Farming and Stream Chemistry:

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Farming and Stream Chemistry
Can Connections be Found?
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Background
Live in a farming community
Often see ammonia tanks down street
Interested in chemistry
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My topic
How does agricultural practices affect stream
chemistry?
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What could be investigated?
pH
Dissolved solids
Specific chemicals
Different farming practices
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Ive decided to look at two characteristics
pH--Common characteristic of water chemistry
Ammonia--Common chemical fertilizer used in
farming
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My Problem
Does agricultural fertilization practices affect
stream pH and ammonia levels?
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How would I answer this question?
Identify a test region
Limit data to areas where agriculture would
affect stream chemistry the most
Discover when fertilization commonly occurs
Collect and analyst data
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Choosing an area
Had to be local
Had to have recent data
Data would have to cover several years
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Data chosen
White River Basin Study
USGS--National Water-Quality Assessment Program
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Limiting data to agriculturally significant
locations
Drainage area of the stream had to be
higher than 90 agricultural uses
White River Study indicated four sites
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Sites
Kessinger Ditch 6
Drainage 56.2 square miles Land Use 94
agriculture
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Sites
Kessinger Ditch 6 Drainage 56.2 square
miles Land Use 94 agriculture
Lost River 7
Drainage 34.8 square miles Land Use 94
agriculture
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Sites
Kessinger Ditch 6 Drainage 56.2 square
miles Land Use 94 agriculture Lost River
7 Drainage 34.8 square miles Land Use 94
agriculture
Cliffty Creek 4
Drainage 87.9 square miles Land Use 98
agriculture
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Sites
Kessinger Ditch 6 Drainage 56.2 square
miles Land Use 94 agriculture Lost River
7 Drainage 34.8 square miles Land Use 94
agriculture Cliffty Creek 4 Drainage 87.9
square miles Land Use 98 agriculture
Sugar Creek 2
Drainage 93.4 square miles Land Use 95
agriculture
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When does ammonia fertilization occur?
Begins Middle March
Peaks Middle April-Middle May
Ends Early June
Indiana Agricultural Statistics Crop and
Weather Reports Ammonia fertilization
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The Data
Approximately 300 data pointsBetween May 1991
and Sept. 1999
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The Analysis
pH values and Ammonia concentrations were
sorted by month
Then averaged
Then graph
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Data Results
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Graphical Representations
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Graphical Representations
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Analysis pH
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Analysis pH
pH peaks during February and March
pH trends downward during fertilization
periods
pH should increase when ammonia, a base, is
added
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Analysis Ammonia
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Analysis Ammonia
Ammonia concentrations rise during the
fertilization period
Ammonia concentrations show an odd peak
during January
Ammonia concentrations should rise with
increased use as fertilizer
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Conclusions
Fertilization practices does not appear to impact
stream pH
pH
Fertilization practices does appear to impact
stream ammonia concentrations
Ammonia
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Notes
Explaining January and February in Ammonia graph
Defining agricultural use
Does non-agricultural use land show similar
trends?
MoreExplorations!
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Sources of Data
First Slide Citation 9 Selected data from
the White River Basin study available for
downloading http//in.water.usgs.gov/nawqa/wr06
000.htm Viewed on June 30, 2003
15 Indiana Agricultural Statistics, Crop and
Weather Reports http//www.nass.usda.gov/in/c
ropwheat/2002.htm Viewed on June 30, 2003
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Sources of Graphics
Slide and Graphic Citation
1-Red barn farm free images to download for your
website http//www.designedtoat.com/farm.shtml
July 3, 2003 2-White barn USGA CIRC 1150
Summery of Findings http//water.usgs.gov/pubs/c
irc/circ1150/nawqa91.2.html July 3,
2003 2-Ammonia tank Personal photo
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Sources of Graphics
Slide and Graphic Citation
9-White River Basin White River Basin
Study http//www-dinind.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/wrnaw
qa.htm July 3, 2003 9-USGS Banner Fixed
station surface-water monitoring
network http//www-dinind.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/wr0
5001.htm July 3, 2003 11-WRBS Sites Fixed
station surface-water monitoring
network http//www-dinind.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/wr0
5001.htm July 3, 2003
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Sources of Graphics
Slide and Graphic Citation
16-Nutrient data Selected nutrientsin surface
water http//in.water.usgs.gov/nawqa/wr06006.ht
m June 30, 2003