2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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6/05/2017 | 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | REAL-TIME NITRATE DATA PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO NITRATE-N EXPORT DURING STORMS IN TWO CONTRASTING AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS | 306A

REAL-TIME NITRATE DATA PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO NITRATE-N EXPORT DURING STORMS IN TWO CONTRASTING AGRICULTURAL WATERSHEDS

Accurately estimating watershed nutrient export can be challenging as traditional monitoring approaches using grab samples often underestimate nutrient loads during storms. Continuous nitrate-N sensors offer an opportunity to examine nutrient dynamics on a more resolved temporal scale that could help document benefits of conservation and restoration. We deployed continuous nitrate-N sensors in two agricultural watersheds in northern Indiana where agricultural conservation practices are being adopted at the watershed scale. We used the high-resolution data to evaluate nitrate-N export during storms in the Shatto Ditch (SDW) and Kirkpatrick Ditch Watersheds (KDW). Nitrate-N loads varied with storm size in SDW and increased linearly with storm size until direct runoff was >80% of total flow, yet there was no dilution effect in SDW. In contrast, in KDW, nitrate-N concentrations decreased during large storms suggesting dilution. Despite minimal increase in nitrate-N concentrations with the largest storms in both watersheds, we observed significant increases in nitrate-N loads leaving both watersheds. High-resolution nutrient data will be critical in quantifying the impacts of conservation by improving estimates of nutrient export during critical periods such as storms.

C10 Biogeochemistry
C24 Eutrophication
C10 Biogeochemistry

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Presenters/Authors

Shannon Speir (), University of Notre Dame, sspeir@nd.edu;