Project Number: 3605-13000-004-03
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Sep 25, 2006
End Date: Sep 30, 2010

Objective:
To explore the effects of different agricultural BMPs and different animal manures on the movement of the manure components of interest. Runoff after fall or winter applied manures is of special interest.

Approach:
Animal manures will be applied to small single-use, cropped watersheds and specially prepared runoff plots when the soil is frozen. Application rates will be predetermined and in accordance with NRCS guidelines. On the watersheds, manure will be applied over the entire watershed for some of the watersheds so that the runoff measurements will be "at the field's edge." For other watersheds, manure will be applied to the upper portion with the lower portion of the watershed serving as a buffer area. The plots are designed to receive manure over an equal size area, but with different lengths of buffer areas below the application areas. The runoff will be automatically sampled with Coshocton wheels, and analyzed for nutrients, COD, and pathogens. Downstream impacts of the plot runoff will also be evaluated. Control plots and reference watersheds will be monitored as well.