EP 600/3
78-028
//A
United States Environmental EPA-600,3-78-028
Environmental Protection Research Labor-jury M.-irch 1978
Agency Athens GA 30601
Research and Development
&EPA Nitrate and Phosphorus
Runoff Losses from
Small Watersheds in
Great Lakes Basin
Ecological Research Series
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RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES
Research reports of the Office of Research and Development U S Environmental
Protection Agency, have been grouped into nine series These nine broad cate-
gories were established to facilitate further development and application of en-
vironmental technology Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously
planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields
The nine series are
1 Environmental Health Effects Research
2 Environmental Protection Technology
3 Ecological Research
4 Envircnmental Monitoring
5 Socioeconomic Environmental Studies
6 Scientific and Technical Assessment Reports (STAR)
7 Interagency Energy-Environment Research and Development
8 "Special ' Reports
9 Miscellaneous Reports
This report has been assigned to the ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH series This series
describes research on the effects of pollution on humans, plant and animal spe-
cies, and materials Problems are assessed for their long- and short-term influ-
ences Investigations include formation, transport, and pathway studies to deter-
mine the fate of pollutants and their effects This work provides the technical basis
for setting standards to minimize undesirable changes in living organisms in the
aquatic, terrestral, and atmospheric environments.
This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
tion Service. Springfield, Virginia 22161.
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EPA-600/3-78-028
March 1978
NITRATE AND PHOSPHORUS RUNOFF LOSSES
FROM SMALL WATERSHEDS IN GREAT LAKES BASIN
by
B. G. Ellis, A. E. Erickson, and A. R. Wolcott
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824
Contract No. R-802974-01-0
Project Officer
William R. Payne
Environmental Research Laboratory
Athens, Georgia 30605
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
ATHENS, GEORGIA 30605
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DISCLAIMER
This report has been reviewed by the Environmental Research Laboratory,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia, and approved for pub-
lication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nor does men-
tion of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recom-
mendation for use.
11
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FOREWORD
Environmental protection efforts are increasingly directed towards
preventing adverse health and ecological effects associated with specific
compounds of natural and human origin. As part of this Laboratory's
research on the occurrence, movement, transformation, impact, and control
of environmental contaminants, management or engineering tools are devel-
oped for assessing and controlling adverse environmental effects of non-
irrigated agriculture and of silviculture.
Modern agricultural practices emphasize the use of fertilizers to
meet the Nation's food production needs. Because of associated waste
pollution problems, however, a great need exists to evaluate the fate
of fertilizers and to develop management systems that will permit optimum
production with a minimum loss of nutrients to waterways. The analytical
data in this report provide insight into the movement of nitrogen and
phosphorus from soils and can be used in developing and testing models
for nutrient transport in field situations.
David W. Duttweiler
Director
Environmental Research Laboratory
Athens, Georgia
111
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ABSTRACT
Summary data are given for nitrogen and phosphorus lost during runoff
events during a 2-year study of two small watersheds in the Great Lakes
Basin. Patterns of runoff and sedimentation observed on the two watersheds
are described in relation to weather conditions at different seasons of the
year. Data are presented for ammonium, nitrate, and total nitrogen in the
water phase and for ammonium and total nitrogen in the sediment phase.
Soluble orthophosphate and total phosphorus concentrations in the water
phase and available and total phosphorus in the sediment phase are given.
Analysis of soil cores for nitrate, ammonium, and Kjeldahl nitrogen and
available phosphorus are given before and after fertilization and after
each major runoff event. Detailed descriptions of soils, typography,
instrumentation, operational procedures, and management methods are
included.
The basic data set is stored at the Environmental Research Laboratory,
U.S. EPA, Athens, GA. Pesticide losses from these watersheds are described
in Pesticide Runoff Losses from Small Watersheds in Great Lakes Basin (EPA-
600/3-77-112).
This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract No. R-802974-01-0
by Michigan State University under the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. This report covers the period April 1, 1974, to March 30,
1976, and work was completed as of September 30, 1976.
IV
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CONTENTS
Foreword iii
Abstract iv
List of Figures vi
List of Tables vii
Acknowledgments viii
I Summary and Conclusions 1
II Recommendations 3
III Introduction 4
IV Experimental Methods 6
Description of Watersheds 6
Details of Construction and Operation 6
Soil Sample Collection 12
Methods of Analysis 17
V Results and Discussion 18
Introduction 18
Total Loss of Water, Sediment and Nutrients from 1974
to March 1976 30
Soil Core Analysis 47
Analysis of a Major Event 65
VI Literature Cited 68
Appendix A Description of Soil Series 71
Hillsdale Series 71
Spinks Series 73
Traverse Series 75
Tuscola Series 77
Appendix B Methods of Analysis for Water and Sediments 81
Total Nitrogen in Sediment 81
Extractable Ammonium in Sediment 82
Extractable P from Sediment 82
Water Soluble Nitrate 83
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FIGURES
Number Page
1 Principal soil types on the two watersheds (06 and 07)
at Michigan State University farms 7
2 Topographical survey of the two watersheds (06 and 07)
at Michigan State University farms 8
3a Stainless steel linings of catchment basins (watershed 06) . . 9
3b Stainless steel Coshocton wheel (watershed 06) 9
4a Stainless steel lead pipe and optional sample splitter
(watershed 06) 1°
4b Stainless steel collection vessels in operation (watershed 06) 10
5 Sampling segments 1973-74 13
6 Sampling segments 1973-74 (with soils overlay) 14
7 Sampling segments 1974-75 (with soils overlay) 15
8 Sampling segments 1974-75 (with soil and topographic overlays) 16
9 Weather and runoff events on watershed 06 from March 12
to April 13, 1975 66
10 Distribution of N and P between water and sediment phases of
runoff from watershed 06 from March 12 to April 13, 1975 . . 67
11 Total rainfall and runoff from watershed 06 on April 18, 1975 69
12 Total nitrogen and phosphorus in water and sediment lost from
watershed 06 on April 18, 1975 70
VI
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TABLES
Number Page
1 List of Field Operations for Watersheds 06 and 07 19
2 Loss of Water, Sediment and Nutrients by Runoff from
Watershed 06 by Event 31
3 Loss of Water, Sediment and Nutrients by Runoff from
Watershed 07 by Event 36
4 Water and Sediment Loss from Watershed 06 40
5 Water and Sediment Loss from Watershed 07 40
6 Yearly Loss of Water from Watersheds 06 and 07 41
7 Yearly Loss of Sediment from Watersheds 06 and 07 42
8 Nitrogen Loss from Watershed 06 42
9 Nitrogen Loss from Watershed 07 43
10 Phosphorus Loss from Watershed 06 45
11 Phosphorus Loss from Watershed 07 46
12 Ammonium Content by Incremental Depth in Soil from
Watershed 06, 1974 48
13 Ammonium Content by Incremental Depth in Soil from
Watershed 07, 1974 49
14 Nitrate Content by Incremental Depth in Soil from
Watershed 06, 1974 50
15 Nitrate Content by Incremental Depth in Soil from
Watershed 07, 1974 51
16 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 06, 1974 52
17 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1974 53
VI1
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TABLES (continued)
Number
18 Available Phosphorus by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1974 54
19 Available Phosphorus by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1974 55
20 Ammonium Content by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 06, 1975 56
21 Ammonium Content by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1975 57
22 Nitrate Content by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 06, 1975 58
23 Nitrate Content by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1975 59
24 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 06, 1975 60
25 Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1975 61
26 Available Phosphorus by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 06, 1975 62
27 Available Phosphorus by Incremental Depth in Soil
from Watershed 07, 1975 63
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We very gratefully acknowledge the work of a number of individuals who
have contributed to this project. Mr. Robert Hubbard who was responsible
for much of the establishment of the field sampling system and responsible
for sample collection and handling during the year of 1974, Mr. Mike Assink
who was responsible for sample collection and handling in 1975 and 1976, and
Mrs. Elizabeth Shields who supervised the analytical analysis of the samples
in the laboratory were all important to the success of this project.
viii
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SECTION I
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
GENERAL
The data in this report were obtained in a study of two small watersheds
in the Great Lakes Basin over a two-year period. The data were furnished to
the Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. EPA, Athens, GA, for use in
developing systems analysis techniques for predicting nitrogen and phosphorus
losses from soils. This report is closely allied with another report
entitled Pesticide Runoff Losses From Small Watersheds in Great Lakes
Basin (EPA-600/3-77-112).
RUNOFF WATER AND SEDIMENT
Relatively heavy runoff occurred during January, February, and March
with relatively more water than sediment being lost. These runoff events
were the result of snowmelt, but rainfall was often a contributing factor.
Historical records indicated that the snowmelts recorded in January or
early February in 1974, 1975, and 1976 were to be expected and occur nearly
every year. March was a transition month with some runoffs resulting from
snowmelt and some from rain.
A single runoff event that occurred on April 18, 1975, accounted for
the majority of the water and sediment loss in the two-year study period.
This event is not typical of runoffs in April but was the result of a heavy,
intense rain that fell after the soil had been saturated by a late snowmelt.
This event was particularly severe because of the lack of a vegetative cover
at that time. Corn was grown on watershed 06 and soybeans on watershed 07.
The different crops had no apparent effects on runoff, and any differences
noted between watersheds could be accounted for by the difference in size
and slope between the two watersheds. Because both corn and soybeans are
row crops, this would be expected. The use of a grass or forage crop would
undoubtedly result in less runoff and particularly in less sediment loss
through erosion. The presence of a winter cover crop could have substan-
tially reduced the runoff during the major event of April 18.
NITROGEN LOSS
A high percentage of the nitrogen lost during winter runoffs was in the
soluble nitrate and ammonium form and could be accounted for by the nitrogen
content of the snow. The total nitrogen content of the runoff water was less
than five ppm N and, thus, is not a hazard from a drinking water standpoint.
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Nevertheless, considerable soluble nitrogen does reach our waterways by this
path.
During summer runoffs, a large percentage of the total nitrogen is in
the sediment phase—from 82 to 94 percent. The loss of soluble nitrogen
during the growing period was minimal (from 1 to 3 kilograms per hectare
per year). This represented less than 1 percent of the applied nitrogen,
but excessive organic nitrogen was lost during the one major event on
April 18, 1975. Thirty-one and 46 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare,
respectively, were lost from watersheds 06 and 07 during this one event.
Ammonium fertilizer applied to the soil did not move but did convert to
nitrate form within a short period of time. Nitrate nitrogen did move down
into the soil profile with the water. Plant removal, however, would account
for the removal of much of the nitrate.
PHOSPHORUS LOSS
The watersheds studied had previously been fertilized very heavily.
Consequently, the adsorption sites were saturated with phosphorus, and
phosphorus had moved deep into the soil profile prior to the initiation of
this study. The levels of phosphorus in the soil solution at equilibrium
were many times that found naturally and even many times higher than would
be expected in average agricultural soils.
Approximately one-third of the total phosphorus lost in the water phase
came in the snowmelt runoffs. Again, as was the case with nitrogen, a large
portion of this could be accounted for by the phosphorus in the snow, which
was about 0.2 ppm P. This ratio of phosphorus lost in the water phase as
compared to the sediment phase was 0.25 in snowmelts and decreased to 0.07
in summer runoff events.
The single runoff event on April 18, 1975, accounted for more total
phosphorus loss than all other events during the two-year period of study.
More than 90 percent of this phosphorus was in the sediment phase. The
water soluble phosphorus loss averaged much less than one kilogram per
hectare even from these highly fertilized watersheds.
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SECTION II
RECOMMENDATIONS
Final interpretation and recommendations must come after a careful
systems science study of the data in this and other reports, but certain
recommendations are obvious from the data contained herein. The following
recommendations are therefore made.
To reduce the amount of nutrients lost in winter or snowmelt runoffs,
the quantity of nitrogen and phosphorus in the snow must be reduced. Con-
tinual attention to air pollution will help to reduce this quantity.
Application of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall should not be practiced.
The data did not substantiate that a large portion of this fall-applied fer-
tilizer was lost, but it was moving with the water phase both down into the
soil profile and with the surface water when the surface of the soil thawed.
This soluble nitrogen was also subject to loss during early spring runoffs.
Nitrogen fertilizer applications should not be made in excess of that
removed by the crop during a growing season.
Phosphorus fertilization should not be practiced if the soil test for
phosphorus is high. When a soil test indicates excessive quantities of phos-
phorus in soils, the level should be reduced by cropping without phosphorus
fertilization. Under these conditions management should produce a balanced
fertility program to obtain maximum plant growth. No fertilization would not
be appropriate under these conditions, but rather nitrogen and other nutri-
ents should be added without phosphorus.
To reduce the loss of sediment and nutrients in the sediment phase, good
soil conservation practices must be followed. These will include cover crops,
strip cropping, and contour farming together with other soil conservation
practices that may be recommended for an individual farm.
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SECTION III
INTRODUCTION
Estimates have been made that fifty percent or more of agricultural
production is directly attributed to the use of fertilizer. Indeed, the use
of fertilizer is assumed to be necessary in modern agriculture, both from the
standpoint of production and returning nutrients to the soil that are removed
by cropping, but the application of soluble nutrients to soils increases the
chances of environmental contamination. Nitrogen (organic or ammonia) has
been known to convert readily to nitrate form in well aerated soils, and in
this form it is readily mobile. Thus, management should play an important
part in retention of nitrate in soils. On the other hand, phosphorus is
known to bind to soil particles—-in fact, until a few years ago, it was not
considered to move in soils. Recent studies have shown that soil may become
saturated with phosphorus to the point that movement of phosphorus in the
water phase may occur (Ellis, 1975).
The use of fertilizers in agricultural production cannot be questioned,
but there is a great need to evaluate the fate of fertilizers and to develop
management systems that will optimize production with minimum loss of nutri-
ents to the waterways.
Regulation of the use of fertilizer may appear necessary to both federal
and state agencies, but before regulations may be developed several factors
must be better understood. First, little is known about the background (i.e.,
quantities without fertilization) levels of nitrogen or phosphorus in water
and sediment losses from land. Secondly, loss of both water and sediment is
related to soil type, slope, management, and weather. Only one of these fac-
tors, management, is controllable. It is most important to understand all
factors to determine where control will be effective. The development of
models for nutrient transport in field situations appears to offer a viable
alternative for predicting nutrient loss and determining how to control
losses from agricultural lands. The inclusion of watersheds from the Great
Lakes Region in such a modeling program is important because the soil types
are considerably different from Central, Southern, or Western United States,
and the climate includes snowfall leading to runoff and erosion from snow-
melts in winter or early spring. Two small watersheds existed on the campus
farms at Michigan State University which had been studied for many years
prior to establishing experiments to study pesticide movement under EPA Con-
tract # R-800483. Extending the pesticide study to include nutrients was
desirable because the history of the watershed was known and the samples were
already collected. Weather records for about 35 years were available for
the site, and a small weather station was located adjacent to the watersheds
for collection of weather data.
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The objectives of the project were:
1. To elucidate factors affecting movement of nitrogen and
phosphorus in a watershed in the Great Lakes Basin.
2. To collect analytical data together with prior hydrologic and
climatic data which will allow for evaluation by systems
analysis of movement of nitrogen and phosphorus from soils.
3. To cooperate with members of the Athens Environmental Research
Laboratory, EPA, to develop data for systems analysis of nitrogen
and phosphorus from soils.
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SECTION IV
EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
DESCRIPTION OF WATERSHEDS
Soil types typical of the Great Lakes Basin are found in two watersheds
on the soil science farm at Michigan State University. The east watershed
(hereafter referred to as 06) contains 0.80 hectare and the west watershed
(hereafter referred to as 07) contains 0.55 hectare. The principal soil type
of the watersheds is a Spinks loamy fine sand (figure 1). Watershed 07 con-
tains some Tuscola fine sandy loam in the northwest corner. The slopes in
the eastern 1/3 of watershed 06 are classified as Hillsdale fine sandy loam.
Depositional materials in the central confluence area of 06 are classified
as Traverse fine sandy loam. Official descriptions for these soil series
are attached in Appendix I.
A detailed topographical survey made in 1942 is presented in figure 2.
Slopes vary from 2 to 4 percent in front of the catchments to 10 to 12 per-
cent at certain points in the watersheds. Areas with slopes of 6 to 12 per-
cent in figure 2 correspond to areas of class 2 erosion in figure 1. In
areas of 8 to 12 percent slope, subsoil materials have been exposed. Due
to their coarsely granular structure, these materials form drouthy seedbeds
so that germination is frequently reduced or delayed and early growth of
crops is delayed. On upper slopes, near the watershed perimeters, soil mois-
ture reserves are quickly depleted, and crops develop symptoms of water
stress more quickly at any time during the season than at contour elevations
only a few feet lower downslope. A protective canopy develops more slowly
on upper slopes and is less dense at maturity. As a result, soils are ex-
posed for longer periods to the erosive action of heavy rains.
The runoff catchments were initially concrete, with water flow being
measured by means of standard waterstage devices at the weirs.
The watersheds were in continuous corn for over ten years prior to ini-
tiation of this project. During this period they received, on the average,
3.37 Kg/ha of atrazine and heavy applications of complete fertilizer each
year. Livestock manure was applied in 1970 at a rate of 40 metric tons per
hectare.
DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
The precatchments, catchment basins and weirs were lined with stainless
steel (see figure 3a). Stainless steel, 1:100, Coshocton wheels were con-
structed and connected by a belt drive to two DC auto heater fan motors for
each wheel. One is shown in operation in figure 3b. Current was supplied
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SOIL LEGEND
510 Hlllidoli f 10 I
9 I I Tuicolo f to I
313 Tf g v • r • I f m I
6 I 9 Spinkt I. f. 10.
Figure 1. Principal soil types on the two watersheds (06 and 07)
at Michigan State University farms.
by heavy duty storage batteries equipped with trickle chargers. A stainless
steel pipe from the Coshocton wheel terminated in an optional (1:1 or 1:10)
sample splitter prior to directing the samples to receiving containers on
a rotating carrousel (see figure 4a). As shown in figure 4b, samples were
collected in stainless steel pots. A float, attached to the delivery spout,
was equipped with a mercury switch adjusted to close the circuit to the car-
rousel drive motor when one pot was full (about 10 liters) and open it again
when an empty pot had advanced into place.
Heating tapes were installed below the stainless steel catchment liners
and around the waterstage wells, delivery pipes and sample splitters to pre-
vent those portions of the system from freezing during runoff periods in late
fall to early spring. These were not always effective. In particular, the
water in the waterstage well froze on several occasions, and two or three
major winter runoffs were not registered. Runoff volumes for these events
were calculated initially from collected sample volumes and nominal sample
reduction settings. The originally reported waterstage records for these
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events have been adjusted for probably effective reductions calculated from
computer output for other events when satisfactory waterstage records were
obtained.
The Coshocton wheels and catchments were protected from direct precipi-
tation by a corrugated steel roof. Plywood sides were installed around the
front and sides of the catchments to reduce drifting of snow. A 5 cm gap
was left at the lip of the catchment for runoff to enter, and on several oc-
casions, southerly winds caused much more drifting inside the catchment
through this gap than if the sides had not been present.
MICHIGAN HYDRO LOGIC ftC3e*lfCH
It tffpf *•***+*, irifA
MtCHIGAN ASfi/CVLrt/BAl. CXPCRlMCHT STAT/OM
CULTIVATED WATERSHEDS
DETERMINATION OTJLOff CLASS
SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
Figure 2. Topographical survey of the two watersheds (06 and 07)
at Michigan State University farms.
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Figure 3a. Stainless steel linings of catchment basins (watershed
06)
Figure 3b. Stainless steel Coshocton wheel (watershed 06).
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Figure 4a. Stainless steel lead pipe and optional sample splitter
(watershed 06).
Figure 4b. Stainless steel collection vessels in operation (watershed 06)
10
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The Coshocton wheels were not protected around the sides. Frequently
winter runoff under snow cover would continue for several hours after air
temperatures had fallen below freezing with the result that Coshocton wheels
and motors would be encased in ice, belts would break or pins would shear,
and motors burn out. On several other occasions, snow drifted to depths of
1.8 to 2.4 meters over the Coshocton wheels and in the after-flume runoff
channels. The snow was removed promptly from the Coshoctons and sample split-
ters, but on two occasions heavy runoffs occurred before the channels had
been cleared to the outlet tile with the result that runoff backed up and
overflowed through the sample splitter into the collection house. Fortunate-
ly, project personnel were on hand to open the channels before excessive
overflow into the house had occurred. (A similar overflow situation devel-
oped during a torrential downpour on August 21, 1975.).
Buildings were constructed to enclose the instruments and carrousels.
The collection houses were insulated and refrigeration units installed for
keeping samples cool during the summer. Small space heaters had to be in-
stalled in winter to prevent water which entered by seepage or overflow from
freezing and immobilizing the carrousels.
The paired fan motors used to drive the Coshoctons were normally ade-
quate. During very heavy runoff events, they lacked power to drive the slot
extension up into the flow of water. This contributed to erratic time inter-
vals between samples and variable runoff flows for individual samples as
calculated by the computer from recorded stage heights. Belt slippage may
have contributed to this, but motors also heated excessively and, on several
occasions, burned out during the event.
The motors for the Coshoctons were inexpensive, easily replaced, and
spares were always kept on hand. To avoid excessive attrition, a rain pot
with a water-contact switch was installed initially at each watershed to turn
on the Coshocton wheel after 0.00039 cm of rainfall. This switch was re
placed in April 1974 with a relay to the carrousel drive circuit. This relay
activated the Coshocton motors after the first pot had filled.
The normal standby position for the Coshocton was with the slot centered
under the lip of the flume (1/5 reduction). The sample splitter was usually
set for a 1/10 reduction. Thus, the nominal reduction for the first sample
of an event was usually 1/50. With the Coshocton turning (1/100 reduction),
the nominal reduction for pots after the first one was usually 1/1000. On
occasion the Coshocton cover was removed, giving only the 1/10 reduction at
the splitter, or the sample splitter was sometimes opened so the nominal re-
duction was that for the Coshocton (1/100).
These reduction settings were recorded in the log for each event, but
it was observed that effective reductions could vary widely from the nominal
setting. During light runoff, the stream coming from the lip of the flume
could meander from one side to the other so that all of it or none of it
might enter the slot of the Coshocton. At any time, debris could lodge
against the sample splitter and change the split materially. In the case
of major events, pots were sometimes composited or some proportion discarded
in sequence in the field, or the collected samples were composited in the
11
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lab or alternate samples discarded to reduce the numbers of samples for an-
alysis. The disposition of each pot was recorded, and this has helped re-
solve many of the apparent discrepancies in computer output between runoff
flows calculated from stage heights and flows expected from the numbers of
samples reported.
During the first few events of 1973, sample collection times were
recorded by project personnel. Rainfall times were also based on observa-
tion plus U. S. Weather Bureau (US WB) instruments and records for the
official USWB reporting station which is located at the watershed site.
Beginning August, 1973, rainfall times and sample collection times were re-
corded automatically on the same time scale with a 10-pen event recorder con-
nected by relays to a tipping bucket rain gauge, to the Coshocton wheel motor
circuits, and to the carrousel drive motor circuits.
Attempts were made to record waterstage heights on the event recorder
also, but the waterstage recorders were disabled by the various hook-ups that
were tried. Thus, our reported waterstage records for each watershed are
based on clock times that are independent of each other and of the times re-
ported for samples and rainfall.
Every effort was made to keep the three clocks synchronized and to log
discrepancies when noted. Nevertheless, time discrepancies for numerous
events became apparent in computer output received from AERL. These have
been reconciled by detailed examination of recorder charts and field logs
to give what we consider to be a realistic record of these events as we ex-
perienced them. The time discrepancies would have been virtually impossible
to detect without the parallel time frames supplied by the computer.
In spite of the operational difficulties noted, with a few noted excep-
tions, the data reported under the nutrient project is valid. Many of our
difficulties probably are not unique. Some of those encountered during
winter operations may be useful in design of similar facilities for winter
runoff studies in northerly areas.
SOIL SAMPLE COLLECTION
Soil residue data reported for the winter 1973-74 runoff season repre-
sent four sampling segments for each watershed. These are shown in figure 5.
Their relation to soil types and erosion classes is shown in figure 6.
Questions arose regarding the possibility that watershed perimeters may
have been altered by tillage practices and that slopes may have changed due
to erosion since the original topographical survey in 1942. Also, it was
apparent that significant slope and soil differences could not be adequately
represented by only four sampling segments.
The watersheds were surveyed again in May 1974. The contours obtained
(figure 7) correspond well with those in the original survey (figure 2) ex-
cept near the perimeters where tillage and erosion had softened the sharp
ridges indicated in the earlier survey. By plowing and discing, a sharp berm
was formed along the original perimeters and seeded to bromegrass just before
12
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East Watershed (006)
Segment
I
2
3
4
Total
West Watershed (007)
Acres
.14
.70
.61
.54
1.98
"" i
i
»
»
4
Segment
I
2
3
4
Total
Acres
.18
.36
.27
.54
1.35
Figure 5. Sampling segments 1973-74.
the 1974 crops were planted. Breaks in the berm, resulting from harvest op-
erations in the fall, were repaired again before planting in 1975.
At the time of the 1974 survey six sampling segments were delineated
and their areas determined. These are shown in relation to contours in
figure 7 and in relation to soils and erosion classes in figure 8. These
segments did correspond well with observed patterns of wash—off, rill forma-
tion, and sedimentation.
Soils were sampled to a depth of 30 cm (or to the depth of water pene-
tration in dry soil). Seven depth increments were normally taken: 0 to 1
cm, 1 to 2.5 cm, 2.5 to 5 cm, 5 to 7.5 cm, 7.5 to 15 cm, 15 to 22.5 cm, and
22.5 to 30 cm. Ten to 15 cores were composited for each sampling segment
(a larger number of cores was needed for the 1 cm and 1.5 cm increments to
provide sufficient sample for both herbicide and nutrient analyses).
13
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Numerous sampling devices were tried during the summer of 1973. A
shielded, stainless steel sampling probe (approximately 4 cm I.D.) was de-
veloped which worked well after freshly tilled soil had settled. It was not
satisfactory for sampling loose or dry soil, and the volume obtained from
10 cores for the 1 cm and 1.5 cm increments did not supply the sample needed
for all analyses.
A series of stainless steel "cookie cutters" was designed for sampling
the 1, 1.5, and 2.5 cm increments. Large stainless steel spatulas (7.6 by
30 cm) were inserted into the soil to form a 3-sided frame from which the
"cookie sections" could be taken with minimal contamination, even in dry,
loose soil.
Several special samplings were made with these sampling tools to derive
standard bulk density values for mass calculations.
METHODS OF ANALYSIS
Each sample (approximately 3.6 liters) was passed through a stainless
steel three-way splitter. One fraction was used for pesticide analysis, one
for sediment analysis, and the remaining one for nutrient analysis.
The water and sediment phases were separated by passing each sample
through a 0.45 u millipore filter—the sample being retained on the filter
is hereafter referred to as sediment and that passing the filter is here-
after called water.
The following chemical analyses were performed on each fraction:
Water: 1. Total N
2. Nitrate N
3. Ammonium N
4. Orthophosphate P
5. Total P
Sediment: 1. Total N
2. Ammonium N
3. Bray PI P
4. Total P
The analytical methods used are given in appendix B. Many of the sedi-
ment samples did not contain adequate sample for all of the analyses.
Generally the following order of analysis was used: Total P, Available P,
Total N, and Ammonium N.
Soil samples were collected for mass balance studies after fertilization
and major events. The following chemical analyses were performed:
1. Total N
2. Nitrate N
3. Ammonium N
4. Bray PI P
5. Chloride.
17
-------
SECTION V
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
INTRODUCTION
The principal objective of this project was to furnish Athens Environ-
mental Research Laboratory, EPA, with data which will allow the evaluation
by systems analysis of movement of nitrogen and phosphorus in soils and
agricultural landscapes. In that the data from Michigan State University
is only a portion of the data input, this section will deal principally with
observations that are necessary to relate our data to soils and topography
on the two watersheds and to weather conditions during the period of the
study. Detailed discussion and conclusions that may ultimately be drawn
from the data will not be covered in this final report.
A list of the field operations for each watershed is presented in
table 1. Data from the study has been submitted at various times. A key
to reports where the data from this study can be found is given below.
First Quarterly Report March 1, 1974 to July 1, 1974
Quarterly Report July 1, 1974 to September 30, 1974
Quarterly Report October 1, 1974 to December 31, 1974
Combined Quarterly Report . . . January 1, 1975 to March 31, 1975
Quarterly Report April 1, 1975 to June 30, 1975
Quarterly Report July 1, 1975 to September 30, 1975
Data Reports Transmitted with letters in 1976.
Reconciliation of computer printout received June 1976 with
transmitted data and all available records and field logs.
Extensive corrections and revisions to be made in our data set were sub-
mitted in the Special Memo of October 1976. Comments made in this memo
should be helpful in interpreting our revised runoff data for individual
events.
In this section we have two objectives: (1) to describe soil conditions,
topographical features, and patterns of runoff and sedimentation which would
have influenced profile distributions and mass balances within sampling seg-
ments and lateral redistribution from one segment to another; (2) to describe
weather and watershed conditions associated with a sequence of winter runoff
events in 1975 and with two major historic events in spring and summer 1975
(one without crop cover and one with mature crop cover).
18
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Runoff and Sedimentation Patterns
The two watersheds differ in size and are uniquely different in topo-
graphy (Fig. 2). Soil differences (Fig. 1) are minor except as they relate
to topography. The Tuscola fine sandy loam in the NW corner of Watershed
06 was developed in somewhat finer parent materials than the Spinks, as was
the large area of Hillsdale on the east side of Watershed 06. However, sub-
soil materials exposed on 8-12% slopes of Hillsdale and Spinks are similar
(cf. soil descriptions).
The large area of Traverse fine sandy loam in the central basin of Water-
shed 06 has no parallel in Watershed 07. The Traverse is a depositional soil,
formed in sediments eroded from surrounding slopes. Sedimentation patterns
observed in this area during the three growing seasons and two winter periods
of this study will be described later in this subsection.
The plow layer in the more severely eroded areas of Spinks, Hillsdale
and Tuscola (8-12% slopes) has a coarsely granular, open structure. Where
freshly plowed, these slopes have a high infiltration capacity. Under rain
action, infiltration is reduced by slaking at the surface and by the forma-
tion of a weak, thin crust (2 to 3 mm).
As observed in our core samples, the slaking action extended to a depth
of about 2 cm. A single grain structure was found below the surface crust
in our 0-1 cm depth increment. In the 1-2 1/2 cm increment, there was a
gradation from fine to coarse aggregates. Below 2 1/2 cm, an open, porous
structure was retained through the plow layer (25 cm) from one season to the
next. Some consolidation did occur because, two to three weeks after plow-
ing, probe sampling below 7 1/2 cm was virtually impossible unless the soil
was moist.
Substrata below the plow layer in all areas drain freely, although lo-
cal variations in deep drainage may occur due to discontinuous textural
bands of finer materials. A 5 to 20 cm layer of silty clay loam is en-
countered at depths of 75 to 150 cm in and around the central ridge between
the two watersheds (E. P. Whiteside, personal communication). Also, in the
spring of the year, a perched water table approaches the surface at lower
elevations near the catchments—a fact that was brought to o.ur attention on
05-14-74 when the tractor nearly mired making the last two passes with the
plow in front of the catchments.
The porous internal structure of the plow layer on eroded slopes, com-
bined with freely draining substrata, would be conducive to downward dis-
placement by sifting and percolation of fine materials released by slaking
at the surface. We think that this explains, at least in part, the unexpect-
ed downward movement of paraquat in the profile, which is indicated by our
data for segments which include severely eroded slopes (segments 3 and 4 in
1973, Fig. 5, and segments 01 and 03 in both watersheds, 04 in Watershed 06
and segment 06 in Watershed 07 in 1974 and 1975, Fig. 7).
Several light rains or a single rain of moderate intensity would serve
24
-------
to slake the soil surface and smooth irregularities left by tillage opera-
tions so that runoff from eroded slopes could occur readily. Even a light
rain (5-minute intensity of 0.02 cm/hr ) could produce runoff from upper
slopes if it continued for several hours.
Frequently, rains of moderate intensity and short duration would pro-
duce runoff from upper slopes, but sediments picked up on upper slopes would
be intercepted on intermediate slopes before reaching the central draw or
the gentle slopes of the central basin. During winter runoff events, linger-
ing patches of snow on intermediate slopes were most effective in intercept-
ing sediments from runoff water seeping through them or spreading laterally
to flow around them.
Evidence of sedimentation on intermediate slopes was quickly erased by
later events so we discounted it in laying out our sampling segments. How-
ever, examination of our soil core data through September 1974 leads us to
believe that substantial movement of sediment from upper to intermediate
slopes did occur within sampling segments 3 and 4 in 1973 (Fig. 5) and within
segments 01, 03, 04, and 06 in summer 1974 (Fig. 7). Random sampling within
these segments would have weighted our composites unduly in favor of deposi-
tional intermediate slopes. As a result, our data show increasing total re-
coveries for these segments over time instead of decreases as would be ex-
pected. Depositional areas within these segments include eroded slopes with
open, porous structure in the plow layer so that our sampling bias is reflect-
ed at depths greater than 7 1/2 cm as well as in the upper increments.
The apparent sampling bias in eroded segments was greater for paraquat
than for other chemicals, as would be expected because of its greater per-
sistence and its total affinity to the particulate phase. Total recoveries
for both watersheds in 1974 exceeded the total applied. A similar result
would be expected for phosphorus but was not evident due to prior movement
of phosphorus into the profile.
To understand patterns of erosion and sedimentation on these watersheds,
it must be recognized that crops were planted east and west, at approximately
right angles to the major slope and central drainageway. As a result, even
during the winter, runoff from upper slopes followed row middles east or west
toward the central draw of each watershed.
Because of the short E-W slopes, erosion down crop rows was mainly sheet
erosion. Only occasionally were small rills (5 to 8 cm deep) cut in the
track left by the covering discs on the planter. The principal occasion when
this occurred was during the heavy rains of 04-18-75 when ponded water out-
side the berm broke through at several points along the east side of water-
shed 06.
When row middles at upper elevations in the central draw filled to over-
flowing, cross-row rills would form quickly and produce a rapid cascading
discharge onto more level areas down slope. Deep cuts (10 to 30 cm) could
be produced very quickly. These might extend across ten or more rows before
reaching a point where sufficient ponding in row middles could occur to slow
the flow of water.
25
-------
On slopes of 4% or less (Fig. 2), impounded water might spread several
meters up and down the row before breaking through into the next row middle.
At this point, a new deep rill or gully might form, or simply a succession
of mid-row ponds connected by shallow rills cutting across the ridges left
by the planter.
At points where discharge from a rill or gully entered an area of pond-
ing, the heavier sediments would be dropped quickly. Conspicuous deposits
of light-colored fine sand would be left, extending up and down the row and
sometimes in two or three successive rows below the point of discharge. Near
the extremities of these deposits the light-colored sands graded abruptly
to darker colored, very fine materials which blended quickly with the soil
so that the limits of their lateral or downslope distribution could not be
ascertained.
Another important feature of cross-row erosion in central areas of both
watersheds is that deep rills and gullies were quickly obstructed by debris
intercepted by plant roots or stubble. During the course of a major event
or during subsequent lesser events, even a deep gully extending through the
plow layer could fill with sediment.
Sediments deposited in rills and gullies were mainly the heavier sand
fractions. These were less susceptible to cutting than unsorted soil. Suc-
cessive episodes of cutting would start at different points along the E-W
axis and at different points along the S to N slope of the draw. The result
was a random, meandering pattern of alternate cutting and filling along the
central NW-SE axis of both watersheds.
Usually, rills would cut no deeper than 10 to 20 cm before filling again.
However, during the near-record rains of 04-18-75 and 08-21-75, cutting at
several points in both watersheds extended through the plow layer to depths
greater than our 30 cm sampling. Gullies left open at the end of these
events had not been filled by the time of our terminal mass balance samplings
of 05-08-75 and 08-27-75. Those left in April were covered by plowing in
May; those left in August had largely filled with sediments by harvest time
in October.
Cross-row rills were not wide, usually no more than 10 or 15 cm. How-
ever, their meandering pattern and random distribution would have influenced
depth distributions of herbicides and nutrients over significantly large cen-
tral areas in both watersheds.
The sediments deposited in rills and gullies were mainly light-colored
fine sand—in other words, the least adsorptive soil fractions. However,
there were textural bands of dark-colored finer materials, varying in thick-
ness or frequency, as well as occasional slumps of soil from the sides of
the rill or gully.
The random distribution of cross-row rills and gullies and the strati-
fied variability of sediments deposited in them must be considered in inter-
preting changes in profile distribution of chemicals and nutrients from one
sampling to the next. In particular, some of the date-to-date variation
26
-------
below 7-1/2 cm may represent a random weighting of our composite samples by
cores taken in sediments deposited in deep rills.
On the other hand, changes over time in the upper two or three sampling
levels (depth increments) will be influenced by the sorting out of heavier
sediments on the surface along lateral mid-row sedimentation fans at points
where cross-row rills discharged into areas of ponding. These light colored
surface deposits were generally thin and limited in extent at the higher ele-
vations corresponding to segments 0602 and 0702 in Fig. 7. Only limited
ponding could occur in these areas because of the steep E-W slopes.
Opportunities for ponding increased markedly on slopes of 4% or less,
beginning at about the 894 ft contour in watershed 06 and the 890 ft contour
in 07 (Fig. 2). At lower elevations, patterns of cross-row cutting and later-
al sedimentation were uniquely different on each watershed and varied from
season to season.
In watershed 06, extensive ponding can occur in row middles on the large
area of 2-3% slopes. Ponding was infrequent during summer 1973 and the fol-
lowing winter. Cross-row cutting at higher elevations was light also, and
the heavier, light-colored sediments from these rills were deposited in a
limited area along the central draw in segment 2 of Fig. 6. Meandering shal-
low rills were formed in Segment 1, but conspicuous sorting out of heavier
sediments occurred in only a few rows and the lateral surface deposits were
thin.
The following summer (1974), runoff flows were somewhat heavier, cutting
was more extensive, and sorting of sediments was observed all the way to the
catchment. At the time of the 09-03-74 mass balance sampling, surface de
posits of light-colored materials were generally thin and scattered, but,
at several points in segment 0605 (Fig. 8), they extended for several meters
up and down the row and were 1 to 2 cm thick.
The relative resistance to cutting afforded by the sandy deposits left
from summer events probably contributed to the greatly increased meandering
of runoff flows and rill discharges which developed during the following
winter (1974-75). By the time of the 05-08-75 mass balance sampling, evi-
dences of random cutting and filling were observed, beginning at the south
(upper) end of segment 0602, broadening downslope to include the central 1/3
of the area of 2—3% slope, and then narrowing on approach to the catchment.
Sorted sedimentation patterns at points of rill discharge were
scattered randomly in segment 0605 over an area approaching the extent and
outline of the Traverse fine sandy loam. Visible deposits in the east and
west thirds of this area were thin and not extensive. These peripheral de-
posits mingled frequently with similarly thin (2-3 mm) and non-extensive
light-colored sediments originating in down-row runoff from segments 0604 and
0606.
The widely meandering rills cut during winter events were not deep.
Deep cutting did occur during the event of 04-18-75. Major cuts (20 to 30 cm)
occurred along the central draw, transecting sedimentation patterns laid down
27
-------
earlier. Nevertheless, considerable meandering occurred in areas of 2-3%
slope. Rills formed in these level areas were of moderate depth (10-15 cm),
and extensive sedimentation fans were formed. In several places light-
colored sand deposits, up to 5 cm deep, extended several meters east or west
from points of rill discharge and across several rows of corn stubble.
After plowing and planting on May 16 and 17, 1975, new patterns of
cutting and sedimentation were initiated quickly by frequent moderate to
heavy rains beginning 05-21-75. Meandering along the central draw increased
as the corn crop developed, particularly as brace roots were extended to ob-
struct cross-row flows, beginning early in July. Some moderately deep rills
(10-15 cm) were cut during early events, mainly in segment 0602 (Fig. 8).
Cutting became shallower as meandering increased. Sorted surface sediments
in 0605 were generally thin, but by mid August their random distribution was
as extensive as at the end of the previous winter.
As in the case of the 04-18-75 event, the very heavy rain of 08-21-75
produced deep rills and gullies which transected earlier sedimentation
patterns. However, in the presence of a fully developed corn crop, meander-
ing in areas of 2-3% slope was more extensive than in April, and a larger
proportion of the area was affected both by deep sedimentation in rills and
gullies and by lateral surface deposits.
In contrast to 06, areas in watershed 07 where runoff down the central
draw can spread laterally are limited to a rather narrow band of 3-4% slopes
below the 890 ft contour (Fig. 2). The opportunity for ponding in row mid-
dles reaches its widest extent between the 888 and 885 ft contours. This
area includes the wide portion of segment 2 in Fig. 6 and the south one-third
of segment 1. Ponding below the 885 ft contour was variable because of the
tendency, even during events of only moderate magnitude, for runoff flows to
converge into one or two deeper rills which would drain the area quickly to
the catchment.
Because of the limited impoundment capacity in watershed 07, rills cut
in areas corresponding to segment 0705 in Fig. 8 were deeper than in 0605,
meandering and lateral sedimentation were less extensive, surface deposits
were thinner, and the heavier light-colored sediments were carried further
down the drainageway.
During summer 1973 and again during summer 1974, cutting and filling,
together with sorted lateral sedimentation in row middles, was observed all
the way to the catchment. During both winter runoff periods (1973-74 and
1974-75), sedimentation in the area below about the 884 ft contour (Fig. 2)
was promoted by ponding due to drifted snow in front of the catchment.
During summer 1975, a number of events, beginning early in the season,
were of sufficient magnitude that deep rills were cut which drained the
areas below the 885 ft contour quickly before much ponding or lateral sedi-
mentation could occur. Over a succession of events, rills would fill and
new ones form, but meandering was narrowly restricted. Some lateral sedi-
mentation did occur during lesser runoff events.
28
-------
During the very heavy rains of 04-18 and 08-21-75, a central gully was
scoured through the plow layer, beginning at about the 883 ft contour. A
substratum of glacial outwash cobbles was exposed over areas up to a meter
wide, and washing of the plow layer extended over a wider area.
Soybeans lodged extensively in central areas of segments 0702 and 0705
where deep cutting occurred on 08-21-75. The fallen vegetation served to
slow runoff flows during later events and promote sedimentation. This is
reflected in our runoff volumes and sediment yields for the event of the fol-
lowing day.
Some sedimentation in rills and gullies undoubtedly occurred during
the event of 08-22-75. However, major cuts were still open at the time of
our final mass balance sampling on 08-27-75. By harvest in October, most
deep rills in segment 0702 and the upper half of 0705 had filled. Due to
interception of sediments at higher elevations, not much sedimentation had
occurred in the central gully below the 883 ft contour.
Another feature of difference between the two watersheds is that E-W
slopes in segment 0706 and parts of 0704 (Fig. 8) were steeper than in the
corresponding segments of the other watershed. Sediments in down-row runoff
from these areas were carried further into the central draw and contributed
to visible surface deposits and to filling of cross-row rills in 0705. Be-
cause the slopes were short, the surface deposits were thin, however.
It is difficult to anticipate how the unique differences in patterns
of erosion and sedimentation on the two watersheds during each runoff period
will affect our soil core data. However, expected differences do appear in
the runoff data.
Because of the very much larger area where ponding and sedimentation
could occur in the central basin of 06, runoff which could be measured at
the weir occurred less frequently, sediment yields were generally lower, and
total sediment losses during major events were less than on 07. The larger
sediment losses from 07 included a larger proportion of less adsorptive sand,
and this is reflected in lower concentrations of paraquat in the sediment
phase.
A further comment should be made regarding effects of. freezing and thaw-
ing on patterns of sediment pick-up and resedimentation. Our observations
in winter 1973-74 were rather superficial but consistent with more detailed
observations in winter 1974-75.
Depth of freezing was related to slope and snow cover. Depending on
wind direction, snow would drift on slopes facing NE or NW, leaving only 5
to 10 cm trapped by stubble on upper slopes and variable depths in central
basins. During freezing cycles, frost would penetrate quickly and to great
depths (45 cm) if the soil were bare. Under snow cover, the rate of frost
penetration would be related inversely to the depth of snow. Once frozen,
however, the soil would not begin to thaw until snow cover became thin and
granular so that the sun's rays could penetrate. At that point, the surface
29
-------
centimeter or two would thaw quickly in bright sun even when air temperatures
were at or slightly below freezing.
Soil thawing under departing snow cover is saturated with water that
cannot be removed by percolation into frozen soil underneath. Soil materials
are, therefore, readily picked up by moving water if snow melt is rapid and,
in particular, if snow melt is accompanied by even a light rain. During
periods of thawing in winter months, the soil usually freezes again at night.
Alternate freezing and thawing serves to keep soil materials on the surface
loose and readily suspended in moving water.
Because of the normally thinner snow cover on upper slopes and their
more direct exposure to a southerly sun, the upper slopes experienced fre
quent cycles of freezing and thawing and were frequently bare of snow at the
time of winter rains.
Very little movement of sediments was observed on these upper slopes
resulting from snow melt alone. However, as snow cover disappeared from
areas on intermediate and lower slopes surrounding the central basins, con-
siderable pick-up and redeposition was observed, without rain, due to water
flows originating in snowmelt and seepage from higher elevations. Patterns
of redeposition were influenced markedly by lingering patches of snow and/or
ice.
In the central basins, lingering patches of snow increased the meander-
ing of runoff flows. Thus, areas affected by alternate cutting and filling
and lateral sedimentation increased markedly. For this reason, sediment
yields in our data for winter events involving mainly snowmelt are low and
do not reflect the extensive pick-up and redeposition of sediments that oc-
curred within each watershed. On the other hand, winter events involving
both snowmelt and rain usually produced sediment yields substantially higher
than did rains of similar intensity or duration on unfrozen soil at other
seasons of the year.
TOTAL LOSS OF WATER, SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENTS FROM 1974 TO MARCH 1976.
Table 2 gives data by event for water, sediment and nutrients lost from
watershed 06, and Table 3 gives the same data for watershed 07. In general,
only averages will be discussed in this report and the patterns of loss dur-
ing a single event will not be considered. Average values have been included
in Tables 2 and 3 where insufficient sample was collected for analysis. In
most cases these quantities were insignificant since the total sediment loss
was very small for those cases where insufficient sediment sample was col-
lected for analysis.
Water Loss
Summaries of water loss data are given in Tables 4 and 5. The two
watersheds differ somewhat in size; consequently, Table 6 has been prepared
to compare yearly water loss on an equivalent basis. Water loss was low in
1974, but watershed 06 lost more than twice the quantity of water as compared
to 07 during 1974. During 1975 and the first quarter of 1976 water loss was
comparable for the two watersheds. For all three years, a heavy period of
30
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Table 4. WATER AND SEDIMENT LOSS FROM WATERSHED 06.l
Year
1974
1975
1976
Period
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
Water Loss
liters
243,900
11,340
245,650
4,390
541,910
212,400
1,155,800
108,400
446,700
93,280
Sediment Loss
Kg
213
4.5
1,015
8.3
394
578
11,490
349
647
989
Wa er
S. d
liter. j/Kg
1,145
2,520
242
529
1,375
367
101
310
690
94
1. Watershed 06 contains 0.80 ha.
Table 5. WATER AND SEDIMENT LOSS FROM WATERSHED 07.l
Year
1974
1975
1976
Period
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
Water Loss
liters
33,530
5,850
89,900
0
324,500
146,600
798,500
2,590
367,800
23,760
Sediment
Loss
Kg
15.6
1.0
429
0
114
288
18,800
7.8
314
293
Water
Sed
liters/Kg
2,150
5,850
210
^,850
509
42
332
1,170
81
1. Watershed 07 contains 0.55 ha.
40
-------
Table 6. YEARLY LOSS OF WATER FROM WATERSHEDS 06 AND 07.
Watershed
Year
1974
1975
1976*
liters/watershed
505,280
2,018,510
539,980
liters/ha
631,600
2,523,138
674,975
liters/watershed
129,280
1,140,190
391,560
.: ters/.ha
235,054
?, 073, 073
711,927
* January through March.
water loss occurred during January through March at times of snowmelt. In
both 1974 and 1975 runoffs from snowmelt occurred in January, and in 1976
one occurred in early February. These runoffs occurred with frozen soil;
consequently, the runoff water had intimate contact with only the very sur-
face of the soil. The water-to-sediment ratio was higher for snowmelt run-
offs than for runoffs which occurred during the summer months.
There did not appear to be a great difference between corn and soybeans
(grown on watersheds 06 and 07, respectively) in affecting the amount of
water loss. But this should not be construed to mean that the particular
crop has no effect. Changing from a row crop to a small grain or forage crop
would undoubtedly exert considerable influence on water runoff.
Sediment Loss
Sediment lost from the watersheds is summarized in Tables 4, 5, and 7.
Sediment loss in 1974 was relatively low, in the order of one metric ton per
hectare, but in 1975 and in the winter of 1976 the loss of sediment was quite
large. Much of this loss is directly attributable to one event which oc-
curred in April, 1975. It should also be noted that watershed 07 lost much
more sediment relative to the quantity of water lost during this event than
did watershed 06.
Nitrogen Loss
Total nitrogen lost from either watershed 06 or 07 was quite low in 1974
due to the low loss of water and sediment, but as shown in Tables 8 and 9,
the loss was very large in 1975, particularly from the sediment phase.
The changes in pattern of nitrogen loss between winter and summer run-
off is dramatic. During summer runoffs, a large percentage of the total
nitrogen is in the sediment phase—from 82 to 94 percent, but during winter
runoff as high as 76 percent of the nitrogen is in the water phase. Much
of the nitrogen in the water phase is in the soluble nitrate and ammonium
form. Snow was collected in the fall of 1976 and analyzed for nitrate, am-
41
-------
Table 7. YEARLY LOSS OF SEDIMENT FR( -I WATERSHEDS 06 AND 07.
Year Watershed
06 07
Kg/watershed Kg/ha Kg/watershed
1974 1,241 1,551 446
1975 12,810 16,012 19,210
1976* 1,636 2,045 607
Kg/ha
816
34,927
1,104
* January through March.
Table 8. NITROGEN LuSS FROM WATERSHED 06 l
Water
Year
1974
1975
1976
Period
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Fab
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
NO 3 + NH4
158
9.2
386
7.7
1,345
738
1,682
224
642
167
Total N
583
29
790
9.1
1,922
1,384
2,452
314
1,070
224
Sediment Total N Water
NHi,
2_ _
9.1
.1
66
0.4
11.8
17.4
235
62
28
15
Total N
694
11.2
3,153
18
1,066
1,920
29,300
1,305
2,240
3,300
Total H Sed
.84
2.59
.25
.48
1.80
.62
.08
.24
:48
.07
1. Watershed 06 contains 0.80 ha.
2. Data includes estimates for samples where insufficient sample wa
available for sediment analysis.
42
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43
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monium, and Kjeldahl nitrogen. The snow contained 0.9 ppm N as nitrate, 1.35
ppm N as ammonium, and 3.5 ppm N as Kjeldahl nitrogen. Thus, the nitrogen
contained in the snow will account for nearly all of the nitrogen in the run-
off water from snowmelt and accounts for the large soluble fraction. The
total concentration is not sufficiently high to be hazardous but does con-
tribute significantly to the nitrogen lost.
The month of March has been treated separately in the summary tables
because it is a transition month. In 1974 it was a relatively low volume
snowmelt runoff that occurred in March. In 1975 the initial March runoffs
were snowmelt with greater soluble nitrogen than sediment nitrogen, but by
the later part of March, three major runoffs contained much more sediment
nitrogen than soluble nitrogen. In 1976 the March runoffs were a result of
precipitation and not snowmelt.
Fertilizer application in the fall was a part of the experimental de-
sign of this study. Under good management conditions in Michigan this would
not be a recommended practice. It is felt that it was necessary to have a
sufficient concentration of nitrogen in the system to trace movement of the
soluble forms. It appears that soluble forms remain in or near the surface
of the soil when fall applied and are subject to movement with the water
phase. Little or no uptake of nitrogen occurs during this period; consequent-
ly when snowmelt occurs, particularly with the soil frozen in the subsoil
layers, this soluble nitrogen moves with the runoff water.
These data confirm the recommendation not to apply nitrogen fertiizer
in the fall and further suggest that management practices should be utilized
to reduce soluble nitrates in the soil in the fall. The use of cover crops
would be an example of such a management practice.
The loss of soluble nitrogen during the cropping season was minimal.
Somewhat less than 1 kilogram/ha in 1974 and 3 kilogram/ha in 1975 were
lost during the growing season. This represented less than 1 percent of the
total applied nitrogen with no consideration being made of background or
natural loss of nitrogen. It is difficult to suggest management practices
that would reduce this loss. Reduction of fertilization could well result
in increased loss of nitrogen rather than reduction in loss. It is critical
to retain the water on the land, and reducing plant growth through reduced
fertilizer application may lead to increased water runoff, but it is impera-
tive to maintain a balanced fertilizer program supplying the crop's needs
and no more.
The loss of 36 kilograms total nitrogen per hectare from 06 and 51 from
07 during the cropping season in 1975 is excessive. Much of this occurred
in a single runoff April 18th (31 and 46 kilograms of nitrogen/ha, respective-
ly, for 06 and 07). This runoff occurred prior to a growing crop and illus-
trates the hazard involved with cropping lands that are susceptible to ero-
sion. Undoubtedly, if the same rainfall and intensity had occurred later
in the summer when a dense forage cover was present, a much lower loss would
have occurred. Good soil conservation practices could reduce such erosion.
44
-------
Phosphorus Loss
Both watersheds 06 and 07 have a history of heavy phosphorus fertiliza-
tion. Initial profile data showed phosphorus movement to a considerable
depth in the profile. Under these circumstances, the level of phosphorus
in soil solution would have been expected to be from 1 to 3 ppm phosphorus
at equilibrium rather than from 0.05 to 0.1 ppm phosphorus under natural con-
ditions. Additions of phosphorus during this experiment added more phosphor-
us to this pool. It should be pointed out that fertilization with phosphorus
would not have been recommended in Michigan based on the initial soil test
results.
During the year of 1974 the loss of phosphorus from either watershed
was very low. The ratio of phosphorus in the water phase to that in the sed-
iment phase was much higher in winter months than during the summer months.
To ascertain the reason for this, samples of snow were collected in 1976 and
analyzed. The sample contained 0.17 and 0.2 ppm watersoluble phosphate on
06 and 07, respectively, and 0.22 and 0.2 ppm total P on 06 and 07. This
Table 10. PHOSPHORUS LOSS FROM WATERSHED 061
Water
Sediment
Total P Water
Year
1974
1975
1976
Period
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
April-Sept
Oct-Dec
Jan-Feb
March
76
1.1
133
1
194
112
739
45
132
61
Total P
87
1.7
123
2
237
122
784
55
171
67
Avail P
2
39
0.4
301
2.6
31.3
46.1
1,219
28
46
90
Total P 1
344
8.1
1,733
3.5
756
1,275
15,515
834
1,411
2,348
Total P Sed
.25
.21
.07
.57
.31
.10
.05
.07
.12
.03
1. Watershed 06 contains 0.80 ha.
2. Data includes estimates for samples where insufficient sample was
available for sediment analysis.
45
-------
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46
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is approximately the concentration of phosphorus in the winter runoff water,
suggesting that a high percent of the phosphorus in the water phase could
be accounted for by phosphorus in the snow. The source of this phosphorus
may well be air pollution and may be due to burning of fossil fuels. This
source of contamination would be expected to be considerably more in the win-
ter months as compared to summer months in a northern climate.
During 1975 the quantity of watersoluble phosphorus lost from the water-
sheds was approximately 1 kilogram/ha. But the total phosphorus lost in the
sediment phase was over 30 kilogram/ha from watershed 07. As noted before,
this principally resulted from a single event in April. The fraction of the
sediment phosphorus that would be available was approximately 3 kilograms/ha
or 10 percent of the total.
The first three months of 1976 again produced heavy runoff with a cor-
responding heavy loss of sediment phosphorus.
It may be concluded that the hazard from loss of soluble phosphorus
is not great during the growing season even from these highly fertilized
watersheds. To reduce this loss, the application of phosphorus fertilizers
should not be made when soil tests show high phosphorus levels. Once a water-
shed has been over fertilized, the use of a crop such as alfalfa with an ex-
tensive root system and a high phosphorus requirement should reduce the level
of watersoluble phosphorus being lost. Loss of phosphorus in the snowmelt
when the snow contains phosphorus is not controllable.
The loss of phosphorus in the sediment phase can only be controlled by
preventing erosion of soils. Erosion is a hazard that comes with farming,
but soil conservation practices.are well known and more or less effective.
SOIL CORE ANALYSIS
Soil samples were collected after fertilizer application and after each
major event for mass balance determinations. Seventeen different samplings
were made during the course of this two-year study. Fertilizer applications
were made on the following dates: May 20, 1974; November 7, 1974; May 16,
1975; June 25, 1975; and November 6 to 13, 1975. Data from the soil cores
is generally intended to be used in the development of models for nutrient
movement. But some general observations will be made about the following
individual ions.
Ammonium
Data for ammonium content by incremental depth in soil is given in
Tables 12 and 13 for 1974 and in Tables 20 and 21 for 1975. Fertilization
of the watersheds with ammonium nitrate was immediately reflected in high
ammonium contents in the surface 7.5 cm. There was no evidence of movement
downward of ammonium ions at any time during the study. Rather rapid tran-
sition of ammonium to other forms is evidenced by the disappearance of am-
monium in the surface layers with time. It is evident from the data that
the fertilizer was incorporated more uniformly and to a slightly deeper depth
when applied on May 20, 1974 than during other applications.
47
-------
Table 12. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 06, 1974.
AREA
1
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
cm
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
5-22-74
42
31
25
18
2
2
3
30
41
52
33
2
1
2
46
61
80
30
4
7
3
40
83
57
5
3
2
2
48
60
37
4
2
1
1
28
47
40
9
1
2
3
5-30-74
26
22
25
15
0.5
0.5
0.5
23
31
20
0.5
0.5
1
1
23
10
14
0.5
1
1
1
14
6
2
4
0.5
2
0.5
21
18
15
18
3
1
1
20
11
38
15
2
0.5
0.5
7-3-74
14
1
6
0.5
1
5
14
2
9
7
2
1
1
1
112
3
2
2
2
1
2
34
19
4
1
1
2
2
7
38
14
5
2
2
1
20
4
3
1
1
1
1
DATE
8-5-74
11
11
9
4
5
2
1
1
3
2
1
1
12
10
6
5
13
10
2
1
10
6
4
3
8-14-74
5
2
1
1
0.5
0.5
0.5
4
2
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
3
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
6
4
2
1
1
1
0.5
4
1
1
0.5
0.5
1
1
5
2
1
0.5
1
0.5
0.5
9-3-74
9
4
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
0.5
9
6
2
0.5
0.5
1
1
8
6
1
1
1
1
2
12
6
0.5
0.5
4
2
0.5
12
11
0.5
1
0.5
1
0.5
8
3
0.5
0.5
1
1
0.5
48
-------
Table 13. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 07, 1974.
DATE
AREA DEPTH 5-22-74
1
2
3
4
5
6
era
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
•15-22.5
22.5-30
37
48
46
20
-
0.
0.
53
98
101
36
0.
0.
0.
59
63
33
16
1
-
0.
36
33
57
31
-
1
0.
54
77
47
1
1
0.
-
72
54
28
0.
0.
0.
0.
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5-30-74
14
7
2
8
0.5
-
-
16
29
20
14
1
0.5
-
22
24
26
13
2
1
0.5
17
14
8
0.5
-
0.5
0.5
20
15
12
13
4
0.5
-
59
37
29
18
2
0.5
-
7-3-74
PI
15
6
3
2
2
2
2
12
4
3
2
3
1
2
14
3
2
1
1
3
2
14
10
4
4
2
1
2
20
13
12
1
2
1
1
14
4
1
2
3
3
2
8-5-74
9
6
1
1
12
4
1
2
12
8
6
3
13
11
6
4
20
7
2
6
6
2
1
8-14-74
9
4
0
1
0
0
0
5
1
1
0
1
0
0
8
1
0
0
0
0
0
7
6
1
0
1
0
0
12
3
0
1
1
0
0
15
9
1
0
1
1
0
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
9-3-74
2
0
0
_
-
-
-
1
1
_
_
_
0
0
2
1
0
_
_
_
-
2
2
-
-
_
0
0
4
2
0
0
0
0
-
2
1
-
-
0.5
0.5
-
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
49
-------
Table 14. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 06, 1974.
AREA
1
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
CIu
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-74
88
34
25
15
4
3
2
29
38
39
31
0.5
4
5
50
65
65
25
5
8
7
52
90
51
4
6
4
5
61
51
35
8
4
5
6
33
48
35
9
5
4
5
5-30-74
21
12
25
36
15
6
6
22
12
16
28
10
6
10
8
8
14
18
16
5
3
14
10
16
26
15
6
6
18
12
19
46
29
7
7
16
7
14
32
36
7
6
7-3-74
114
82
103
63
20
10
7
55
56
14
64
24
15
11
40
32
47
66
26
13
10
98
92
93
51
14
10
7
235
135
113
68
20
15
10
182
112
142
82
18
11
8
DATE
8-5-74
ppm
10
13
50
77
4
5
5
11
4
4
11
8
10
8
17
45
5
7
14
24
5
4
13
32
8-14-74
6
5
14
32
60
14
3
4
1
2
5
22
21
14
1
1
1
2
4
10
1
5
5
18
39
40
8
1
2
2
4
11
22
12
3
1
2
2
2
8
9
2
9-3-74
1
2
4
11
18
33
4
1
1
3
3
13
25
6
1
1
2
2
4
4
21
1
2
4
6
11
24
2
1
1
2
3
13
13
10
1
1
1
1
2
17
10
50
-------
Table 15. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 07, 1974.
AREA
1
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-74
48
60
40
23
4
3
4
40
40
48
37
3
2
6
80
66
33
20
5
4
6
56
95
62
7
6
4
6
63
60
36
8
4
5
7
30
44
35
10
4
4
5
5-30-74
14
8
14
35
30
7
6
8
8
22
30
22
6
6
12
9
20
26
24
6
3
15
10
17
19
12
7
7
8
9
14
24
29
10
7
12
10
20
34
18
6
6
7-3-74
38
38
70
72
23
14
9
40
49
77
68
29
16
9
55
57
78
58
24
13
8
41
59
99
76
25
14
9
70
75
94
69
23
14
9
16
52
69
54
24
13
11
DATE
8-5-74
ppm - -
8
9
12
30
8
8
6
13
14
12
26
67
10
8
22
52
6
8
24
70
4
10
24
55
8-14-74
2
5
8
9
29
38
5
4
4
7
17
29
25
13
4
5
11
16
26
17
6
5
5
5
10
35
14
5
4
4
6
16
20
27
19
4
4
10
21
60
33
7
9-3-74
1
1
1
1
5
18
10
1
1
1
1
4
4
19
1
1
1
3
11
22
19
1
1
2
4
19
31
10
1
2
1
3
13
30
26
1
1
1
2
6
11
12
51
-------
Table 16. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 06, 1974.
AREA
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
cm
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-74
656
665
642
646
618
554
516
818
710
774
758
688
661
651
738
661
646
587
563
595
455
810
780
789
732
740
710
653
1020
1030
1010
857
865
907
841
872
884
848
892
832
811
823
5-30-74
602
581
456
586
621
582
436
631
670
646
740
637
704
699
544
588
577
522
846
614
390
812
796
761
760
807
734
555
788
916
896
890
884
927
818
820
874
835
833
672
901
566
7-3-74
700
721
739
737
635
641
589
706
737
772
777
696
696
701
559
509
560
626
646
409
534
702
803
706
724
620
724
689
1037
972
910
816
856
846
774
1007
1057
974
841
825
788
652
DATE
8-5-74
ppm - —
740
649
680
713
840
834
899
805
434
490
545
515
679
754
728
740
792
855
919
924
877
831
870
855
8-14-74
556
611
661
729
720
665
449
616
639
658
614
642
673
665
466
542
569
548
549
502
464
703
734
752
793
737
757
787
843
799
806
807
820
730
782
862
870
862
817
876
843
832
9-3-74
549
609
631
634
632
668
473
614
656
735
694
695
757
694
569
387
564
558
534
528
531
583
719
711
828
784
781
773
924
926
953
803
978
640
842
758
800
842
889
721
791
811
52
-------
Table 17. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 07, 1974.
AREA
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
cm
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7 . 5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-7A
756
840
722
661
692
764
625
786
791
789
804
727
783
552
843
755
666
757
700
625
624
841
812
806
845
771
823
692
1010
998
885
924
915
970
761
835
678
825
717
751
749
638
5-30-74
771
800
706
742
707
853
604
702
638
570
721
583
853
604
702
638
570
721
583
657
363
800
773
787
582
676
668
534
874
894
896
864
836
884
729
710
773
798
678
678
749
640
7-3-74
598
571
676
629
653
626
540
673
730
637
799
912
758
674
695
734
307
672
691
559
485
744
824
785
813
792
582
630
913
1002
988
964
977
939
744
485
645
764
754
648
712
694
DATE
8-5-74
ppm
693
643
672
697
712
741
808
628
667
649
690
737
786
830
867
793
871
901
969
1010
745
714
711
760
8-14-74
606
648
648
654
754
770
619
700
788
798
833
783
817
782
608
716
718
765
718
679
617
842
817
879
849
814
838
752
855
847
879
891
911
891
361
716
757
743
748
731
716
737
9-3-74
588
641
673
655
583
702
570
610
807
839
812
801
768
866
663
655
689
679
706
726
775
559
797
800
739
751
746
753
937
903
1002
916
930
954
975
545
537
615
612
587
549
539
53
-------
Table 18. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 06, 1974.
AREA
1
2
3
4
5
6
DEPTH
cm
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-74
118
134
152
152
92
73
52
144
144
175
146
99
98
87
157
206
203
212
123
99
62
138
131
159
94
94
89
65
118
140
157
113
117
92
84
102
150
237
168
84
80
67
5-30-74
125
178
163
122
113
108
58
127
176
166
136
104
113
99
113
132
154
152
99
102
72
125
161
142
106
87
88
66
122
144
168
122
99
101
85
136
144
150
123
88
93
53
7-3-74
132
135
119
126
96
110
62
137
151
212
175
122
109
103
136
153
136
122
110
112
85
110
161
155
114
87
98
52
169
212
150
148
104
100
74
137
157
191
152
84
82
59
DATE
8-5-74
ppm —
126
145
197
222
148
195
256
136
110
158
186
169
125
169
159
129
171
159
135
112
152
186
199
148
8-14-74
133
139
156
150
99
103
95
126
140
242
175
111
109
115
133
144
175
124
109
107
89
110
141
167
144
99
86
77
183
222
185
129
104
110
101
164
200
191
135
103
94
98
9-3-74
137
148
126
104
91
100
49
134
153
203
192
115
104
111
113
144
207
191
120
99
90
108
125
141
86
76
80
77
154
190
292
148
95
105
89
155
196
183
121
104
98
107
54
-------
Table 19. TOTAL KJELDAHL NITROGEN BY INCREMENTAL DEPTH IN SOIL FROM
WATERSHED 07, 1974.
AREA DEPTH
cm
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
1 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
2 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-7
3 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
4 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
5 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
0-1
1-2.5
2.5-5
6 5-7.5
7.5-15
15-22.5
22.5-30
5-22-74
97
175
154
98
84
69
44
106
154
142
115
73
62
53
118
107
166
113
66
60
50
92
197
152
80
53
69
36
108
144
125
49
53
49
36
69
142
87
57
45
40
40
5-30-74
97
126
130
122
77
66
41
115
163
193
122
83
72
40
120
190
128
95
64
58
34
119
124
83
61
69
48
25
75
122
134
88
62
50
39
84
140
224
103
48
47
20
7-3-74
130
134
131
100
78
67
42
132
136
135
84
80
77
61
122
197
172
106
68
66
26
105
148
111
64
55
50
40
134
158
165
114
60
55
35
102
136
145
82
49
50
30
DATE
8-5-74
ppm
141
177
132
89
128
139
154
122
132
141
165
129
107
117
133
126
91
157
183
139
105
131
171
108
8-14-74
111
160
161
115
12
73
48
157
177
182
185
101
83
85
109
95
97
93
81
70
92
56
79
100
61
69
67
55
121
145
78
88
77
66
128
54
126
122
55
113
61
52
9-3-74
119
138
132
95
74
70
47
152
160
185
122
95
90
83
119
161
146
81
66
63
57
101
106
87
68
54
57
50
122
142
154
122
64
57
57
90
304
126
86
70
57
68
55
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Nitrate
Data for nitrate content of soils by incremental depth is given in
Tables 14 and 15 for 1974 and Tables 22 and 23 for 1975. Both a gain in ni-
trate from ammonium conversion and movement of nitrate are evident in the
data. The high nitrate values on July 3, 1974 correspond to reduced levels
of ammonium ion. At that time movement beyond the 7.5 cm depth is also evi-
dent. Bands of nitrate deeper in the profile are still evident on September
3, 1974, although in general it appears that the nitrate content of the pro-
file has been reduced by plant uptake by this time.
The reduction of nitrate content from July 3 to August 5, 1974 is ex-
pected because the crop, particularly corn on watershed 06, accumulates a
large percentage of its nitrogen during this period. The reduction in ni-
trate content appeared to occur somewhat earlier in 1975, and a big decrease
occurred between June 20 and July 21, 1975. Again the month of July is a
period of rapid plant growth and nitrogen accumulation.
There is little evidence of downward movement of nitrate from the fall
application until the spring sampling. But there is evidence of loss of ni-
trate during this period. Some of this is undoubtedly lost with the snowmelt
runoff and accounts for the rather high soluble nitrogen losses during this
period. The fact that the soil profile is frozen during much of this period
accounts for the lack of movement of nitrate downward in the profile.
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
Both organic nitrogen and ammonium forms of nitrogen are included in
total Kjeldahl nitrogen, but nitrate nitrogen is not included. The very high
values recorded November 8, 1974 and November 13, 1975 reflect the recent
addition of ammonium in the fertilizer. It is clearly evident that this fer-
tilizer is only mixed with the first five centimeters of the soil from the
soil core data.
Area 5 in each watershed is the area immediately adjacent to the catch-
ment. It is evident from the total Kjeldahl nitrogen data that movement of
soil has occurred on the watershed, with soils from the upper slopes being
deposited in the area near the catchment where there is a smaller slope.
Phosphorus
Both watersheds are very high in available phosphorus as measured by
Bray PI extractable phosphorus. Watershed 06 is somewhat higher than 07 in
available phosphorus, but these differences may well be within experimental
error. The most important observation from the soil core data is that these
watersheds contain excessive quantities of phosphorus. Phosphorus has moved
into the profile, and the levels are so high that fertilization with phos-
phorus should not be recommended.
When phosphorus levels are encountered that are this high, fertilization
with phosphorus should cease and management systems should be developed to
reduce the level of phosphorus in the soil. Although the data generated by
64
-------
runoffs from soils this high in phosphorus are excellent for modeling phos-
phorus movement, it must always be remembered that direct use of this data
would not be comparable to normal agriculture. Values of the watersoluble
phosphorus would be expected to be from five to ten times higher than normal
and the available phosphorus in the sediment phase would be considerably
higher than normal.
ANALYSIS OF A MAJOR EVENT
It is many times assumed that sediment and water losses in runoff events
may be predicted on the basis of rainfall intensity, duration, and soil pro-
perties such as slope, soil type and vegetative cover, but there are other
factors, particularly during snowmelt runoff, that may exert considerable
influence in the quantity of nutrients carried by the runoff. To illustrate
these effects, a one-month period from mid-March to mid-April will be dis-
cussed in some detail.
Figure 9 summarized the soil, weather, and runoff conditions from
March 12 through April 12, 1975. On March 12th the soil was frozen to at
least 45 cm depth in the profile with a snow cap equivalent of 2 cm of water
on the surface. Light rain occurred on the 12th and the air temperatures
increased to the point that a thaw began to occur. No additional rain fell,
but by March 17th the snow cap had disappeared and the surface of the soil
was no longer frozen. Intermittent runoff occurred from March 12th to March
17th as a result of the snowmelt. This runoff was relatively low in sediment
as compared to water and typical of a snowmelt runoff.
Warm temperatures prevailed from March 18th to March 25th and the soil
thawed to about 22 cm. On March 21 a snowfall of approximately 2.0 cm of
water equivalent fell which, combined with a rainfall of more than 1 cm on
March 22nd, produced runoffs on March 22 and 23. These runoffs carried a
relatively high sediment load as compared to snowmelt runoff.
On March 26th the temperatures dropped and a new frost layer developed
from the surface to 10 cm depth. This left the soil with a thawed layer be-
tween two frozen layers. A heavy snowfall occurred on April 2 and 3 which
deposited between 2 and 5 cm of water equivalent. When temperatures in
creased between April 7 and 9, this snowmelt was dissipated as a series of
runoffs.
The total phosphorus and nitrogen lost during this period is summarized
in Figure 10. In the snowmelt runoffs, more nitrogen was lost in the water
phase than in the sediment phase. This was true for the early March runoffs
for phosphorus but not true for the April runoffs for phosphorus. During
the runoff on March 22 and 23, which largely resulted from rainfall, the
quantity of nitrogen and phosphorus lost in the sediment phase greatly ex-
ceeded that lost in the water phase.
On April 18, 1975 a single major event occurred which produced large
loss of water, sediment, and nutrients. In fact, the majority of the loss
in each over the two-year period occurred in this single event.
65
-------
I I I I I
CO
or
CO
O in
r-
co <^>
> cc
I i I Q-
3
a
t£<—
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o
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c
o
co
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66
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I I
I I I
13
0)
J2
en
n
01
w
rt
CO
O
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o
D
D
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D
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ro
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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
o o o o o oo oooooooo
o o o o o oooooooo
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-------
The total rainfall and runoff from the watershed 06 (east) is given
in Figure 11. The soil was already nearly saturated from previous snowmelts.
No vegetative crop cover was present, and some channels for erosion undoubted-
ly had already been cut. The rainfall which occurred was excessive (about
11 cm) and occurred with high intensity. A total runoff of greater than 8
cm occurred and carried a high sediment load.
The loss of nitrogen and phosphorus is shown in Figure 12 for watershed
06 (east). A very high portion of this loss is in the sediment phase.
SECTION VI
LITERATURE CITED
Ellis, B. G. 1975. Phosphorus Adsorption and Movement as Related to Soil
Series. Proc. 6th Cong, of Soil Sci. Soc. of Southern Africa.
68
-------
OQ
2 LU
ccco
cc
«
— LU
<
CC ^
in
o
(D
4-1
§
a
o
V-l
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o
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03
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69
-------
26
24
22
20 h
18
ro
LU
CC
E 16
X
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Total Nand Total P (Cms.)
in Water and Sediment lost
from East Watershed
4-18-76
TOTN
Sed.
TOT N H20
TOT P H20
100 200 300 400
TIME-MINUTES
500
600
Figure 12. Total nitrogen and phosphorus in water and sediment lost
from watershed 06 on April 18 1975.
70
-------
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SOIL SERIES
HILLSDALE SERIES
Hillsdale series comprises well-drained soils developed in calcareous
sandy loam till with the thickness of the sola ranging from 40 to 60 inches
or more. Hillsdale soils are the well-drained member of the drainage se-
quence which includes the moderately well-drained Elmdale soils, the some-
what poorly drained Teasdale soils and the poorly drained Barry soils.
Lapeer soils are also developed in sandy loam till but have a less acid sola
which ranges in thickness from 18 to 40 inches. Miami soils which have
finer-textured and thinner B2t horizons than Hillsdale soils, have calcar-
eous loam to silt loam till at 20 to 40 inches. Oshtemo soils have coarser
textured B2t horizons than Hillsdale soils and are underlain by neutral to
calcareous sand and gravel at depths greater than 42 inches. Hillsdale soils
are finer textured throughout the profile than the Coloma and Spinks soils
which were developed on loamy sand parent materials. Kalamazoo soils have
neutral to calcareous, stratified sand and gravel at 42 to 66 inches, while
Hillsdale soils have calcareous sandy loam till at 42 to 66 inches or more.
The moderately well-drained Hodunk soils also developed on sandy loam till
but have a weak to moderate fragipans which are absent in the Hillsdale soils.
So±i Profile; Hillsdale sandy loam
Ap 0-9" SANDY LOAM; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2), very dark
gray (10YR 3/1) or very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2),
weak, fine, granular structure; very friable or friable
low to medium in organic matter content slightly to me-
dium acid abrupt smooth boundary. 6 to 11 inches thick.
A2 15-24" LOAMY SAND OR SANDY LOAM; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4-5/6)
very weak, thick, platy to weak, fine, granular struc-
ture; very friable or friable; medium to strongly acid;
gradual wavy boundary. 6 to 14 inches thick.
Bl 15-24" SANDY LOAM; dark brown (10YR 4/3 - 7.5 4/4) or brown
(10YR 5/3); weak, medium, subangular blocky structure;
friable, medium to strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
6 to 18 inches thick.
B21t 24-35" SANDY CLAY LOAM OR LOAM; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4)
or dark brown (7.SYR 4/4); weak to moderate, medium, sub-
angular blocky structure; friable; medium to strongly
acid; gradual wavy boundary. 5 to 20 inches thick.
B22t 35-46"
SANDY LOAM with sandy lenses or layers or variable thick-
ness; the finer textures are brown or dark brown (7.5YR
4/4-5/4) while the coarser-textured lenses or layers are
brown (10YR 5/3); weak, coarse, subangular block structure;
very friable; slightly to medium acid; gradual wavy boun-
71
-------
dary. 5 to 15 inches thick.
B3 46-58" SANDY LOAM with discontinuous layers, lenses or pockets
of loamy sand and sand from 2 to over 12 inches in thick-
ness; sandy loam is brown or dark yellowish brown (7.SYR
4/4 - 10YR 4/4) and the sands are yellowish brown or pale
brown (10YR 5/3 - 6/3); sandy loam is friable and loamy
sand is very friable; medium to slightly acid; abrupt
irregular boundary. 5 to 40 inches thick.
C 58" SANDY LOAM; brown or yellowish brown (10YR 5/3 - 5/4);
massive to very weak, coarse, subangular blocky struc-
ture; friable; neutral to calcareous.
Range in Characteristics
Sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam and loamy sand types have been mapped.
The depth to calcareous materials ranges from 40 to 80 or more inches. The
texture of the B2t horizons varies from sandy loam to sandy clay loam within
a short distance. In places, the B3 horizon is mainly sand with loamy sand
and sandy loam lenses and layers similar to the lower sola of Spinks and
Coloma soils. The Cl horizon is a loamy sand in some places and ranges in
reaction from slightly acid to calcareous. Colors refer to moist conditions.
Topography
Nearly level to strongly sloping areas on till plains, moraines and
drumlins.
Drainage and Permeability
Well drained. Runoff is moderate on the smoother slopes and rapid on
the steeper slopes. Permeability is moderate.
Natural Vegetation
Oak, hickory, sugar maple and beech.
Use
The level-to-moderately-sloping soils are cleared and used for corn,
oats, wheat, and legume-grass mixtures. The steeper areas are used for per-
manent pasture or farm woodlots.
Soil Management Group
3a
Distribution
Southern Michigan and northern Indiana. Widely distributed in large
and small bodies.
72
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Type Location
Ionia County, Michigan
Series Established
Hillsdale County, Michigan, 1923.
Source of Name
County in Michigan National Cooperative Soil Survey, U.S.A.
Reviewed for class use. Not an official series description.
Classification is tentative.
Order
Alfisol
Suborder
Udalf
Great Group
Hapludalf
Subgroup
Typic Hapludalf
SPINKS SERIES
Spinks series comprises well-drained soils developed in calcareous or
neutral loamy sands, sands, or fine sands. Spinks soils have a pH above 5.6
in thesola instead of medium to strongly acid sola of the Coloma soils;
thus Spinks soils are similar to Coloma soils except for reaction. Oakville
soils have the same pH range in the sola as Spinks but lack the thin tex-
tural B2t horizons (bands) of the Spinks soils. Stroh soils are the Mollisol
intergrade to Alfisols. Oshtemo soils have a finer-textured sola and are
underlain at depths of more than 42 inches by neutral or calcareous, strati-
fied sands and fine gravel. Plainfield soils lack the textural B2t horizons
(bands) within 60 inches found in Spinks but are medium to strongly acid in
the sola. In Chelsea soils, the bands are below 40 inches.
Soil Profile; Spinks loamy sand
Ap 0-7" LOAMY SAND; brown (10YR 5/3) very dark grayish brown (10YR
3/2) or dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2); very weak, medium,
granular structure; very friable, neutral to medium acid;
abrupt smooth boundary. 6 to 12 inches thick.
A2 7-20" LOAMY SAND OR SAND; brown (10YR 5/3) or yellowish brown
(10YR 5/4); very weak, medium, granular to single grain
structure; very friable to loose; neutral to medium acid;
abrupt wavy boundary. 8 to 30 inches thick.
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B2t 20-23" SANDY LOAM OR FINE. LOAMY SAND; brown (7.5YR 4/4), strong
brown (7.SYR 5/6) or dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4); weak,
fine to medium, subangular blocky structure; very friable;
slightly acid to neutral; abrupt wavy boundary. 1/2 to 8
inches thick.
Series of The A12 parts of the horizon are pale brown (10YR 6/3) or
A'2 and B'2t light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4) sand, while the B'2t parts
horizons of the horizon are strong brown (7.SYR 5/6), or dark
23-50" yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy loam or fine, loamy sand
B'2t horizon; the B'2t horizons which occur as thin (1/4
to 4 inches thick) bands or lenses are often wavy and dis-
continuous; A12 horizons have single grain structure; while
the B'2t horizons have weak, fine to medium, subangular
blocky structure; mildly alkaline to slightly acid; 20 to
40 inches thick.
Cl 50"+ SAND, LOAMY SAND, OR FINE SAND; pale brown (10YR 6/3);
single grain structure; loose; neutral to calcareous.
Range in Characteristics
Loamy fine sand, loamy sand, and sand types have been mapped. The depth
to the first B2t horizon ranges from 15 to 42 inches. The thickness, number,
and continuity of the B'2t horizons varies considerably in short horizontal
distances. The thickness of the B'2t horizons, separated by A'2 horizons
in the A12 and B2t horizon varies from 1/4 to 8 inches in thickness, with
the cumulative thickness greater than six inches. Where Spinks soils grade
toward Oshtemo soils the thickness of the individual B2t horizons and the
combined thickness of the B2t bands approaches 10 inches. Where Spinks soils
grade toward Coloma soils, the pH of the sola is medium acid, and the Cl hori-
zon is neutral to mildly alkaline but not calcareous. Colors refer to moist
conditions.
Topography
Gently sloping to steep areas on moraines and outwash plains.
Drainage and Permeability
Well drained. Surface runoff is slow to very slow. Permeability is
rapid to very rapid.
Native Vegetation
Oak and hickory.
Use
Forage crops and pasture with variable acreage in corn, wheat, oats,
and soybeans. Some areas are in orchards, especially in southwestern Mich-
igan near Lake Michigan. Many areas are still in second-growth forest.
74
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Distribution
Southern Michigan and northern Indiana.
Type Location
NE 1/4 of SE 1/4 Sec. 24, T6N, R7W, Ionia County, Michigan.
Series Established
Lenawee County, Michigan, 1955.
Source of Name
Community in Berrien County, Michigan.
Remarks
Spinks soils were formerly mapped as Coloma or Hillsdale soils in
Michigan and as Coloma or Plainfield soils in Indiana. National Cooperative
Soil Survey, U.S.A.
Reviewed for class use. Not an official soil series description.
Placement is tentative.
Order
Alfisol
Suborder
Udalf
Great Group
Hapludalf
Subgroup
Psammetic Hapludalf
Family
Sandy, mixed, mesic.
TRAVERSE SERIES
The Traverse series are well to moderately well-drained soils developed
in medium acid to neutral sandy loams to loam materials. Traverse soils oc-
cupy depressions and old abandoned drainageways that are largely of glacial
origin. Traverse soils are associated with McBride and Montcalm soils.
Echo soils have profiles similar to Traverse but are developed in sands to
loamy sand materials. Pennock soils are Alluvial soils developed in sandy
loam, loam, or silt loam materials and are subject to flooding and deposi-
tion of additional alluvium.
Soil Profile; Traverse sandy loam
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Ap 07" SANDY LOAM; very dark brown (10YR 2/2); weak, fine, gran-
ular structure; very friable; medium acid; abrupt smooth
boundary. 6 to 10 inches thick.
Al 7-20" SANDY LOAM: very dark grayish brown 10YR 3/2); weak, fine,
subangular blocky structure; very friable; medium acid;
abrupt wavy boundary. 6 to 15 inches thick.
A'lb 20-29" SANDY LOAM; black (10YR 2/1); weak, fine, granular struc-
ture; very friable; medium acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
3 to 10 inches thick.
B'2 29-42" LOAMY SAND; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4); very weak,
fine, subangular blocky structure; very friable; medium
acid; abrupt irregular boundary. 10 to 16 inches thick.
A'2 42-44" LOAMY SAND; brown (10YR 5/3); massive; very friable; medi-
um acid; abrupt irregular boundary. 1 to 3 inches thick.
A'2 and 44-66" Brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand; single grained; loose, which
B'2t represents the A12 horizon; dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) sandy
loam; massive to weak fine subangular blocky structure;
friable, which represents the B2t horizons; the B'2 hori-
zons occur as thin and often discontinuous bands separated
by A'2 horizons; medium acid; clear to abrupt wavy boun-
dary. 10 to 30 inches thick.
C 66"+ LOAMY SAND TO SANDY LOAM; pale brown (10YR 6/3) with many,
common, faint brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and yellowish
brown (10YR 5/6) mottles; massive; very friable; mildly
alkaline.
Range in Characteristics
Sandy loam, loam, and loamy sand types have been recognized. The sur-
face soil is dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) in some areas, especially where
there has been relatively recent deposition. Depth to mottling is as little
as 20 inches in some areas. Colors of the B horizons grade to the 7.5YR hue.
The total thickness of the textural bands in the A12 and B'2 horizon ranges
from about 1/3 of the horizon to only an occasional thin band. Colors refer
to moist conditions.
Topography
Depressions and old glacial drainageways.
Drainage and Permeability
Well to moderately well drained. Runoff is very slow. Permeability
is moderately rapid.
76
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Vegetation
Chiefly northern hardwoods.
Use
A considerable proportion is in permanent pasture.
Soil Management Group
L-3b
Distribution
Central and northern Michigan
Type Location
NE 1/4 of SE 1/4, Section 8, T20N, R8W, Osceola County, Michigan.
See Osceola soil survey reports.
Series Established
Grand Traverse Project Area, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, 1940.
National Cooperative Soil Survey, U.S.A.
Placement is tentative.
Order
Mollisol
Suborder
Udoll
Great Group
Hapludoll
Subgroup
Cumulic hapludoall
Family
Coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid
TUSCOLA SERIES
The Tuscola series comprises moderately well-drained soils which devel-
oped in stratified silts, very fine sands, and fine sands in southern Michi-
gan. Tuscola series is the moderately well-drained member of the drainage
sequence that includes the well-drained Sisson, somewhat poorly drained Kib-
bie, and the poorly to very poorly drained Colwood soils. The moderately
well-drained Celina soils are developed from loam or silt loam till with
finer-textured Bt horizons, stronger grade of structure and usually a more
77
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acid sola than Tuscola soils. The well to moderately well-drained Gagetown
soils which developed in materials similar to those of the Tuscola soils are
calcareous at or near the surface and have a much thinner sola than the Tus-
cola soils. The well to moderately well-drained Shinrock soils developed
from stratified, lacustrine fine silts and silty clay loams and are finer
textured throughout the profile than the Tuscola soils. The moderately well-
drained Arkport soils developed from stratified lacustrine loamy fine sands
and fine sandy loams and are coarser textured throughout the profile than
Tuscola soils. Bohemian soils are the northern analog of the Tuscola soils.
Soil Profile:
Ap
A2
9-13"
B21t
13-24"
B22t
24-34"
0-9" FINE SANDY LOAM; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) or very dark
grayish brown (10YR 3/2); weak, coarse, granular structure;
friable; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. 7 to 10
inches thick.
FINE SANDY LOAM; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) or brown 10YR
5/3) with grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organic coatings on some
ped faces and in worm casts; weak, fine, subangular blocky
to weak, thin, platy structure; friable; slightly acid to
neutral; clear smooth boundary. 3 to 6 inches thick.
FINE SANDY LOAM OR LOAM; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4)
with a few peds coated with dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2);
weak to moderate, medium, subangular blocky structure;
friable; very thin discontinuous clay flows; slightly acid
to neutral; gradual smooth boundary. 8 to 17 inches thick.
VERY FINE SANDY LOAM OR SILT LOAM; brown (10YR 5/3) with
common, medium, faint yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) and gray
10YR 5/1) mottles, weak, medium, subangular blocky struc-
ture; firm; very thin discontinuous or patchy clay flows;
slightly acid to neutral; clear smooth boundary. 6 to 14
inches thick.
B23tg 34-40" SILT LOAM OR SILTS; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) with common,
medium, distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4-5/8) mottles;
weak, medium, subangular blocky to weak, thin, platy struc-
ture; firm; very thin patchy clay flows; neutral; clear
wavy boundary. 6 to 12 inches thick.
B3g 40-44" VERY FINE SANDY LOAM; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) mottled with
yellowish brown (10YR 5/6-5/8) and gray (10YR 5/1),
mottles are common, medium, and distinct; massive (strati-
fied) to very weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure;
friable; mildly alkaline; abrupt wavy boundary 1 to 10
inches thick.
C 44-54" SILTS AND VERY FINE SANDSP gray (10YR 5/1) mottled with gray-
ish brown (10YR 5/2), and dark brown (7.5YR 4/4) mottles
are common, medium, and distinct; massive (stratified);
78
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friable; calcareous.
Range in Characteristics
Fine sandy loam, loam, and silt loam types have been mapped. The tex-
ture of the B horizons is variable, commonly within short distances. The
range includes fine sandy loam, clay loam, silty clay loam, or silt loam.
Depth to mottling ranges from 16 to 30 inches. The C horizon occurs at 24
to 46 inches or more in depth. Texture of the C horizon ranges from strati-
fied silts and very fine sands to dominantly silts or dominantly very fine
sands. Thin strata of loam and silty clay occur in the profile in some
areas. Colors refer to moist conditions.
Topography
Nearly level to gently sloping areas on lake plains and deltas.
Drainage and Permeability
Moderately well drained. Runoff is slow on nearly level areas, medium
on sloping areas. Permeability is moderate.
Natural Vegetation
Sugar maple, oak, beech elm, and basswood.
Use
Largely under cultivation to corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and legume-
grass mixtures.
Soil Management Group
2.5a
Distribution
Southern Michigan, northwestern Ohio, and probably southeastern Wiscon-
sin and northern Indiana.
Type Location
Lenawee County, Michigan, NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Sec. 14, T7S,
B5E.
Series Established
Tuscola County, Michigan, 1926.
Source of Name
County in Michigan.
79
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National Cooperative Soil Survey, U.S.A.
Reviewed for temporary use in series file. Not an official soil series.
Classification is tentative.
Order
Alfisol
Suborder
Udalf
Great Group
Hapludalf
Subgroup
Hapludalf
Family
Fine loamy, mixed, mesic.
80
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APPENDIX B
METHODS OF ANALYSIS FOR WATER AND SEDIMENTS
TOTAL NITROGEN IN SEDIMENT
Reference
Bremner, J. M. 1965. Total Nitrogen. Chapter 83 in Methods of anal-
ysis. Agronomy No. 9, part 2. Chemical and Microbiological Properties.
Reagents
1. Sulfuric acid (H«SO,), concentrated.
2. Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), approximately 10 N: Place 4.2 kg of NaOH
in a heavy-walled 10-liter Pyrex flask, add 4 liters of water, and swirl the
flask until the alkali is dissolved. Cool and allow to stand for several
days to settle out Na^CO.,, and siphon the clear supernatant liquid into a
large Pyrex bottle which contains about 1.5 liters of COo-free water and is
marked to indicate a volume of 10 liters, and make the solution to 10 liters
by addition of C02~free water. Mix well and protect from entry of atmos-
pheric CO .
3. Boric acid-indicator solution: Place 80 g of pure boric acid (HoBOo
in a 5-liter flask marked to indicate a volume of 4 liters, add about 3,800
ml of water and heat and swirl the flask until the HoBO is dissolved. Cool
the solution and 100 mis of methyl purple indicator (Fisher's) or add 2 drops
of indicator just prior to titration.
4. Potassium sulfate-catalyst mixture: Prepare an intimate mixture of
100 g of K SO 10 g of copper sulfate (CuSO^'S^O), and 1 g of Se. Powder
the reagents separately before mixing, and grind the mixture in a mortar to
powder the cake which forms during mixing.
5. Sulfuric (or hydrochloric acid (H2SO, or HC1), 0.01 N standard.
Procedure
Place a sample containing about 1 mg of N in a dry micro-Kjeldahl flask,
add 2 ml of water and, after swirling the flask for a few minutes, allow it
to stand for a further 30 minutes. Then add 1.1 g of K^SO,-catalyst mixture
and 3 ml of concentrated ^SO,, and heat the flask cautiously on the diges-
tion stand. When the water has been removed and frothing has ceased, in-
crease the heat until the digest clears, and thereafter boil the mixture
gently for 3 hours. Regulate the heating during this boiling so that the
HnSO, condenses about one-third of the way up the neck of the digestion
flask.
After completion of digestion, allow the flask to cool and add about
20 ml of water (slowly, and with shaking). Then swirl the flask to bring any
insoluble material into suspension. Place 5 mis of boric acid indicator in
81
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a 50-ml Erlenmeyer flask and place the flask under the condenser. Connect
the micro-Kjeldahl flask to the distillation unit, add 15 mis of NaOH solu-
tion (reagent 2) and steam distill until 35 mis of volume is collected.
Remove the 40 ml flask, disconnect the steam, and rinse the tip of the con-
denser into the flask and titrate the ammonium present with 0.01 N acid from
a 10-ml graduated burette (graduated in 0.01 ml intervals).
EXTRACTABLE AMMONIUM IN SEDIMENT
Reagents
1. 2N KC1. Weigh 149.2 g KC1 into a one-liter volumetric flask.
Add distilled water to give one liter.
2. 0.1N NaOH. Weigh 4 g of NaOH pellets into a one-liter volumetric
flask. Add distilled water to give one liter.
3. Sulfuric (or hydrochloric acid) (H0SO, or HC1), 0.01 N standard.
^ 4
4. Boric acid-indicator solution: Place 80 g of pure boric acid
(HoBOo) in a 5-liter flask marked to indicate a volume of 4 liters, add
about 3,800 ml of water, and heat and swirl the flask until the HoBOo is
dissolved. Cool the solution and add 100 mis of methyl purple indicator
(Fisher's) or add 2 drops of indicator just prior to titration.
Procedure
Weigh 2 to 10 g of sediment into a 125-ml Erlenmeyer flask, add 50 ml
of 2N KC1. Shake for 2 hours on a rotary shaker at 200 rpm. Filter through
Whatman #42 filter paper. Pipette 10 mis of filtrate into Kjeldahl flask,
attach to steam distillation apparatus, add 10 mis of 0.1N NaOH and steam
distil the NH_ into 5 ml of boric acid-indicator solution. Titrate to end-
point with standard sulfuric acid.
EXTRACTABLE P FROM SEDIMENT
Reagents
1. Extracting solution. Add 15 ml of 1.0 N NH^F and 25 ml of 0.5 N HC1
and 460 ml of distilled water to prepare each 500 mis of extracting solution.
2. Ammonium molybdate-HC-HoBOo"solution. Dissolve 100 g
(NH4)6Mo024'4H20 in 850 mis distilled water, filter and cool. Add 1700 mis
concentrated HC1 to 160 mis water, cool. Mix the two solutions slowly and
add 100 g of boric acid.
3. Reducing agent mixture. Mix 10 g l-amino-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid
with 20 g sodium sulfite and 584 g sodium bisulfite, meta. Grind mixture to
a fine powder with mortar and pestle.
4. Reducing solution. Dissolve 15.4 g of reagent No. 3 in 100 mis
warm distilled water. Cool and filter.
82
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5. Standard phosphate solution. Dilute 0.4393 g of oven-dry KH2PO^
to 1 liter in a volumetric flask with distilled water. Working standards
are prepared by dilution of this 100 ppm P stock solution.
Procedure
Weigh 5 g of soil into a 125 ml Erlenmeyer and add 20 mis of extracting
solution (reagent No. 1). Shake on a rotary shaker at 200 ppm for one min-
ute, and filter the contents through Whatman No. 2 or 42 filter paper. (1 g
of acid washed activated charcoal is added if the filtrates are not clear).
Pipette a 5 ml aliquot of the filtrate into a 50-ml flask. Adjust pH to 3.0
using 2,4 dinitrophenol as an indicator. Add 2 mis of ammonium molybdate
solution and about 40 mis distilled water. Shake and add 2 mis of reducing
solution, and make to volume with distilled water. Mix and after 10 minutes,
but before 15 minutes, measure the color photometrically using 660 mu inci-
dent light.
WATER SOLUBLE NITRATE
Reagents
1. Saturated calcium sulfate (CaSO/). Add slightly more than two grams
CaSOA per liter, shake thoroughly and allow to equilibrate overnight before
using.
2. Standard nitrate. Weigh 7.216 g of KNO- (previously dried for 24
hours at 105 C)into a one-liter volumetric flask and add distilled water to
give one liter. Working standards of 1 to 50 ppm N are prepared by appro-
priate dilution of this standard with the calcium sulfate solution.
Procedure
Weigh 20 grams of freshly sampled soil into a 125 ml Erlenmeyer flask,
add 50 mis of saturated calcium sulfate solution. Shake for 1/2 hour on a
rotary shaker at 200 rpm. Decant liquid into a 50 ml beaker and measure
nitrate content with a specific ion electrode. (Orion electrode for nitrate
in conjunction with an Orion 801 meter is presently used in this laboratory.)
Standardize the electrode and meter each time with known standards covering
the range of nitrate that is in the samples being measured. Also recheck
standards after each few analyses.
(Note: For low nitrate contents, the method of Lowe and Hamilton is
recommended.
(Note: Moisture determinations are carried out simultaneously on the
soils, and the nitrate nitrogen values are reported on a dry
wt. basis.)
83
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-600/3-78-028
2.
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSI ON« NO.
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Nitrate and Phosphorus Runoff Losses from Small
Watersheds in Great Lakes Basin
5. REPORT DATE
March 1978 issuing date
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
B.G. Ellis, A.E. Erickson, and A.R. Wolcott
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
1LA760
11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
R-802974-01-0
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
Environmental Research Laboratory - Athens, GA
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Athens, GA 30605
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final, 4/1/74 to 3/30/76
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/01
15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
Pesticide losses from these watersheds are described in Pesticide Runoff Losses from
Small Watersheds in Great Lakes Basin (EPA-600/3-77-112).
16. ABSTRACT
Summary data are given for nitrogen and phosphorus lost during runoff events
during a 2-year study of two small watersheds in the Great Lakes Basin. Patterns of
runoff and sedimentation observed on the two watersheds are described in relation to
weather conditions at different seasons of the year. Data are presented for ammonium,
nitrate, and total nitrogen in the water phase and for ammonium and total nitrogen in
the sediment phase. Soluble orthophosphate and total phosphorus concentrations in
the water phase and available and total phosphorus in the sediment phase are given.
Analysis of soil cores for nitrate, ammonium, and Kjeldahl nitrogen and available
phosphorus are given before and after fertilization and after each major runoff event.
Detailed descriptions of soils, typography, instrumentation, operational procedures,
and management methods are included.
This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract No. R-802974-01-0 by
Michigan State University under the sponsorship of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. This report covers the period April 1, 1974, to March 30, 1976, and work was
completed as of September 30, 1976.
17.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS C. COS AT I Field/Group
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Fertilizers
Agriculture
Runoff
Sedimentation
Watershed studies
68E
91A
18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
RELEASE TO PUBLIC
19. SECURITY CLASS (ThisReport)
UNCLASSIFIED
21. NO. OF PAGES
92
20. SECURITY CLASS (This page)
UNCLASSIFIED
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
84
ft U. S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1978 — 720-335/6084
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