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In the Judith River watershed, Montana, groundwater nitrate concentrations often exceed drinking water standards, yet adoption rates of water quality best management practices (BMPs) by local producers are low. We propose a participatory approach that engages producers and stakeholders in an integrated research, extension and education project with the following GOALS: <OL> <LI> Quantify the effect of land management on groundwater nitrate and watershed nutrient export.<LI> Increase producer understanding, buy-in, adoption, and maintenance of appropriate BMPs. <LI> Set a compelling example for water quality management regionally and nationally. </ol>To achieve these goals, we have defined five specific research, extension and education OBJECTIVES and associated OUTPUTS: <OL> <LI> Document the current use and perceptions of best management practiced (BMPs) designed to reduce nitrate leaching in the Judith River watershed. An initial survey and follow-up interviews with growers will provide an inventory of management practices currently in use, perceptions of effectiveness and practicality, and relevant land use history. <LI> Determine the relationship between select management practices and groundwater nitrate concentrations at the field plot, landform and watershed scale. We will combine direct evaluation of water fluxes and solutes with isotopic tracers to determine sources and residence times of water and nitrate at a range of spatial scales. A simple groundwater flow model will be developed to test emerging hypotheses about watershed-scale relationships. <LI> Use a participatory approach to develop and refine the study design, interpret results, and develop education and extension materials. Our approach will be informed by ongoing communication with stakeholders. A fundamental goal is to test whether a participatory approach can (a) improve research design and (b) increase BMP adoption in this watershed. <LI> Develop effective education and extension programs to increase the visibility of our research results among local producers and to extend the impacts of the project throughout the region. We will develop an educational case study module and directed class project at MSU and share with regional colleagues. Our extension program will combine input from producers and results of our research to develop brief newsletter articles, fact sheets, and web-based decision-tools to raise the visibility of our findings and to encourage producer adoption of appropriate and effective BMPs. We will share project materials and findings with regional water quality program leaders, at national professional meetings, and in peer-reviewed professional journal articles.<LI> Document project impacts and evaluate impact of participatory approaches. To assess the impacts of our project, we will resurvey producers to measure changes in their levels of understanding, concern, and BMP adoption behavior; and interview stakeholder participants to gain their insights about the costs and benefits of using an intensive participatory model.
Non-Technical Summary: <BR>Rising levels of nitrate in groundwater threaten human health and downstream ecosystems. In the Judith River watershed, Montana, groundwater nitrate concentrations often exceed drinking water standards, and may be influenced by agricultural practices on thin soils overlying shallow, vulnerable aquifers that supply water to local domestic wells. Previous extension and research activities in the watershed have provided key data and established working relationships with local growers and other stakeholders, but adoption rates of best management practices (BMPs) to improve water quality have been low. We will use a participatory approach to determining incentives for, and barriers to, BMP adoption. An advisory committee of local producers and stakeholders from the watershed will provide perspectives on candidate sources of nitrate, current BMPs in use, and perceived barriers to BMP adoption. A producer advisory group will meet frequently to provide input to the research plan, in order to increase its likelihood of success. Producer surveys will inventory management practices currently in use, perceptions of effectiveness and practicality, and changes in understanding, concern, and BMP adoption behavior over the course of the project. Our measurement strategy will quantify effects of key recommended BMPs by following water and nitrate movement from soils to groundwater in multiple locations varying in management. To accomplish this, we will use tracers to characterize water samples from a network of groundwater wells and surface streams at the scale of key landforms and the watershed. Research findings and successful participatory elements of the project will provide a fresh approach for agricultural watershed conservation efforts regionally and nationally. An active education component will involve students and colleagues from Montana State University and the region to foster innovative agricultural management practices for improved water quality. <P> Approach: <BR> Our participatory approach will engage producers and stakeholders in an integrated research, extension and education project that specifically involves producers and stakeholders in research design and implementation, targeting our three primary research goals: GOAL 1: QUANTIFY THE EFFECT OF LAND MANAGEMENT ON GROUNDWATER NITRATE AND WATERSHED NUTRIENT EXPORT. METHOD 1a: Conduct plot scale measurements of nitrate leaching and groundwater recharge/age using isotopic tracers and monitoring wells. INDICATOR: Measured rates of movement of nitrogen tracers through typical field plots and the groundwater system, at the scale of representative critical landforms. METHOD 1b: Conduct nested sampling of surface water, targeting critical landscape elements and using targeted geochemical and isotope tracers to identify source and residence time. INDICATOR: Isotopic and geochemical tracers reveal timescales and pathways of groundwater nitrate movement from critical landscape elements to surface water nutrient export. GOAL 2: INCREASE PRODUCER UNDERSTANDING, BUY-IN, ADOPTION, AND MAINTENANCE OF APPROPRIATE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) FOR IMPROVING WATER QUALITY. METHOD 2a: Use a paired fields research design to compare the impacts of different farm management practices on measured nitrate leaching and movement. INDICATOR: Statistically significant differences among effects of management practices on nitrate leaching rates. METHOD 2b: Solicit qualitative input from producers and stakeholders through a formal advisory council (AC) and strongly engaged producer research advisory group (PRAG). Conduct a scientific survey of representative producers. INDICATORS: Input provided by growers and stakeholders through the AC and PRAG, responses to producer surveys, and field plot results regarding BMP effectiveness. METHOD 2c: Use producer feedback to adapt or extend the design of field-scale treatments and outcome measurements to directly address producer questions and suggestions. INDICATORS: Document suggestions made by producers and associated changes made in research design. Compare results of pre- and post-project surveys of area producers. Solicit feedback from producers on AC and PRAG regarding impacts of research on their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. GOAL 3: SET A COMPELLING EXAMPLE WITH THIS PROJECT REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY. METHOD 3: Develop educational and extension outreach materials and activities to disseminate findings to larger audience, and solicit responses from producers, stakeholders and regional colleagues. INDICATORS: Measured changes in producer awareness, concern, and BMP use; feedback from regional colleagues about success of extension and education materials.