# Iowa Programs and Initiatives for Reducing Nutrient Transport to Water Resources from Ag Lands

Dean Lemke, P.E. Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

October 1, 2010

# Iowa’s Approach to Reducing Nutrient Transport From Ag Lands 1. Continue long - standing programs to encourage adoption of traditional conservation practices. 2. Develop new, innovative technologies and programs targeted to reducing nutrient transport to water resources.

# Iowa Conservation Programs Which Reduce Nutrients to Water – State Fiscal Year 2011 Implementation & Watershed Protection $87.04 million Research & Technology Development $13.16 Education & Outreach $0.45

TOTAL* $100.65 million *includes landowner match $

# New Innovative Technologies and Programs

Targeted to Reduce Nutrient Transport

• On - Farm Nitrogen Network – Iowa Soy Association • Iowa Learning Farms – Iowa State University • Iowa CREP Nitrogen Removal Wetlands • Cedar River Watershed Case Study • Iowa Wetland Landscape Systems Initiative • Iowa Strategy for Nutrient Reduction – Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia • Voluntary BMP Adoption/Recognition Program – Iowa Ag Organizations

## Over 3,000 guided stalk nitrate evaluations Over 1,000 replicated strip trials Focused on in - field comparisons of: N stabilizers Timing of N (fall vs. spring; Preplant vs SD) Forms of N (UAN, NH3, Urea, Manure) Type of application (injection vs dribbling) Crop sensors Potential for variable rate

**www .isafar**  **mnet.com**

## 35 grower groups **www .isafar**  **mnet.com Fertilizer**  **N Grain**  **Yi eld** 

**-------- lb N/acre**  **------- ------------**  **bu /acre**  **---------------- 2001**  **C -**  **SB 80**  **130 177**  **176 -**  **1 2002**  **C -**  **SB 70**  **120 193**  **195 2**  **2003 C**  **- C**  **130 180**  **167 166**  **- 1**  **2004 C**  **- SB**  **60 11**  **0 200**  **206 6**  **C -**  **C 11**  **0 160**  **172 178**  **6 2005**  **C -**  **SB 60**  **11 0**  **192 197**  **5 C**  **- C**  **11 0**  **160 182**  **194 12**  **2006 C** 

**- C**  **120 150**  **188 193**  **4 2007**  **C**

**- C**  **125 150**  **177 182**  **5 2008**  **C**

**- C**  **130 155**  **169 174**  **4** 

## www **.isafar mnet.com**  Ye ar Rotation Low Rate High Rate Low Rate High Rate Diff.

## www **.isafar mnet.com**  

# Need to evaluate what actually happened.

# Iowa Learning Farms

• Conducted by Iowa State University • Farm cooperator demonstrations – crop residue and tillage management • Education and outreach, awareness • Rainfall simulator educational tools • “Building A Culture of Conservation”

## Drainage **District**

**Boundary Hy**  **dric Soils Subsurface**  **Ti le**  **Drain**

**CREP W**  **etland** 

# Iowa **Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program** 0

5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 10000 20000 30000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec A L W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7

0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000Inflow(m3d-1)

0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec B G W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7 0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec D J W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7

0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 40000 80000 120000 160000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec N D W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7

0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 40000 80000 120000 160000 200000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec J R W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7 0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 40000 80000 120000 160000 200000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec V H W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7 0 5 10 15 20 25Nitrate-N(mgL-1)

0 40000 80000 120000Inflow(m3d-1)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec H S N o r t h W e t l a n d 2 0 0 7 

## Observed and modeled **wetland performance** 

**(2007)**

**W.G. Crumpton,**  **Iowa State University**

# Iowa CREP Status 72 wetlands restored, under construction or design

– 715 acres total wetland pool

– Remove 40 - 70% of nitrate from 86,100 acres

– Estimated nitrate removal over practice lifetime is 53,600 tons

– Nitrogen removal cost $0.23/lb, below current cost of fertilizer N

# Cedar River Watershed Case Study – scenario to reduce nitrate losses 35% (9,200 tons/non - point source allocation) while retaining row - crop production Practice % reduction Acres* treated To ns reduced 140 to 100 N rate - CB 20.1% or 3.9 lb/ac all or 1.70 M ac 3,315 190 to 150 N rate - CC 16.2% or 3.8 lb/ac all or 0.10 M ac 190 Av oid fall N application 15% or 2.5 lb/ac all or 300,000 ac 375 Rye cover crops 50% or 8 lb/ac 10% or 170,000 ac 680 Drainage wa ter mgt 50% or 8 lb/ac 10% or 167,000 ac 670 N removal w etlands 50% or 8 lb/ac 59% or 1.00 M ac 4,000 TOT ALS [*2/3 of 2.55 M or 1.70 M ac] 

## 9,230

# Iowa Wetland Landscape

Systems Initiative Pilot DemonstrationsCorn Soybean

**1 km Ta**  **rgeted We**  **tland Restoration** 

DD T ile

**W.G. Crumpton,**  **Iowa State University**



## Iow **a W etland Landscape Systems Initia**  **tiv e** 

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70%

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50%

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50% • Reduce sediment delivery – 50%

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50% • Reduce sediment delivery – 50% • Reduce phosphorus transport – 50%

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50% • Reduce sediment delivery – 50% • Reduce phosphorus transport – 50% • Reduce N 2 

# O greenhouse gas emissions

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50% • Reduce sediment delivery – 50% • Reduce phosphorus transport – 50% • Reduce N 2 

# O greenhouse gas emissions • Increase habitat and ecological service functions of the landscape – potential market force driver?

# Projected Environmental/Ecological Service Benefits – Wetland Landscape Systems

• Reduce nitrate transport – 40 - 70% • Reduce surface runoff overland flow – 50% • Reduce sediment delivery – 50% • Reduce phosphorus transport – 50% • Reduce N 2 

# O greenhouse gas emissions • Increase habitat and ecological service functions of the landscape – potential market force driver? • Market force economic driver for implementation and food security benefit - optimize crop production

# Calhoun Coun ty – Po te nt ial Nitr ate Re mov al W etlands

# Pilot Demonstration Study Sites

• Solicitation of interest across 3000 watershed districts • Pilot demonstration study watersheds

– Pocahontas DD 65 (construction completed)

– Clay DD 8

– Pocahontas DD 48 & 81

– Palo Alto DD15 North

– Palo Alto DD15 South

– Pocahontas/Palo Alto Joint DD36

## Iow a Department of Agriculture & Land Stew ardship (IDALS)

Iow a State University (ISU) University of Iow a (UI) Iow a Institute of Hydraulic Research (IIHR) Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) Iow a Flood Center (IFC) Iow a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) USDA – Farm Service Agency (FSA) USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) USDA – Agricultural Research Service (ARS) United States Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) United States Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) United States Geological Survey (USGS) 

# Interagency W orking Group

# Technical Work Groups and Study Areas

• Hydrology and Water Quality • Soil Resources • Habitat • Green House Gases • Crop Yield • Decision Drivers 49 research and technical members

# Wetland and Watershed Infrastructure

Funding of Pilots Landowners $5.3 million Iowa cost - share funds 4.0 Iowa CREP 2.0 State revolving fund 0.4 + loan

TOTAL $11.7+ million

# Iowa Strategy for Nutrient Reduction – Gulf

of Mexico Hypoxia Voluntary BMP Adoption/Recognition Program – Iowa Ag Organizations