THE GREAT LAKES BAY REGIONKawkawlin Watershed
Where the mussels are strong,
the Walleye are good looking and,
the Phosphorus is above average…
Concept Looking at a watershed wide problem
Opportunities for Drain Commissioner involvement
Determine a simple solution
How best to implement
Partnerships developed
Bay County Drain Commissioner – Joseph Rivet
Agricultural Industry
MSU-Cooperative Extension
MDEQ
Saginaw Bay WIN
Development of Study Initial goals
Identify viable methods for sediment removal
Discussion of BMPs
Selection of simple, efficient methods
Quantify BMP effectiveness
Simplifying a Watershed Design model to fit goals and objectives
Requires broad applicability
Several important aspects
Soils
Topography
Climate
Land use
Scope and Outline of Study Address sedimentation concerns
Treat with vegetative filter strips (VFS)
Research
Model development
Implementation
BMPs for surface drainage (V-ditches)
Quantify impact of sediment
Drain cleanouts
Financial costs
Effectiveness of VFS Filter effectiveness depends on:
Soil type
Slope
Contributing area
Erodibility of upland
areas
Type/density of
vegetation
Local climate
Comparison of Filter Widths
Source Year
Filter
Zones
Recommended Filter Width
Description
Sediment (ft) Chemicals (ft)
Min. Max. Min. Max.
Schultz et al. 1997 Multiple 50 50 66 300 Iowa State University: "Stewards of
our Streams"
USDA 1997 Multiple 50 50 n/a n/aAgro-forestry Notes: "A Riparian
Buffer Design for Cropland"
NRCS 2000 Single 50 n/a 50 150Michigan, CREP-CP21: "Filter
Strips"
Minnesota BMP 2001 Single 15 100 15 100 Minnesota Metropolitan Council
BMP Manual: "Filter Strips"
NRCS 2008 Single 20 n/a 30 n/a Standard Practice 393: "Filter Strip"
Nebraska Dept.
of Agriculture2009 Single 100 n/a 100 n/a
"Buffer Strip Act" - NE Admin. Code
Title 25, Ch 4., Sect. 2-5101 to 2-
5111
Minnesota
Statute2010 Single 16.5 n/a 16.5 n/a
103E.021 - Requires perennial
vegetation on "ditches"
Ohio Code 1999 Single 4 15 n/a n/a6131.14-Single County Ditches;
County Engineer's Duties
*Other sources use variable width buffers (Bren 1998)
Modeling Buffer Strips Identify “minimum” width
USDA methods to quantify soil loss
Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)
Revised USLE (RUSLE)
Incorporated into computer program
RUSLE 2
Version 2 of RUSLE computer program
Used in NRCS Conservation Practice Standard
RUSLE 2 Location specific
Climate data, soil data, agricultural practices
Site layout Soil types, land use, filter widths, slopes
100’s of different crops
Sheet, rill, inter-rill erosion
Can determine filter effectiveness
Modeled over 600 scenarios
Sediment Yield
Comparison of Sediment Yield
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
RUSLE2 Soil Category
Sed
imen
t Y
ield
(lb
/ac/
yr)
.
Corn
Soybean
Wheat
Bare Ground
Land use and cover
Soil group
Filter Strip EffectivenessSediment Yield from Bare Soil
(0.5% Slope with Switchgrass Filter)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
0 10 20 30 40 50 70
Filter Strip Width (ft)
Sed
imen
t Y
ield
(lb
/ac/y
r)
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Varying Grass TypeSediment Yield from Bare Soil
(0.5% Slope with Group #2 Soils)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
10 20 30 40 50 70
Filter Strip Width (ft)
Sed
imen
t Y
ield
(lb
/ac/y
r)
Switch Grass
KY Bluegrass
Bermudagrass
Sediment Trapped Use bare soil
Most significant
Varying VFS types
Small VFS works Limit VFS life
Slope length has
little effect cft/ac/yr
Does not address
concentrated flow
23 Tappan Loam - 0.5% Slope
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
0 10 20 30 40 50 70
Buffer Width
So
il E
nte
rin
g D
rain
(c
ft/a
c/y
r)
500' Slope, Bermudagrass 500' Slope, KY Bluegrass 500' Slope, Veg. Barrier - Fair
1000' Slope, Bermudagrass 1000' Slope, KY Bluegrass 1000' Slope, Veg. Barrier - Fair
Cost Effective Implementation Developed cost assessment tool
Sedimentation Prediction and Incurred Cost Estimation Resource (SPICER)
Uses watershed specific criteria
Sediment load reduction
Monetary benefit of BMPs
Opportunity cost to agricultural producer
Establishing Vegetative Buffer Strips
Kevin Wilson
Bay Conservation District
Establishing vegetative
buffer strips help reduce
soil erosion, create
wildlife habitat and
contribute to improved
water quality.
Soil Test
Site Preparation: Spraying, burning, disking,
removing trees / shrubs
Work ground to a firm / weed-free seedbed
Native Grasses are “fluffy seeds” and
require a special seed box to use with a
no-till drill.
Introduced Grass Mixtures
Timothy, Orchardgrass, Red Clover & Alfalfa
Use buffer
strips to
straighten
fields
Native Grasses
Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indiangrass
Native Grasses & Wildflowers
Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Indiangrass
Switchgrass
Great Winter / Nesting Cover
Maintenance and
Management
Financial assistance is available for this
practice through USDA farm bill programs
and other various watershed initiatives.
Questions?