A Watershed Scale Ranking Scheme for Evaluating Impacts of AFOs on Water Quality
Author(s)
Hubbard, Robert K.
Magette, W. L.
Sheridan, J. M.
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Hatcher, Kathryn J.
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Abstract
Nonpoint sources of nitrogen (N) and
phosphorus (P) leaving the agricultural landscape can
cause eutrophication of surface water with associated
degradation of water quality. Land use managers need tools to assist in making informed land use decisions
and prescribing management practices to minimize
potential N and P losses to water resources. A ranking scheme including both management practices and
hydrologic and landscape properties was devised by
Magette for both farm and watershed scale use. The
scheme includes factors and weights for 1) Nutrient
Usage, 2) Condition of Receiving Waters, 3) Ratio of
Land to Water, 4) Farmyard Conditions, 5) Nutrient Application Rates, 6) Nutrient Application Times, 7) Soil Test P, 8) Overland Flow Distance, and 9) Runoff Risk. This paper presents the concepts involved in applying multi-parameter assessments to the landscape and using the assessment results to provide additional
land management information relative to animal feeding
operations (AFOs). The assessments proposed are
intended to be a first step toward providing an objective basis by which to make environmental decisions about
land management, both at the field and watershed level. The paper also presents results of using the ranking system to compare two different watershed subareas
having different intensities of AFOs and compares the
ranking system results with observed water quality
measurements.
Sponsor
Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date
2001-03
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings