Preliminary Evidence of Sediment and Phosphorus Dynamics Behind Newly Installed Low-Grade Weirs in Agricultural Drainage Ditches

Usborne, E. L.; Kröger, R.; Pierce, Samuel C.; Brandt, Josef; Goetz, Daniel B.

doi:10.1007/s11270-013-1520-6

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…There are multiple approaches to the management of hydrology including slotted inlet pipes, low head weirs, and two-stage ditches that, in conjunction with vegetation management, may increase nutrient retention and removal within agricultural drainage networks [58]. In poorly drained landscapes of the Lower Mississippi River Basin, extensive research on low-grade weirs has demonstrated that small barriers can increase the depth and duration of wetted areas, time to peak flow during storm events, and nutrient uptake [32,59,60]. In the Upper Mississippi River Basin, researchers have demonstrated that two-stage ditches enhance connectivity between vegetated floodplains and enhance denitrification, P storage, and sediment deposition [61][62][63].…”

Section: Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff Within Vegetated Agrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetated Ditch Habitats Provide Net Nitrogen Sink and Phosphorus Storage Capacity in Agricultural Drainage Networks Despite Senescent Plant Leaching

Taylor

Moore

Speir

et al. 2020

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The utility of vegetated ditch environments as nutrient sinks in agricultural watersheds is dependent in part on biogeochemical transformations that control plant uptake and release during decomposition. We investigated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake and release across four P enrichment treatments in ditch mesocosms planted with rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides) during the summer growing and winter decomposition seasons. Measured N retention and modeled denitrification rates did not vary, but P retention significantly increased with P enrichment. At the end of the growing season, root biomass stored significantly more N and P than aboveground stem and leaf biomass. Decomposition rates were low (<10% organic matter loss) and not affected by P enrichment. Nitrogen and P export during winter did not vary across the P enrichment gradient. Export accounted for <10% of observed summer N uptake (1363 mg m−2), with denitrification potentially accounting for at least 40% of retained N. In contrast, net P retention was dependent on enrichment; in unenriched mesocosms, P uptake and release were balanced (only 25% net retention), whereas net retention increased from 77% to 88% with increasing P enrichment. Our results indicate that vegetated ditch environments have significant potential to serve as denitrification sinks, while also storing excess P in agricultural watersheds.

show abstract

Section: Managing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Runoff Within Vegetated Agrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetated Ditch Habitats Provide Net Nitrogen Sink and Phosphorus Storage Capacity in Agricultural Drainage Networks Despite Senescent Plant Leaching

Taylor

Moore

Speir

et al. 2020

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…() also found that the denitrification potential of weirs decreased with age — again suggesting that maintenance may be necessary that can “reset” the system. Previous authors (Usborne et al ., ; Littlejohn et al ., ) have advocated for increased research on the long‐term effects of weirs which can yield information about how an appropriate maintenance plan would prolong the effectiveness of these BMPs and keep them functioning optimally for longer time periods.…”

Section: Low‐grade Weirsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Usborne et al . () reported an increase in hydroperiod due to weirs with significantly greater water depths in ditches with weirs (28 cm) than ditches without weirs (6 cm). Kröger et al .…”

Section: Low‐grade Weirsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Weirs can be used to manage for retention of both N and P. Usborne et al . () evaluated eight weirs for sediment and P accumulation one year post‐installation and reported that one‐year‐old weirs had significantly greater sediment accumulation (54 cm vs . 13 cm, respectively) when compared to reference ditches.…”

Section: Low‐grade Weirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, there has only been one previous study of instream controlled drainage paired with an upstream two‐stage ditch. Usborne () evaluated a series of spatially distributed low‐grade weirs along a reach of a two‐stage ditch in the Harris Bayou (Mississippi) and found that increased water depth due to ponding behind weirs increased hydraulic residence time, reduced the frequency of wetting‐drying cycles, and retained more total P without increasing the pool of bioavailable P.…”

Section: Stacking Best Management Practices In Order To Maximize Watementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Implementing Innovative Drainage Management Practices in the Mississippi River Basin to Enhance Nutrient Reductions

Kröger¹,

Czarnecki

Tank

et al. 2015

J American Water Resour Assoc

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the Mississippi River Basin (MRB), practices that enhance drainage (e.g., channelization, tile drainage) are necessary management tools in order to maintain optimal agricultural production in modern farming systems. However, these practices facilitate, and may speed the delivery of excess nutrients and sediments to downstream water bodies via agricultural streams and ditches. These nonpoint sources contribute to elevated nutrient loading in the Gulf of Mexico, which has been linked to widespread hypoxia and associated ecological and economic problems. Research suggests agricultural drainage ditches are important links between farm fields and downstream ecosystems, and application of new management practices may play an important role in the mitigation of water quality impairments from agricultural watersheds. In this article, we describe how researchers and producers in the MRB are implementing and validating novel best management practices (BMPs) that if used in tandem could provide producers with continued cropping success combined with improved environmental protection. We discuss three BMPs -low-grade weirs, slotted inlet pipes, and the two-stage ditch. While these new BMPs have improved the quality of water leaving agricultural landscapes, they have been validated solely in isolation, at opposite ends of the MRB. These BMPs have similar function and would greatly benefit from stacked incorporation across the MRB to the benefit of the basin as a whole.(KEY TERMS: best management practices; water conservation; sediment; runoff; surface water hydrology; biogeochemistry.)

show abstract

Burrowing macroinvertebrates alter phosphorus dynamics in drainage ditch sediments

Leslie

Lamp

2019

Aquat Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Preliminary Evidence of Sediment and Phosphorus Dynamics Behind Newly Installed Low-Grade Weirs in Agricultural Drainage Ditches

Cited by 13 publications

References 35 publications

Vegetated Ditch Habitats Provide Net Nitrogen Sink and Phosphorus Storage Capacity in Agricultural Drainage Networks Despite Senescent Plant Leaching

Vegetated Ditch Habitats Provide Net Nitrogen Sink and Phosphorus Storage Capacity in Agricultural Drainage Networks Despite Senescent Plant Leaching

Implementing Innovative Drainage Management Practices in the Mississippi River Basin to Enhance Nutrient Reductions

Burrowing macroinvertebrates alter phosphorus dynamics in drainage ditch sediments

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About