrite)-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.1
<0.1
3.1
0.2
0.3
0.2
1.2
0.7
<0.1
0.8
0.1
0.5
1.4
6.0
7.5
20.7
7.9
1.6
5.8
4.8
2.7
1.5
2.0
4.7
1.9
1.3
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
<0.1
0.5
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
'0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.6
3.2
0.6
0.2
1.0
0.5
0.1
0.2
0.6
0.8
0.3
Ammonia-N
FWM*
Vg/ml
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.2
0.1
0.5
0.7
1.2
0.8
0.2
0.2
2.0
<0.1
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.3
<0.1
<0.1
0.4
0.8
0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
Load
kg/ha
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.
<0.
<0.
<0.
<0.
CO
Flow weighted mean concentration (FWM).
-------
34
precipitation for the month is also given and the difference represents both
precipitation that did not produce runoff and unmonitored runoff. Because of
the incomplete nature of the data set, only individual events will be discussed.
Runoff, as a fraction of precipitation, was generally lower from this
Paulding watershed as compared to results from the smaller 501 plot (1 vs.
14 ha) and may represent infiltration seen at the field scale but not at plot
scale. Monitored sediment loads were also low from this site, but the decrease
appears to be more due to the no-till on this site than to reduced runoff. For
example, 7.5 cm of runoff in May, 1983 produced 410 kg/ha sediment (Table 7)
while 6.7 cm of runoff on the 501 plot produced 1018 kg/ha of sediment. The
plot was idle in 1983 but had been plowed the previous fall and there was little
cover by May.
Because of the low monitored concentrations and flows throughout the
1982-85 monitoring period, phosphorus and nitrogen losses were low from this
site. The low P losses are in spite of the very high Bray PI level of 142 kg/ha
on this site in 1983.
2.3.2.2 Baldwin (801) Watershed: Flow as a percentage of precipitation was
somewhat higher from the Baldwin (Table 8) than from the Shininger watershed
(Table 7) but flows were also lower from this watershed than from the 501 plot.
Sediment loads were low except those in March and April, 1985 where individual
loads were 640, 413 and 976 kg/ha. The April 5-6, 1985 event that produced
0.85 cm of runoff and 976 kg/ha sediment on the Baldwin watershed, which was
disk-plowed, produced 0.5 cm of runoff and 122 kg/ha sediment on the no-till
Shininger watershed. Total P losses for this event were 0.53 kg/ha on the
Baldwin and 0.16 kg/ha on the Shininger watersheds. DIP and nitrogen losses
-------
Table 7. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by event from the Shininger (701) watershed in 1982-85.
Sediment
Event
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
14
16
17
18
19
Year
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
82
83
83
83
83
83
Month
May
May
July
November
November
November
November
December
December
December
December
April
April
April
April
April
1
Samples/ Precip.
Day Event cm
27
28
Monthly sum
10
Monthly sum
2
20-21
24
29
Monthly sum
4
5
25-26-27
27-28
Monthly sum
2
9-10
10
13-14
29-30
Monthly sum
1
1
13
26
49
1
—
38
48
4
65
5
49
22
71
6
.»..
—
—
3.56
3.56/6.10*
1.40
2.03
.76
.25
4.45/15.24
1.78
.89
3.18
.89
6.73/7.87
1.65
.51
—
1.40
3.81
7.37/7.60
Flow
cm
0.06
0.17
0.23
0.06
0.06
0.27
0.53
0.28
0.18
1.26
0.20
0.40
0.69
0.23
1.52
0.18
0.26
0.18
0.30
0.43
1.35
FWM
Ug/ml
1817
106
565
633
667
56
162
179
—
119
215
153
433
291
309
378
292
283
357
212
289
Load
kg/ha
11
2
13
4
4
2
9
5
—
15
4
6
30
7
47
7
8
5
11
9
39
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
Hg/rol
1.67
1.77
1.74
0.00
0.00
0.37
0.38
0.36
—
0.32
0.00
0.25
0.29
0.00
0.20
0.56
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.47
0.22
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.03
0.04
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.01
—
0.04
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.00
0.03
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.03
Total-P
FWM
yg/ml
18.33
11.77
13.48
1.66
1.67
0.74
0.76
0.36
—
0.56
0.05
0.50
0.58
0.43
0.53
1.11
0.77
0.56
0.67
0.93
0.82
Load
kg/ha
0.11
0.20
0.31
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.01
—
0.07
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.01
0.08
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.04
0.11
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
0.0
0.6
0.4
13.3
13.3
0.4
0.8
0.0
—
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.1
1.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.4
1.6
Load
kg/ha
<0.01
0.01
0.01
0.08
0.08
0.01
0.04
0.00
—
0.05
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.02
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.19
0.21
Ammonia-N
FWM
yg/ml
0.0
0.6
0.4
1.7
1.7
0.4
0.2
0,0
—
0.2
0.5
0.3
0.2
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Load
K^g/ha
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.00
—
0.02
0.011
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
CO
-------
Table 7. Shininger (701) Continued.
Sediment
Event
No.
20
21
22
23
24
26
27
28
30
31
32
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
Year
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
Month
May
May
May
June
June
June
June
July
November
November
November
April
April
April
April
April
May
May
Samples/ Precip.
Day Event cm
1-2
2-3
22
Monthly sum
5-6
10-11
30
30-1
Monthly sum
1-2
Monthly sum
19
20
23-24
Monthly sum
3-4
14-15-16
16-17
22-23
23-24
Monthly sum
20-21
26
Monthly sum
40
5
5
6
6
1
6
5
7
1
6
—
6
6
6
6
13
=-.
—
10.16
10.16/10.16
1.14
2.29
—
—
3.43/12.07
— —
—/1. 91
1.27
—
.89
2.16/5.59
2.41
1.52
.38
3.81
—
8.13/8.89
2.16
2.16/2.16
Flow
cm
7.49
0.17
0.10
7.76
0.13
0.22
0.02
1.52
1.89
0.07
0.07
0.15
0.06
0.25
0.46
0.28
0.31
0.13
0.22
0.94
0.16
0.16
0.32
FWM
jg/ml
547
400 '
200
540
62
1527
450
959
958
386
429
1147
433
504
696
—
29
100
114
53
856
856
Load
kg/ha
410
7
2
419
1
34
1
146
181
3
3
17
3
13
32
—
1
1
3
5
-~
14
14
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
ug/ml
0.00
0.00
2.00
0.03
0.77
0.91
o.oa
0.13
0.26
0.00
0.00
0.67
0.00
0.40
0.43
—
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.63
0.63
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.02
0.00
0.02
0.05
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
—
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
Total-P
FWM
ug/ml
1.05
1.18
2.00
1.07
0.77
2.27
0.00
1.05
1.16
0.00
0.00
3.33
5.00
2.00
2.83
—
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.88
1.88
Load
kg/ha
0.79
0.02
0.02
0.83
0.01
0.05
0.00
0.16
0.22
0.00
0.00
0.05
0.03
0.05
0.13
—
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.03
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
Vg/ml
4.0
0.0
4.0
3.9
0.8
5.0
0.0
0.0
0.6
0.0
0.0
2.0
1.7
0.8
1.3
—
0.7
1.5
0.5
0.5
.,
33.8
33.8
Load
kg/ha
3.00
0.00
0.04
3.04
0.01
0.11
0.00
0.00
0.12
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.01
0.02
0.06
—
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.05
_._
0.54
0.54
Aromonia-N
FWM
ug/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.5
10.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
2.7
0.0
1.6
1.7
—
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
__
0.0
0.0
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.00
p. oo
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.00
0.04
0.08,
—
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
— _
0.00
0.00
o>
-------
Table 7. Shininger (701) Continued.
Sediment
Event
No.
42
44
45
46
47
Samples/
Year
84
85
85
85
85
Month
November
March
March
March
April
Day
11-12
Monthly sum
4
28-29
31-1
Monthly sum
5-6
Monthly sum
Event
16
12
25
16
22
Precip.
cm
2.79
2.79/3,43
2.54
4.45
—
6.99/10.03
--
"
Flow
cm
0.23
0.23
0.05
1.10
1.23
2.38
0.51
0.51
FWM
Vg/ml
65
87
740
1352
502
899
2388
2392
Load
kg/ha
2
2
4
149
62
214
122
122
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
V«/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.09
—
0.04
1.77
1.76
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
—
0.01
0.09
0.09
Total-P
FWM
W/ml
0.43
0.43
2.00
2.00
0.89
1.43
3.14
3.14
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.22
0.11
0.34
0.16
0.16
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
Hg/ml
15.2
15.2
4.0
7.9
4.4
6.0
1.4
1.4
Load
kg/ha
0.35
0.35
0.02
0.87
0.54
1.43
0.07
0.07
Ammonia-N
FWM
Hg/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
O.I
0.4
0.4
Load
kg/ha
O.OQ
0.00
0.00
; 0.02
0.00
0.02
0.02^
0.02
* The number on the left is the precipitation for which runoff was measured and the number on the right is the total monthly precipitation.
-------
Table 8. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by event from the Baldwin (801) watershed in 1982-85.
Event
No.
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Year
82
82
82
82
82
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
Month
November
November
December
December
December
March
April
April
April
April
April
April/May
May
June
June/July
Samples/ Precip.
Day Event cm
23-24
28-29
Monthly sum
3-4-5
24-25
26
Monthly sum
27-28
Monthly sum
2
7
9
10
13-14
Monthly sum
30/1-2
3
Monthly sum
27-28
30-1
Monthly sum
2
1
2
1
1
47
21
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
.64
1.02
1.66/3.56»
1.27
1.65
—
2.92/5.46
1.02
1.02/1.02
__
.25
1.40
.25
1.65
3.56/5.08
„
.64
.64/2.79
10.03
1.52
11.55/12.95
Sediment
Flow
cm
0.46
0.49
0.95
1.38
0.99
0.27
2.64
4.40
4.40
0.28
0.25
0.31
0.16
0.84
1.84
4.12
0.18
4.30
3.31
0.74
4.05
FWM
ug/ml
15
18
21
16
926
44
360
297
297
2146
24
90
113
49
375
11
33
12
—
~
—
Load
kg/ha
1
1
2
2
92
1
95
131
131
60
1
3
2
4
69
5
1
5
—
—
—
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
Ug/ml
0.00
0.20
0.11
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
—
0.00
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Total-P
FWM
vg/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.11
0.00
0.42
0.27
0.27
3.21
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.12
0.54
2.43
—
0.02
—
—
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.11
0.00
0.11
0.12
0.12
0.09
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.10
0.01
—
0.01
—
—
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
Vg/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.1
1.3
1.3
2.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.02
0.57
0.57
0.06
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.06
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.03
Ammonia-N
FWM
Vg/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
fl.OO
0.02
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1
0.00
0.00
-------
Table 8. Continued Baldwin (801).
Sediment
Event
No.
18
19
20
21
23
24
25
26
29
30
31
32
33
Year
83
83
83
83
84
84
84
84
84
84
85
85
85
Samples/
Month Day Event
November 15-16
November 19-20
November 20-21
November 27-28
Monthly sum
April 4-5-6
April 15-16
April 17
April 22-23
Monthly sum
November 10-11-12
November 28
Monthly sum
March 28-29
March/April 31/1
Monthly sum
April 5-6
Monthly sum
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
28
1
23
25
22
Precip.
em
1.40
1.40
1.65
4.45/7.49
1.65
1.52
1.02
4.19/4.19
3.56
1.14
4.70/4.70
5.84
5.84/9.53
Flow
cm
0.26
0.26
0.27
0.77
1.56
1.09
0.54
0.20
2.32
4.15
2.24
0.24
2.44
2.11
1.98
4.09
0.85
0.85
FWM
Hg/ml
136
84
52
64
22
40
42
16
22
627
83
582
3035
2088
2577
11482
11482
Load
kg/ha
4
2
4
10
2
2
1
4
9
140
2
142
640
413
1054
976
976
Filtered
Reaetive-P
FWM
Vg/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.05
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.00
Total-P
FWM
Pg/ml
0.38
0.00
0.00
0.06
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.02
1.12
0.00
1.02
3.51
2.53
3.03
6.24
6.24
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.25
0.00
0.25
0.74
0.50
1.24
0.53
0.53
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
ug/ml
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
2.1
0.8
2.1
2.4
0.5
1.4
0.6
0.6
Load
kg/ha
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.03
0.48
0.02
0.50
0.50
0.09
0.59
0.05
0.05
Ammonia-N
FWM
ug/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.3
0.1
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.2
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00 oo
0.00 «»
p. 00
0.06
0.00
0.06
0.03
0.08
0.11
0.02
0.02
The number on the left is the precipitation for which runoff was measured and the number on the right is the total monthly precipitation.
-------
40
were very low from this watershed throughout the 1982-85 period. Bray PI
available P was 51 kg/ha in 1983.
2.3.2.3 Rethmel (901) Watershed; This watershed was plowed in 1981 and had
new ridges formed in the fall of 1981 and 1983. The watershed was in no-till
ridges in 1983 and 1985. As with the other two watersheds, flows from
individual events were generally <1 cm (Table 9). Highest sediment losses were
in May, 1984 when the surface was in bare ridges and in March, 1985 when the
area was in no-till ridges. The May 26, 1984 storm that produced 0.36 cm
runoff and 1028 kg/ha sediment on the Rethmel watershed produced 0.16 cm
runoff and only 14 kg/ha sediment on the Shininger watershed. Phosphorus and
nitrogen losses were very low from this watershed. Bray PI phosphorus was
44 kg/ha.
-------
Table 9. Precipitation, flow, and sediment and nutrient losses by event from the Rethmel (901) watershed in 1982-85.
Sediment
Event
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
13
16
18
Year
82
82
82
82
82
82
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
Month
May
November
November
December
December
December
March
March
March
April
April
May
June
Samples/
Day Event
27
Monthly sum
23-24
29-30
Monthly sum
3-4-5
25-26
27
Monthly sum
17
21
27
Monthly sum
6
13
Monthly sum
3
Monthly sum
27-28
Monthly sum
1
2
2
3
2
1
1
5
38
25
23
6
6
Precip.
cm
--/--
.64
1.27
1.91/7.75*
2.54
2.29
.64
5.46/7.37
.38
1.27
1.14
2.79/3.30
1.91
1.91/5.21
.64
.64X.64
4.06
4.06/7.75
Flow
cm
0.08
0.08
0.02
0.02
0.04
0.19
1.12
0.02
1.33
0.01
0.19
0.16
0.36
0.03
0.27
0.30
0.38
0.38
0.90
0.90
FWM
VJg/ml
3500
3500
150
120
0
411
2680
900
2331
1200
111
781
444
533
3389
3100
579
579
3378
3378
Load
kg/ha
28
28
0
0
0
8
300
2
310
1
2
13
16
2
92
93
22
22
304
304
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
yg/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.05
0.09
0.00
0.23
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.01
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0..00
Total-P
FWM
yg/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3.13
0.00
2.63
0.00
0.53
1.25
0.83
0.00
6.30
5.67
4.21
4.21
2.89
2.89
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.35
0.00
0.35
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.00
0.17
0.17
0.16
0.16
0.26
0.26
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
Vg/ml
8.8
8.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.5
0.8
0.0
0.8
0.0
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.0
0.4
0.3
0.5
0.5
2.3
2.3
Load
kg/ha
0.07
0.07
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.09
0.00
0.10
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.21
0.21
Ammonia-N
FWM
yg/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.4
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.04
-------
Table 9. Continued Rethmel (901).
Sediment
Event
No.
20
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
Year
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
83
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
Month
July
October
November
November
November
November
November
November
December
April
April
April
April
May
May
May
May
May
Samples/
Day Event
2
Monthly sum
22-23
Monthly sum
2-3
10
15-16
19
20
23-24
Monthly sum
5-6
Monthly sum
4-5-6
15-16
17-18
22-23
Monthly sum
20
21
22-23
25-26
28
Monthly sum
7
7
6
7
6
7
12
6
7
1
1
1
1
8
3
5
6
4
Precip.
cm
.51
.51/.51
3.68
3.68/4.19
—
—
—
—
—
._/_.
2.79
2.79/2.79
—
1.78
1.27
0.64
3.68/3.68
—
—
—
2.03
1.02
3.05/3.05
Flow
cm
0.23
0.23
0.59
0.59
0.27
0.31
1.27
0.69
0.42
0.85
3.81
1.41
1.41
1.08
0.51
0.63
2.22
4.44
0.24
0.13
0.36
0.36
0.22
1.31
FWM
Vg/ml
609
609
220
220
596
145
4178
3486
612
251
2202
2043
2043
58
60
83
13
41
60938
20662
4456
28553
11296
24183
Load
kg/ha
14
14
13
13
16
5
531
241
26
21
839
288
288
6
3
5
3
18
1463
269
160
1028
249
3168
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
vg/ml
0.00
0.00
64.41
64.41
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.15
0.00
0.12
0.05
0.21
0.21
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
3.80
3.80
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Total-P
FWM
Vg/ml
0.87
0.87
0.17
0.17
0.74
0.32
3.70
3.19
0.71
0.24
2.02
1.13
1.13
0.09
0.20
0.16
0.00
0.07
39.17
29.23
7.22
13.33
22.73
19.54
Load
kg/ha
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.01
0.47
0.22
0.03
0.02
0.77
0.16
0.16
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.03
0.94
0.38
0.26
0.48
0.50
2.56
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
3.0
3.0
3.2
3.2
7.4
20.3
1.3
3.2
13.3
1.5
5.6
11.1
11.1
0.2
0.6
0.3
0.1
0.2
7.5
6.2
3.3
8.9
5.5
6.3
Load
kg/ha
0.07
0.07
0.19
0.19
0.20
0.63
0.17
0.43
0.56
0.13
2.12
1.57
1.57
0.02
0.03
0.02
0.02
0.09
0.18
0.08
0.12
0.32
0.12
0.82
Ammonia-N
F"W5T Load
Vg/ml kg/ha
0.0
0.0
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.0
0.0
3.2
0.2
1.8
1.0
2.7
2.7
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.00
0.00
0.03
0.03
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.22
0.01
0.15
0.39
0.38
0.38
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
-------
Table 9. Continued Rethmel (901).
Sediment
Event
No.
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
50
51
52
53
Year
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
84
85
85
85
85
Month
September
September
October
October
November
November
November
November
December
March
March
March
April
Samples/
Day Event
16
17
Monthly sum
15-16
21
Monthly sum
1-2
10-11-12
15
28
Monthly sum
2-3
Monthly sum
4
11-12
28-29
Monthly sum
5-6
Monthly sum
3
1
8
10
8
19
8
10
9
13
17
17
20
Precip.
cm
1.02
—
1.02/1.91
1.65
0.89
2.54/2.54
1.14
3.94
—
1.14
6.22/6.22
.38
.38/1.78
—
4.95
4.95/8.13
2.54
2.54/2.54
Flow
cm
0.06
0.06
0.12
0.36
0.25
0.61
0.26
1.20
0.18
0.22
1.86
0.20
0.20
1.08
0.28
1.12
2.48
0.97
0.97
FWM
Pg/ml
6967
167
3583
569
928
1497
662
756
506
636
704
600
600
5157
3764
17674
10653
9051
9051
Load
kg/ha
42
1
43
21
23
44
17
91
9
14
131
12
12
557
105
1980
2642
878
878
Filtered
Reactive-P
FWM
14g/ml
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.50
0.50
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Load
kg/ha
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Total-P
FWM
pg/ml
8.33
3.33
5.83
0.00
0.80
0.80
0.77
1.00
0.56
1.36
0.97
0.50
0.50
5.00
9.29
10.54
7.98
5.67
5.67
Load
kg/ha
0.05
0.02
0.07
0.00
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.12
0.01
0.03
0.18
0.01
0.01
0.54
0.26
1.18
1.98
0.55
0.55
(Nitrate +
Nitrite)-N
FWM
Ug/ml
26.7
1.7
22.5
21.1
44.4
65.5
50.4
26.8
41.1
55.9
34.9
48.0
48.0
8.9
15.7
7.9
9.2
6.2
6.2
Load
kg/ha
0.16
0.01
0.27
0.76
1.11
1.87
1.31
3.22
0.74
1.23
6.50
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.44
0.88
2.28
0.60
0.60
Ammonia-N
FWM
pg/ml
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.1
0.4
1.5
0.4
0.1
0.0
10.5
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
Load
kg/ha
1
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.04
0.01
0.05
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.02
0.02
0.02
* The number on the left is the precipitation for which runoff was measured and the number on the right is the total monthly precipitation.
-------
44
3. EFFECTS OF RESIDUE ON PHOSPHORUS LOSSES FROM
NO-TILL RIDGES IN A RAINULATOR STUDY
3.1 Introduction
Accelerated implementation of conservation tillage in the Lake Erie Basin
has been proposed as the major approach to reduce phosphorus (P) loads to Lake
Erie in order to achieve improved water quality in the lake (Forster et al.,
1985). Much of the cropland in the Lake Erie Basin is made up of nearly level,
fine-textured, poorly-drained soils with annual erosion rates less than the soil
loss tolerance (Adams et al., 1982). However, Logan (1981) has shown that total
P losses from these soils can be in the range of 0.2-5.0 kg P/ha as a
consequence of their fine texture, relative youthfulness (8-12,000 years) and
high available P levels from fertilization.
Cropland in the Lake Erie Basin is commonly plowed in the fall to take
advantage of optimum soil moisture conditions, but this leaves the soil bare
during the spring when most of the sediment and P losses occur. Logan (1981)
showed that no-till could reduce sediment and particulate P losses from a
Blount soil compared to fall plowing. He also showed, as did Logan and Adams
(1981), however, that no-till had no significant effect on total runoff or on
dissolved inorganic P (DIP) losses. In fact, they showed that DIP concentrations
and losses actually increase with no-till. This has been attributed by Adams and
Logan (1981), McDowell et al. (1980), and others to accumulation of labile P at
the soil surface with no-till from surface fertilization and decay of plant
residues.
Resistance to adoption of no-till on the poorly-drained, fine-textured soils
of the Lake Erie Basin has been due, in part, to reduced crop yields with this
practice compared to fall plowing. Crop residue under these soil and
-------
45
environmental conditions exacerbates the poor soil drainage and delays soil
warming in the spring. To overcome some of these problems, farmers in the
area have begun to use raised ridges to improve drainage. Once the ridges are
formed, usually after fall plowing, no-till corn and soybeans can be grown for
several years until the ridges need to be re-formed. Planters developed
specifically for use on ridges may have attachments which remove residue from
the top of the ridge.
These factors raised several questions about the effects of no-till ridges on
sediment and P losses: a) Would the microtopography produced by ridges result
in increased erosion and P losses when the ridges were bare; b) what effect,"if
any, would ridges have on the amount of runoff produced compared to fall
plowing; and c) what effect could presence, absence and placement (on ridge
top or in the furrow) of crop residue have on sediment and P losses from ridges.
To answer these questions, a runoff study was conducted in the summer of
1983 in Defiance County, Ohio in conjunction with the National Soil Erosion
Laboratory at Purdue University.
3.2 Methods
The USDA programmable rainfall simulator (Neibling et al., 1981)
(Figures 10 and 11) was used to artificially erode plots of less than 0.5% slope
created on a Paulding clay (Typic Haplaquepts, very fine, illitic, nonacid mesic)
located approximately 10 km northwest of Defiance, Ohio during July and
August 1983. Two tillage treatments, fall moldboard plow with spring disking
and ridge-till, were evaluated. The ridge-till plots were further divided into
"new ridges", created in September 1982, and "old ridges" which were created in
September 1981 and planted in no-till corn during the 1982 growing season.
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Figure 11. Flumes for collecting runoff from the ridges in the rainulator
study.
-------
48
To determine the effect of residue cover, old ridges were divided into two
treatments: ') residue left as placed from the 1982 harvest, and 2) residue
completely removed, leaving bare soil. More flexibility in varying residue cover
was available on the new ridges because no crop had been planted and no
residue cover existed. Therefore, four residue cover treatments were designed
on the new ridges: 1) bare soil (no residue), 2) residue placed in furrows and on
ridge sideslopes, 3) residue placed on sideslopes only, and 4) residue placed in
furrows only. In all cases residue was an unanchored mix of corn stalks and
leaves collected from an adjacent field and placed at a rate of 5.6 mt/ha over
the desired plot area. The fall plow-spring disk treatment was evaluated
without residue cover only. All seven treatment categories had at least two
replications. The plot treatments are summarized in Table 10.
The fall plow-spring disk plots had dimensions of 10.7 m x 3.1 m while all
ridge tillage plots were 10.7 m long and one furrow width (ridge top to ridge
top) wide, nominally 0.75 m, which allowed for simultaneous running of two
plots.
The programmable simulator applied rain in a sequence of three artificial
storms, an initial 60-minute storm followed at least one hour later by two 30-
minute duration storms (dry, wet, and very wet runs, respectively) at 58.4 mm/h
rainfall intensity. The three storms together produced 116.8 mm (11.7 cm) of
precipitation.
Methods for determining soil loss and runoff were similar to those of Meyer
(1960) except that applied rainfall intensity was measured as a sample volume
rather than as a sample weight. Other data collected included soil antecedent
moisture, percent residue cover, plot microtopography, runoff flow velocity and
eroded particle size distribution.
-------
Table 10. A summary of treatments used in the rainulator study.
Treatment
MBB
NBB
NBR
NFB
NFR
RBB
RFR
No.
Reps
3
7
3
2
2
3
3
Tillage
Fall moldboard
plow, spring disk
New ridges, residue
New ridges, residue
New ridges, residue
New ridges, residue
and in furrow
removed
on ridge
in furrow
on ridge
Old ridges, residue removed
Old ridges, residue on ridge
and in furrow
Percent
Cover
3
3
26
34
50
70
8
Residue
Ridge Top
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Placement*
Furro
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
* Residue was left in place from 1982 harvest or removed from the old ridges. A mix of corn stalks and
leaves was placed at a rate of 5.6 mt/ha by hand on the new ridges.
CO
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50
Runoff samples were filtered through 0.45 ym pore diameter Nucleopore
filters. The filtered samples were analyzed for dissolved inorganic P (DIP) by
the procedure of Murphy and Riley (1962) and total P was determined on the
unfiltered sample after digestion with concentrated perchloric acid. Total P
and Bray PI extractable P (Bray and Kurtz, 1945) contents of the surface 0-5
cm of the experimental plot areas were also determined.
3.3 Results and Discussion
The results of the sediment portion of the study have been analyzed by the
National Soil Erosion Laboratory and are reported elsewhere (Stein et al., 1986).
This report deals only with the phosphorus results but the sediment yields and
concentrations are given here as well for correlation with the phosphorus data.
Figures 12-18 give the instantaneous discharge (solid line), total P (broken
line) and DIP (dotted line) concentrations for a single replicate of each
treatment for the dry, wet and very wet runs. The intervals between runs can
be clearly seen on the minima in the discharge curves. The results show that
this fine-textured, poorly-drained and poorly-structured soil has a very low
infiltration capacity. Any differences in runoff between treatments occurred
primarily in the dry run. By the wet run, there was little difference among
treatments in total runoff. Fall moldboard plowing (MBB) provided surface
roughness and temporary storage of precipitation which resulted in a delay in
the onset of runoff (Figure 12) compared to the other treatments. Residue on
the old ridges (RFR) reduced runoff during the dry run (Figure 18) and was the
only treatment where this effect was seen somewhat during the wet and very
-------
DISCHARGE (KG/SEC)
TOTAL F (MC/L) X 20
DIP (MG/L)
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Figure 14. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP (dotted line) concentrations in runoff from
the NBR plot during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
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Figure 15. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP (dotted line) concentrations in runoff from
the NFB plot during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
-------
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DISCHARGE (KG/SEC)
TOTAL P (MG/L) X
DIP (MG/L)
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Figure 17. Discharge (solid line), total P (broken line) and DIP (dotted line) concentrations in runoff from
the RBB plot during the dry, wet and very wet runs.
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TOTAL P fMG/L) X 20
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58
wet runs as well. Presence or absence or placement of residue on the new
ridges had lit^e effect on runoff.
Total P concentrations followed sediment concentrations closely and were
highest on the bare plots (MBB, NBB and RBB, Figures 12, 13 and 17). They
were also initially high (Figure 15) on the new ridge plot with residue in the
furrow only (NFB)but declined in the later runs.
DIP concentrations were primarily affected by previous plot history, i.e.
they were highest on the old ridges compared to the new ridges (which had been
plowed prior to being formed) and the moldboard plowed plots. Bray PI
available P in the 0-5 cm depth was 20 mg/kg on the new ridge and plowed plots
and 47 mg/kg on the old ridges. The old ridges had been in place in continuous
no-till for two years. During that time no phosphate fertilizer was surface
applied and it appears that this increase in available P is a result of decay of
surface residue.
Runoff volume and unit area loads and flow-weighted mean concentrations
of sediment, total P and DIP are given in Table 11 for the dry, wet and very wet
runs combined (a total of 11.7 cm of precipitation).
Averaged over all replications, there were no statistically significant
effects of treatments on runoff even though there were observed differences in
the dry run. Though not significant, the fall moldboard plow and old ridges with
residue plots had somewhat lower runoff. Runoff as a percentage of applied
precipitation was high (60-98%) on all of the plots. This soil has a slope of < 1%
and the high runoff is attributed to the low infiltration capacity. As suggested
previously by Logan and Adams (1981), no-till has little effect on runoff on soils
with low infiltration capacity.
-------
Table 11. Runoff, loads and flow weighted mean concentrations of sediment and phosphorus from the dry, wet
and very wet runs combined. Mean of all replications.
Treatment
(cm)
Moldboard Plow (MBB)
New Ridges:
Residue Removed (NBB)
Residue on Ridge (NBR)
Residue in Furrow (NFB)
Residue on Ridge (NFR)
and in Furrow
Old Ridges:
Residue Removed (RBB)
Residue on Ridge (RFR)
and in Furrow
Statistics: "1"
Tillage
Residue
Tillage x Residue
Runoff
(mg/1)
8.12
10.00
9.25
9.71
11.44
10.88
7.02
NS
NS
NS
Dissolved Inorganic P
(kg/ha)
0.124
0.067
0.075
0.060
0.064
0.221
0.250
**
NS
NS
(mg/1)
0.100
0.067
0.069
0.059
0.073
0.241
0.176
**
NS
NS
Total P
(kg/ha)
3.44
5.01
3.39
2.58
2.55
5.71
1.59
NS
**
NS
(mg/1)
2.79
5.01
3.14
2.50
2.92
6.21
1.12
NS
**
*
Sediment
(mg/1) (mt/ha)
5440 4.42
6100 6.10
5210 4.82
3330 3.23
2940 3.36
7050 7.67
1410 0.99
tn
CD
NS = not significant; * = 5% level; ** = 1% level
-------
60
Total phosphorus loads and concentrations were not significantly affected
by tillage (ri^jes vs. plowing) but were significantly reduced by residue cover.
An examination of the individual treatments (Table 11) shows that this was due
primarily to the effect of residue on the old ridges. On the new ridges, residue
gave a slight reduction in total P compared to bare soil with the greatest effect
seen with residue over the entire plot or in the furrow. The reduction in total P
on the old ridges with residue was due to the greater percent cover (Table 10)
with this treatment than with the other treatments. As would be expected,
total P losses closely paralleled sediment losses and particulate P (total P -DIP)
accounted for 84-99% of the total P load. Since no-till reduced sediment yield
by as much as 87%, it is not surprising that it also reduced particulate P losses
by as much as 84%.
DIP concentrations and loads were not significantly affected by residue
cover which implies that DIP was not coming primarily from the residue itself,
but there was a significant effect of tillage. Examination of the treatments
shows that DIP losses were much greater from the old ridges than from the new
ridges or plowed plots and this difference is attributed to the higher Bray PI
available P levels in the 0-5 cm depth of the old ridges. Oloya and Logan (1980)
found a strong positive statistical relationship between Bray PI available P and
P that could be desorbed from soil. These findings suggest that no-till has no
effect on or actually increases DIP losses and that these losses can only be
controlled by controlling available P levels in soil.
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61
4. PHOSPHORUS ANALYSIS OF MAJOR SOIL SERIES SAMPLES FROM
THE LAKE ERIE DRAINAGE BASIN
4.1 Introduction
Diffuse source tributary loadings have been shown to be a major source of
the total P load to Lake Erie (PLUARG, 1978; LEWMS, 1982), and most of the
diffuse load (perhaps as high as 80%) is particulate in the form of eroded
sediment. The phosphorus reduction strategies developed by the states and
provinces in the Great Lakes have as their cornerstone reduction of the diffuse
particulate phosphorus load by adoption of conservation tillage. In order to
calculate the reductions in particulate P achieved through reductions in soil
erosion, it is necessary to know the total P content of the soil being eroded, the
enrichment of total P in sediment compared to the uneroded soil, and a delivery
ratio which is the fraction of eroded soil which is transported to the point of
measurement or impact. These factors are related through the following
equations:
SWSL= S.C.A.ER.E.DR
WSL = SWSL.SWA
where SWSL = subwatershed sediment load
S = soil type
C = total phosphorus concentration in soil by soil type
A = area of each soil type in the subwatershed
ER = total phosphorus enrichment ratio
E = average erosion rate from the subwatershed
WSL = watershed sediment load
SWA = subwatershed area
DR = sediment delivery ratio from subwatershed
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62
A subwatershed may be as small as a field or may be on the order of
100 hectares or more depending on the scale resolution required. The
enrichment ratio has been shown to be a function of the erosion rate and could,
therefore, be replaced with a function that relates ER to E. Delivery ratio has
usually been related to drainage area—in this case SWA—and DR could,
therefore, be replaced with a function relating SWA to DR. Assuming, then,
that detailed soil mapping is available for the watershed such that individual
soil types can be identified and their areas calculated, a total P concentration
can be assigned to each soil type and the average erosion rate calculated by
methods such as USLE, CREAMS, ANSWERS, or other erosion models. If a very
small scale is used with a model like ANSWERS, then erosion E can be
calculated for each mapping unit. However, for watershed management
planning, larger areas will probably be used.
Reliable data on total P concentrations by soil type is probably as limiting
for solution of the above equations as is the uncertainty in estimation of
phosphorus enrichment ratios and sediment delivery ratios. Total P is not a
commonly measured parameter in soils as it is not a very useful indicator of
plant P availability. On the other hand, farmers routinely have their soils
analyzed for "available" phosphorus which is estimated by a number of mild
chemical extractants. Nor is the chemical extraction used for crop-available P
the same as that which best correlates with algal-available P, a parameter of
interest to those trying to predict the response of various P sources to
phytoplankton growth in lakes.
Since plant-available P is a commonly measured soil parameter throughout
the Great Lakes Basin, an obvious question is whether or not this parameter can
be used to estimate total P or algal-available P. The total P content of soil is
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63
made up of a number of fractions (Logan, 1982; Nelson and Logan, 1983)
including in general order of decreasing solubility: weakly adsorbed, metastable
precipitates, strongly adsorbed, organic, precipitates and coprecipitates with
iron and aluminum, and apatites. Of these fractions, only the most "labile" are
extractable by the reagents used to estimate plant-available P. Since algae are
more efficient extractors of P than are crop plants, algal-available P is best
correlated with stronger extractants than those used for plant-available P.
Even these stronger extractants, however, only remove a fraction of total P in
soil or sediment.
For there to be correlations between total P and plant-available P, total P
and algal-available P, or between plant- and algal-available P, the phosphorus
pools represented by these extractants must be in equilibrium or near
equilibrium with each other. For the more insoluble inorganic P forms or more
resistant organic P, this is not likely; however, considerable exchange can occur
between the more labile pools. Soils that have received little P fertilizer would
have low percentages of total P in the more labile fractions but these
percentages increase with fertilization. Since considerable fertilization of
Great Lakes Basin agricultural soils has occurred in the last 40 years, the
relationship between total P and plant-available P has increased. Plant- and
algal- available P are likely to be more correlated with each other as they both
represent the more labile phosphorus pools in soil.
4.2 Approach
The approach used in this study was to analyze archived samples of soil
series surface horizons that had been previously collected as part of the soil
survey program in Ohio. The reason for using these samples rather than current
-------
64
field samples was to ensure the accuracy of classification of the samples by soil
series and be« _use with each sample we had access to extensive mapping and
characterization data such as particle size analysis and land use, among others.
Sample numbers for each series were approximately stratified according to the
acreage representation of the series in the Ohio portion of the Lake Erie Basin.
A total of 129 samples were analyzed representing 17 soil series; sample size
per series ranged from 38 for Hoytville to one for minor series.
The soils were analyzed for total P, Bray PI extractable P
(plant-available P), and nonapatite inorganic P (NAIP) which is a measure of
algal-available P and is estimated by extraction with 0.1 M NaOH (Sonsogni
et al., 1982). Each sample was analyzed in duplicate and the means reported.
Description of the analytical methods are given below.
4.3 Analytical Methods
4.3.1 Total P
This method uses concentrated HC1C>4 for digestion in 100 ml test tubes in
a block digester capable of attaining >200°C. The tubes are scribed accurately
at the 50 ml mark. Sample size is 0.1-1.0 g and the sample is digested in 3 ml
of acid for 75 min. at 203°C. After cooling, the contents are made to 50 ml
with distilled water, shaken, allowed to settle and the solution separated by
centrifugation and decantation. Alternatively, the diluted contents after
shaking and settling can be decanted and filtered through
Whatman No. 42 paper. The digest is neutralized with 5 M NaOH and an aliquot
analyzed for P by the method of Murphy and Riley.
-------
65
4.3.2 NaOH Extractable P
Soil sample (0.1 g) is placed in 100 ml polyethylene centrifuge tube and
50 ml of 0.1 M NaOH added. The soilrsolution ratio is 500:1. The tubes are
shaken for 17 h and then the solution separated by centrifugation or filtering as
described above. If the extracts are dark colored due to high OM in the sample,
5 drops of cone. H2SO4 are added to the extract to flocculate the dissolved OM;
the solution is then recentrifuged or filtered. An aliquot of the extract is
analyzed for P by the Murphy Riley method.
4.3.3 Bray PI Extractable P
The method of Olsen and Sommers (1982) is used. Extracted P is analyzed
by the Murphy Riley procedure instead of using SnCl2.
4.4 Results
The individual results by soil series are given in Table 12 for total P,
Bray Pl-P, and NaOH-P, and means, ranges and standard deviations are given
in Table 13. Mean values by series for total P varied from 360 to 930 mg/kg
with the highest values for the very fine textured soils of the region such as
HoytviUe, Pewamo, Palding, Latty, and Toledo. Statistical analysis showed that
percent clay was the most important variable in predicting clay content. The
correlation between total P and percent clay was highly significant (p = 0.0001)
and the slope was 11.7 mg/kg total P per percent clay. The mean values for
total P bracket well the range of 700-750 mg/kg used previously by Logan for
calculations of P loads from soil loss estimates (Logan and Adams, 1981).
Bray Pl-P mean values ranged from 13-50 mg/kg and these are somewhat
lower than values found in Ohio agricultural soils today. This difference
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66
Table 12. Total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray Pl-extrac table
phosphorus by soil series for Lake Erie Basin soils of Ohio.
Means of two replicate analyses.
btal-P
NaOH-P
Bray Pl-
345
395
495
681
409
1154
401
509
505
346
485
491
509
348
289
386
460
523
378
421
818
498
780
614
564
686
i"S/^5
Bennington (n = 2)
60
75
Blount (n = 21)
148
191
123
212
43
147
143
63
76
110
89
81
75
44
51
71
91
43
150
60
119
Fulton (n = 3)
94
95
113
10.0
16.9
17.6
43.4
11.1
59.9
27.6
47.4
30.1
101.3
16.8
35.0
39.8
5.4
31.4
23.1
15.6
14.1
13.0
8.5
65.5
7.8
22.8
12.5
13.5
15.5
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67
Table 12. Continued.
Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
313
448
339
284
429
785
934
983
871
949
846
721
694
850
860
680
909
754
703
684
729
905
946
794
861
786
835
881
804
1151
915
1015
856
856
493
973
805
890
726
769
745
929
670
v-n*i« I\r*-f , , ^
mg/Kg
Haskins (n = 5)
85
139
81
62
72
Hoytville (n = 38)
41
135
86
*
68
63
44
28
93
55
69
115
51
88
43
56
117
112
39
59
46
101
88
68
163
72
132
120
45
42
106
55
92
61
55
55
43
53
55.4
17.5
17.4
12.3
10.0
13.4
87.8
20.1
65.0
30.6
31.4
28.3
15.8
41.1
22.5
15.0
102.3
16.1
14.6
13.8
22.6
63.9
38.8
18.4
19.3
23.4
37.0
56.0
32.0
109.3
24.3
70.1
86.4
32.1
*
41.6
19.4
28.8
19.0
66.1
18.8
17.3
14.8
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68
Table 12. Continued.
NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
rog/kg
Latty (n = 3)
893 121 35.5
890 90 28.3
739 39 12.4
Mahoning (n = 14)
426 75 15.3
619 93 24.8
419 86 27.8
673 86 36.3
400 88 19.6
645 78 34.5
661 96 13.1
730 118 20.1
714 128 31.5
480 31 0.0
594 128 26.8
466 100 18.6
870 205 20.0
784 265 43.4
Nappanee (n = 3)
550 0 10.0
550 150 25.3
716 55 10.6
Orrville (n = 2)
635 107 25.3
844 117 6.9
Paulding (n = 5)
1001 118 45.1
1044 125 53.1
735 10 27.5
1045 156 45.8
828 103 24.3
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69
Table 12. Continued.
Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
mg/kg
Pewamo (n = 22)
911 215 67.6
538 42 15.0
1018 139 44.4
836 71 28.3
935 219 36.5
624 28 212.1
1031 103 48.3
1466 661 236.9
665 48 17.0
940 148 30.5
1040 255 61.8
731 124 18.6
941 191 31.4
676 67 19.4
939 183 64.5
860 128 22.1
704 59 15.5
981 73 35.4
700 103 6.1
1030 104 35.6
1135 208 53.1
828 108 14.1
Ravenna (n = 1)
766 127 19.6
Sheffield (n = 1)
555 166 26.5
Sloan (n = 1)
988 181 37.5
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70
Table 12. Continued.
Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
- mg/kg
Toledo (n = 8)
681 102 20.1.
775 51 17.6
795 66 47.5
791 27 25.4
693 149 40.0
1064 93 22.3
923 134 81.1
898 174 34.8
Trumbull (n = 2)
720 102 8.9
946 254 79.8
Wadsworth (n = 1)
569 119 20.8
-------
Table 13. Total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray Pl-extrac table phosphorus by soil series for Lake Erie Basin soils of
Ohio. Range, means and standard deviations by series.
No. of Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
Obs. High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD
mg/kg
Bennington
2 395.0 345.0 370.0 35.4 75.0 60.0 67.5 10.6 16.9 10.0 13.5 '4.9
Blount
21 1154.0 289.0 518.4 197.4 212.0 43.0 101.4 49.1 101.3 5.4 30.3 23.4 ~
Fulton
3 686.0 564.0 621.3 61.3 113.0 94.0 100.7 10.7 15.5 12.5 13.8 1.5
Haskins
5 448.0 284.0 362.6 72.3 139.0 62.0 87.8 30.0 55.4 10.0 22.5 18.7
Hoytville
37 1151.0 493.0 830.5 120.1 163.0 28.0 74.6 32.6 109.3 13.4 37.2 26.4
-------
Table 13. Continued.
No. of Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
Obs. High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD
mg/kg
Latty
3 893.0 739.0 840.7 88.1 121.0 39.0 83.3 41.4 35.5 12.4 25.4 11.8
Mahoning
14 870.0 400.0 605.8 147.6 265.0 31.0 112.6 58.4 43.4 0.0 23.7 11.0
Nappanee
3 716.0 550.0 605.3 95.8 150.0 0.0 68.3 75.9 25.3 10.0 15.3 8.7
Orrville
2 844.0 635.0 739.5 147.8 117.0 107.0 112.0 7.1 25.3 6.9 16.1 13.0
Paulding
5 1045.0 735.0 930.6 141.2 156.0 10.0 102.4 55.1 53.1 24.3 39.2 12.6
Pewamo
22 1466.0 538.0 887.7 205.1 661.0 28.0 149.0 131.1 236.9 6.1 50.7 59.0
-------
Table 13. Continued.
No. of Total-P NaOH-P Bray Pl-P
Obs. High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD High Low Mean SD
mg/kg
Ravenna
1 766.0 — -- -- 127.0 — — -- 19.6
Sheffield
1 555.0 — ~ — 166.0 — ~ -- 26.5
CO
Sloan
1 988.0 — -- — 181.0 — — — 37.5
Toledo
8 1064.0 681.0 827.5 128.0 174.0 27.0 99.5 50.7 81.1 17.6 36.1 21.0
Trumbull
2 946.0 720.0 833.0 159.8 254.0 102.0 178.0 107.5 79.8 8.9 44.4 50.1 .
Wadsworth
1 569.0 -- -- — 119.0 -- — — 20.8 — fc —
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74
reflects the older age of the samples we analyzed and also because many of
them were in pastures or woodlots when they were sampled and probably had
not received fertilizer recently. There was a slight trend for higher values with
increasing clay content, but Bray Pl-P was not significantly correlated with
percent clay.
NaOH-P values ranged from 68 to 178 mg/kg and there was no trend with
clay content and no statistically significant relationship between NaOH-P and
clay content. The mean values reported here are several fold lower than those
reported by Logan et al. (1979) for tributary sediments in Eastern and Western
Lake Erie Drainage Basin. This reflects the enrichment of P in sediments
compared to the original soil as a result of preferential erosion and transport of
clay and organic matter (Logan, 1982). The percentage of total P as NaOH-P
varied from 9-30% with a mean of 17%. This is a little more than half the 30%
of total P found for NaOH-P in tributary sediments from Ohio Lake Erie Basin
(Logan et al., 1979).
Linear regression was run between total P and Bray Pl-P, total P and
NaOH-P, and NaOH-P and Bray Pl-P for all soils taken together and for those
series with enough subsamples to provide adequate degrees of freedom
(Table 14). There were no significant relationships between any of the P
parameters when considered over all soils. For the Blount, Hoytville, Mahoning,
and Pewamo soils, for which there were 10 or more samples, R^ values for
total P versus NaOH-P were 0.49-0.66, and for NaOH-P versus Bray Pl-P the
values were 0.12-0.66. These values are not high enough to allow their use for
prediction of total P or NaOH-P from Bray Pl-P data. This lack of correlation
is not unexpected as the soil samples had been taken over a period of years,
were often taken from woodlots, and therefore had probably not received as
-------
Table 14. Relationships between total, NaOH-extractable, and Bray PI phosphorus for Lake Erie Basin soils of Ohio.
For all soil series and by series.
Dependent
Variable
Total
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
-
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Independent
Variable
NaOH
Bray
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
Error
d.f.
129
129
128
19
19
1
1
3
3
35
34
Intercept
(mg/kg)
All Soils
578.4
631.6
61.1
Blount
220.4
79.3
Fulton
105.7
7.8
Haskins
224.4
85.4
Hoytville
634.7
39.0
Slope
1.47
3.00
1.26
2.94
0.73
5.12
6.71
1.57
0.11
2.61
1.00
R2
0.22
0.19
0.32
0.53
0.12
0.80
0.92
0.43
0.004
0.49
0.66
-------
Table 14. Continued.
Dependent
Variable
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Total
NaOH
Independent
Variable
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
NaOH
Bray
Error
d.f.
1
1
12
12
1
1
3
3
20
20
6
6
Intercept
(mg/kg)
Latty
675.2
-5.40
Mahoning
407.2
43.6
Nappanee
618.5
-58.2
Paulding
696.6
-11.4
Pewamo
698.1
80.7
Toledo
792.8
64.4
Slope
1.99
3.49
1.76
2.91
-0.19
8.27
2.29
2.91
1.27
1.35
0.35
0.97
R2
0.87
1.00
0.49
0.30
0.02
0.89
0.80
0.44
0.66
0.37
0.02
0.16
-a
05
-------
77
much P fertilizer as currently farmed soils. Current soil samples would be
expected to show a stronger correlation between NaOH-P and Bray Pl-P as this
pool of phosphorus is increased with fertilization. Also, as Bray Pl-P becomes
a larger percentage of the total P pool with fertilization, the correlation
between total P and Bray Pl-P would also be expected to increase but probably
not to the point where Bray Pl-P would be a reliable indicator of total P
content of soil.,
4.5 Conclusions
Archived soil samples from major soil series of the Lake Erie Drainage
Basin of Ohio were analyzed for total P, NaOH-extractable P, and Bray Pl-P.
The results indicated that total P concentrations in the soils were highly
correlated with clay content, and the values given in this report can be used as
reliable estimates of total P contents of Ohio Lake Erie Basin soils for
determining P load reductions with erosion control.
NaOH-P and Bray Pl-P were not well correlated with total P or with each
other and these results suggest that routine Bray Pl-P analysis of farm fields
for agronomic purposes can not be used as an indicator of total P or NaOH-P
contents of Basin soils.
-------
78
5. LITERATURE CITED
Adams, J. R., T. J. Logan, T. H. Cahill, D. R. Urban and S. M. Yaksich. 1982. A
land resource information system for water quality management in the
Lake Erie Drainage Basin. J. Soil Water Conser. 37:45-50.
Bone, S. W., D. M. VanDoren and G. B. Triplett. 1977. Tillage research in Ohio.
A guide to the selection of profitable tillage systems. Cooperative
Extension Service. The Ohio State University. Bull. 620. 12pp.
Bray, R. H. and L. T. Kurtz. 1945. Determination of total, organic and available
forms of phosphorus in soil. Soil Sci. 59:39-45.
Corps of Engineers. 1975. Lake Erie Wastewater Management Study.
Preliminary Feasibility Report. Volume 1. Buffalo District, Buffalo, N.Y.
Corps of Engineers. 1982. Final report. Lake Erie Wastewater Management
Study. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, Buffalo, NY.
225 p.
Forster, D. L., T. J. Logan, S. M. Yaksich and J. R. Adams. 1985. An
accelerated implementation program for reducing the diffuse source
phosphorus load to Lake Erie. J. Soil Water Conser. 40:136-141.
Lake, J. and J. Morrison. 1977. Environmental impact of land use on water
quality. Final report on the Black Creek Project. Technical Report.
USEPA. Great Lakes National Program Office. EPA-905/9-77-007-B.
pgs. 64-65.
Logan, T. J. 1979. The Maumee River Basin Pilot Watershed Study. Vol. 2.
Sediment, phosphates and heavy metal transport. USEPA Region V. Great
Lakes National Program Office. EPA-905/9-79-005-B. 132 pp.
Logan, T. J. 1981. The Maumee River Basin Pilot Watershed Study. Volume III.
Continued watershed monitoring (1978-1980). USEPA Region V. Great
Lakes National Program Office. EPA-905/9-79-005-C.
Logan, T. J. 1982. Mechanisms for the release of sediment-bound phosphate to
water. In Proc. 2nd Int. Symp. of Interactions Between Sediments and
Freshwater. Hydrobiologia. 92:519-530.
Logan, T. J. 1986. The Maumee River Basin Pilot Watershed Study. Volume V.
Continued monitoring (1981-1985). Appendix. USEPA Region V. Great
Lakes National Program Office.
Logan, T. J. and J. R. Adams. 1981. The effects of conservation tillage on
phosphate transport from agricultural land. Technical Report Series. Lake
Erie Management Study. Corps of Engineers, Buffalo, N.Y.
Logan, T. J. and R. C. Stiefel. 1979. The Maumee River Basin Pilot Watershed
Study. Vol. 1. Watershed characteristics and pollutant loadings. USEPA
Region V. Great Lakes National Program Office. EPA-905/9-78-005-A.
135pp.
•&U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1991 - 281-724/43563
-------
TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
\. REPORT NO.
RPA-q05/9-91-QQRA
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION-NO.
4. TITLE ANDSUBTITLE
THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN PILOT WATERSHED STUDY
- Volume IV - Rainulator Study
5. REPORT DATE
September 1987
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
Terry J.
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO
Logan
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Defiance County Soil Soiland Water Conservation District
Defiance, Ohio
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
A42B2A
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
Grant #RQ05774-01
12. SPONSORING AC:;,:: , ;:A.-WE AND ADDRESS
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office
230 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final 1981-1984
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
GLNPO
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Ralph G. Christensen, U.S.EPA Project Officer
John C. Lowrey, Technical Assistant
16. ABSTRACT
This work was begun in 1975 as one of several studies of U.S. and Canadian watersheds
draining to the Great Lakes. The Maumee River Basin is the largest of the Great
Lakes watersheds and contributes the highest loads of sediments and nutrients. This
study was to monitor sediment and nutrient losses from several small watersheds in
the Maumee River Basin. The tillage method studied was fall moldboard or fall chisel
plowing. No-till and No-till ridges were also examined. The watershed studies were
supplemented with a detailed examination of the effects or residue cover on soil and
and phosphorus losses using the programmable rainfall simulator of the National Soil
Erosion Laboratory at Purdue University.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c. COSATI Field/Group
Sediment
Nutrient
Watershed
Soils
Subsurface Tildrainage
Runoff
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
No-till
Monitoring
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Document is available to public
Through National Technical Information
Service (NTIS) Springfield, VA 22161
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport/
None
21. NO. OF PAGES
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page J
None
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
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