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The goal of "Analysis of Conservation Practice Effectiveness and Producer Adoption Behavior in the Lake Jordan Watershed (North Carolina) is to add to the conservation effects knowledge base of watershed-scale impacts of conservation practices on water resources and producer behavior. Objectives for the project are developed for each of the areas of interest (research, extension, and education). <P> The research objectives are to: 1.determine through water quality monitoring at a watershed scale, the effectiveness of conservation practices at reducing N, P and sediment export from pasture and cropland. 2.determine and compare motivators and deterrents for conservation practice adoption within the two primary agricultural communities in the watershed: farmers /ranchers and hobby farmers. 3.determine optimal water quality trading strategies allowed by the Jordan Lake Rule and the acceptability of different strategies to traders in the watershed. 4.model water quality to assess benefits from historical implementation and projected implementation of conservation practices, as well as potential trades. <P>The extension objectives are to: 1. use the results of the key informant survey along with the Jordan Lake Watershed Committee stakeholders to design and target more effective mandatory nutrient management education to specific audiences that will be delivered by NC Cooperative Extension. 2. use and evaluate electronic educational delivery platforms, such as webinars, to provide mandatory nutrient management and conservation practice training, as well as to provide information about nutrient trading, for hobby farmers, landscapers, and possibly producers in Jordan Lake Watershed and beyond. 3. provide information on conservation practice effectiveness and nutrient trading to the Jordan Lake Oversight Committee, NC Division of Water Quality, the NC Division of Soil and Water, NC USDA-NRCS, the NLEW Committee, and the general public. 4. use the results of the key informant survey and modeling efforts to design effective water trading guidelines and provide that information as appropriate through objectives 1-3. <P>The educational objectives are to: 1. provide graduate students the opportunity to obtain graduate level course credits by participating in the development of extension and educational materials for stakeholders in the Jordan Lake Basin. 2. enhance course curricula for "Ecological Engineering Applications," an undergraduate course for Biological Engineering students, and "Environmental Restoration Implementation," an undergraduate course for Agricultural and Environmental Technology students. <P>Project outputs include a better understanding of exclusion fencing on water quality changes, better modeling of watersheds, information on the pros and cons of water quality trading relative to economic viability and water quality performance, better outreach in the form of nutrient management education, and an educational session on conservation practice effectiveness.
Non-Technical Summary: <BR>The Jordan Lake Watershed is under mandated reducation of nutrient inputs from all sectors, including agriculture. This project, "Analysis of Conservation Practice Effectiveness and Producer Adoption Behavior in the Lake Jordan Watershed (North Carolina)", is particularly relevant to on-going activities. We have been attempting to understand water quality changes at the watershed-scale due to conservation practice implementation. The project includes water quality monitoring at the watershed scale, tracks conservation practices, interprets opinions of stakeholders in the watershed to understand the use of nutrient management and conservation practice adoption, and educates undergraduates and graduate students in real world conservation implementation problem solving. Additionally, a novel risk-based water quality trading framework, consisting of watershed modeling and economic analysis components, will be developed, demonstrated and disseminated that can be deployed in other watersheds across the U.S. This trading framework will increase understanding of economic and environmental tradeoffs in nutrient trading schemes. Finally, all information will be delivered to the state Division of Water Quality who is responsible for the rules. <P> Approach: <BR> This is a paired watershed water quality monitoring design. There are two pairs: cropland and pasture. The water quality monitoring characterizes total loads of N, P, and sediment from watersheds with cropland and pasture. A monitoring station was established at the outlet of each watershed along a relatively uniform reach of stable channel. The station includes automated sampler with integrated flowmeter. Every two weeks composite samples from the acidified and nonacidified bottles are made and transported to a laboratory for analysis. The acidified samples are analyzed for TKN, NH3, NO2 + NO3, and TP, while the nonacidified sample will be analyzed for total suspended solids. During each site visit a grab sample is collected from the midpoint of the flow and transported on ice to a lab to be analyzed for fecal coliform and dissolved PO4. Standard methods of analysis are conducted on both flow-proportional storm event and grab samples. The pairs have been sampled for 3 years (before treatment phase) and will be sampled for 5 years (post treatment phase). We also will understand how well (or poorly) informed stakeholders are within the watershed, as well as what motivates and deters conservation practices for individuals within these two communities. To determine this, semi-structured key informant interviews will be conducted with identified stakeholders (farmers, ranchers, hobby farmers, community leaders, and other knowledgeable about conservation practices and water quality) for a total of approximately 100 interviews. The information derived from the survey will better inform the mandatory nutrient management training. Finally, this project will use the comprehensive watershed model SWAT implemented within the collaborative eRAMS platform to determine optimal water quality trading scenarios, in order to factor in which scenarios are most acceptable to stakeholders, and then to inform policy makers and potential traders of our findings. The output expected is to lower the cost of meeting discharge targets by increasing trades. Modeling fate and transport for non-point sources (NPS) and point sources (PS) will be conducted in erams and trading scenarios examined will vary from state-of-the-art trading schemes that require complex modeling for each trade to simple programs based on expectations from the models. All scenarios will comply with the Jordan Lake Rule and will be shared with the Division of Water Quality - the state agency responsible for nutrient trading in the watershed.