Influence of subsurface drainage on streamflow and nitrate load
- Status: Funded by USDA-CSREES NRI
Competitive Grant
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Duration: September 2008 to August 2011
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PI: Laura C. Bowling
- Graduate Student: Sarah Rutkowski
Objectives:
Explore Indiana's Tile Drainage on Google Earth!
Experimental kml files of potentially drained area for the entire State of Indiana and in higher resolution for the Hoagland Watershed can be downloaded here.
The overarching goal of this study is to quantify the influence of subsurface drainage on watershed stream flow and nitrate load from the Wabash River basin in Indiana and to assess the potential for water conservation using a combination of observed data analysis, including stream flow partitioning, hydrologic and statistical modeling, coupled with GIS. Specific objectives of the study are to:
- quantify the fraction of watershed streamflow that originates from tile drainage,
- assess the influence of subsurface drainage on the streamflow pattern in comparison to public perceptions regarding the influence of subsurface drainage,
- quantify the nitrate load specifically derived from subsurface drainage systems in the Wabash River basin, and
- assess the potential for nitrate load reduction and water conservation in the Wabash River basin through implementation of drainage water management.
Progress Reports:
Year 1 Progress Report, January 2010,
Publications:
Ale, S., L.C. Bowling, J.R. Frankenberger, S.M. Brouder and E.J. Kladivko, 2009. The influence of climate variability, drain spacing and operational strategy on drainage water management system performance. Vadose Zone Journal special section on 'Artificial Drainage', In Press (Available online doi:10.2136/vzj2008.0170). PDF
Ale, S., L.C. Bowling, M.A. Youssef, S.M. Brouder and J.R. Frankenberger. 2010. Potential Watershed Nitrate Load Reduction with Drainage Water Management under Varied Implementation Options. 9th International Drainage Symposium, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Full-length paper submitted.
Ale, S. and L.C. Bowling. 2010. Estimation of Potentially Subsurface Drained Areas in the Wabash River Basin, Indiana. Accepted for presentation at the 2010 Land Grant and Sea Grant National Water Conference, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.