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?