WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSAL
Project ID: 2005MN129B
Title: Water Quality Monitoring Strategy Based on Agroecoregion Boundaries in the Minnesota River Basin
Project Type: Research
Focus Categories: Non Point Pollution, Agriculture
Keywords: water quality, agroecoregions, TMDLs
Start Date: 03/01/2005
End Date: 02/28/2006
Federal Funds: $24,999
Non-Federal Matching Funds: $45,731
Congressional District: 4
Principal Investigator:
David J. Mulla
Abstract
Hypotheses
We hypothesize that water quality impairment is primarily driven by factors accounted for by agroecoregion boundaries, including major cropping system types, slope steepness, soil internal drainage and mean annual precipitation. Within agroecoregion boundaries, at the scale of minor watersheds (watersheds encompassed by an 8 digit HUC), water quality impairment will vary primarily in response to the spatial variability in slope steepness, and density of animal units in feedlots. We hypothesize that the variability in water quality is greater for minor watersheds across different agroecoregions than for minor watersheds within agroecoregions.
Objectives
1. To measure the export of nutrients and sediment in minor watersheds across three different agroecoregions (Rolling Moraine, Wetter Blue Earth Till, Wetter Clays and Silts) making up the Blue Earth, Le Sueur and Watonwan watersheds of south central Minnesota.
2. To evaluate the variability in export of nutrients and sediment in minor watersheds within three agroecoregions (Rolling Moraine, Wetter Blue Earth Till, Wetter Clays and Silts) of south central Minnesota.