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The overall goal of this project is to demonstrate that sediment and nutrient export from a watershed can be reduced by planned best management practice (BMP) implementation but only if the watershed sources and solutions are understood. Specific objectives are as follows: <P> Objective 1 Measure Water-Quality and Socio-Economic Success of Prior BMPs. Document success of upland BMP implementation toward reducing exported sediment and nutrients. Assess water-quality and economic efficacy of targeted implementation of BMPs and producer behavior in maintaining BMPs in a paired watershed study. a. Sediment water-quality: Targeted implementation will lead to measureable sediment reduction, and greater reduction than non-targeted implementation. b. Economic: Prior targeted BMP implementation did not reduce farmer profits, and was more cost effective for sediment reduction than other funding sources. c. Sociologic: Producers will maintain target-funded/implemented BMPs at same rate as other implemented BMPs. d. Nutrient water-quality: Upland BMPs will produce reductions in stream nutrient export. <P> Objective 2 Target New Ephemeral Gully BMPs. Develop and test models of channelized flow (ephemeral gully [EG]) erosion processes and contributions to sediment and nutrient sources and storage pools. Apply model results to target EG BMPs in a new paired watershed study. a. Sediment source: EG erosion contributes a substantial fraction of annual upland sediment, and does so disproportionally (relative to other sources) during higher-flow events. b. Nutrient source: EG processes change soil properties and thereby change P retention and P loss compared to the rest of the field. c. BMP: Compared to upland BMPs, EG BMPs cause greater sediment and nutrient reductions in less-frequent (higher intensity) storms on the TMDL load-duration curve. <P> Objective 3 Educate Producers and Stakeholders. Develop and deliver educational programs, targeted at the most significant contributing areas and sources, that will educate and motivate agricultural producers to implement practices that will reduce sediment and nutrient contamination. a. New EG knowledge/materials: Better understanding of sediment and nutrient sources from EGs and BMPs will improve producer education-, implementation-, and cost-effectiveness. b.Research/Extension loop: Feedback/revisions between project team and stakeholders will ensure field/producer applicability of EG model results and educational materials. c. Smart targeting: EG model will focus one on one educator efforts on fields with greatest potential. <P> Objective 4 Expand Higher Education. Prepare university students to contribute to watershed restoration efforts as both citizens and environmental professionals. a. Watershed and Fluvial Ecosystem Resource (WaFER) Graduate Certificate: Develop and fully implement WaFER Certificate program. b. Develop curriculum materials and modules: Case studies, problems, and datasets for watershed modeling, watershed management, and fluvial systems. c. Train graduate students: Educate students in watershed restoration technologies, and immerse in interdisciplinary watershed education and research activities.
Non-Technical Summary: <BR>Sediment (soil) is a major threat to thousands of flood-control and water-supply reservoirs in the Great Plains of the U.S. A 2010 national conference on reservoir sustainability issues found that scientists do not have a clear understanding about where (sources) and when (timing and delivery rates) the soil is coming from. In some cases, major sources, such as ephemeral gullies in crop fields and stream bank and channel erosion, are not understood and are being ignored in sediment control efforts. We need to be smarter about sediment sources and delivery if we are to solve the problem. Ephemeral gullies are small channels of eroded soil that form in unprotected soils (such as cropland and construction sites) during extreme storm events. Ephemeral gullies often form in the same place every year and add to producer management time and cost. Ephemeral gully erosion often exceeds losses from other upland sediment sources, but little is known about how effective various practices are in reducing ephemeral gully erosion. This project will use field research to learn more about ephemeral gully erosion, and measure the effectiveness of several methods to reduce soil and nutrient losses from ephemeral gullies. Farm data will be used to assess tradeoffs between profit and water quality caused by these gully-control methods. A new model will be developed to help locate gullies and guide implementation. We will work with an active team of local stakeholders to find ephemeral gully locations, deliver educational programs, and implement new practices to control ephemeral gullies. We will develop a new Certificate Program at Kansas State University to educate college students about land and stream sediment sources and processes to help train future leaders and technical source-people. The new knowledge gained in this project about ephemeral-gully and in-stream sediment sources and delivery processes, modeling techniques, measured effectiveness of management measures, and methods of working with local stakeholders to act on this information will have direct impact on farmer profits and environmental quality in the Little Arkansas River watershed. New knowledge will also help researchers and stakeholders in other watersheds in Kansas and the U.S. identify and address similar problems. <P> Approach: <BR> Methods 1 Measure Water Quality and Socio-Economic Success of Prior BMPs Stream Flow/Nutrient Monitoring. We will use current surface water monitoring program, including automated ISCO surface water monitoring (since 2006) for two sets of paired subwatersheds. Stream Process Monitoring. Streambank erosion rates will be monitored using methods developed by Rosgen and implemented by Keane in this watershed since 2008, including detailed surveys of channel cross-sections, longitudinal profiles, bank profiles, and riparian vegetation communities. Watershed Modeling. A SWAT model has been developed, calibrated, and published for Black Kettle Creek in Little Ark watershed; similar calibration will be conducted for other targeted subwatersheds. Integrated Source Modeling. A mass-balance approach will combine daily SWAT-modeled interrill, rill, and upland erosion/deposition processes; event-based modeled yields from EG erosion; SWAT in-stream routing; and annual streambank erosion. Daily watershed outlet sediment yields are compared to measured TSS after subtracting streambank contributions. Economic Impact of BMP Adoption. Cost budgets (pre/post BMP adoption) will define net return per acre for each field. Tradeoff between net return and water quality will be examined using net return information for each field and water quality indices using Target MOTAD. Correlation between actual BMP maintenance and various factors will assess effectiveness of implementation funding source, implementation/education strategy, and BMP. Methods 2 Target New Ephemeral Gully BMPs EG Monitoring. Potential EG locations will be screened using GIS methods. Actual EG locations and sediment amounts will be determined by field reconnaissance and aerial imagery. EG Nutrient Monitoring. EGs will be selected for nutrient evaluation and detailed physico-chemical characterization related to P sorption and desorption potential. Soil properties from non-impacted field points will be compared to soils at edge and center of the EG using appropriate statistical methods to determine EG impacts. EG Modeling and Ranking. The EG model will simulate erosion for each identified EG. Annual average EG amounts will be ranked and used to quantify EG reductions possible with BMPs and to prioritize implementation. Targeting EG BMP Implementation. We will seek voluntary/cost-share implementation of EG BMPs on prioritized EG locations within the target subwatershed. Methods 3 Educate Producers and Stakeholders KSU faculty have led WRAPS planning efforts and will assure that project results are integrated with existing watershed efforts. The Stakeholder Team has asked KSU to provide research and extension support to their watershed and will be actively involved. Methods 4 Expand Higher Education A new KSU Graduate Certificate will include topics in watershed management and modeling, natural resources and ecological engineering, stream geomorphology and ecology, and geographic information science. Graduate student training will include integration in monthly project meetings and experience in interdisciplinary research and outreach/extension activities.