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Georgia Water Resources Conference

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Author: Risse, L. Mark × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2000 ×

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 15
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Georgia's water conservation efforts: Cooperative Extension's banner effort

2009-04 , Risse, L. Mark , Bowie, Marie , Davis, Deron , Navarro, Maria

Georgia has been gripped by drought for much of 2007 and 2008. UGA Cooperative Extension selected water conservation as a statewide priority in 2007 and developed educational materials for programming through county extension efforts. The project included components dealing with outdoor water use in conjunction with the Georgia DNR's WaterSmart program, with indoor water use in conjunction with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and a youth component in conjunction with the Georgia 4-H program. This presentation will include an overview of the materials developed as well as a discussion of some of the outputs and evaluations that have been conducted.

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Belted Strand Retention Fabric: An Alternative to Silt Fences for Erosion and Sediment Control

2007-03 , Risse, L. Mark , Thompson, Sidney , Governo, Jason

In this study SiltSaver belted strand retention fence was compared with traditional type C silt fence with the goal of determining if it would be acceptable for use as a sediment barrier in Georgia. ASTM standard methods were used to evaluate flow through and sediment removal efficiency using three different site specific soils. For flow without sediment, there were no statistical differences, although the BSRF showed a slightly higher flow rate than the type C fence that was tested. Flow rates with sediment were generally 30% to 85% lower on the BSRF than the type C fence with the greater differences observed with the finer particle sizes and the double concentration runs. This indicates the influence of the soil particles on the flow rate and may suggest that the sediment trapped behind the fence is controlling the flow rate more than the fence itself. The results from the analysis of the effluent and sediment removal efficiency indicated that the BSRF was more effective at retaining the sediment behind the fence. Both the suspended solids content and the turbidity of the effluent was lower using the BSRF fence material than the Type C fence material for all test conditions. Sediment removal efficiencies for the BSRF were significantly higher for all three tested soils at both the single and double concentration. Additional tests were conducted using variations of the ASTM standard and these tests showed similar trends. Testing also indicated that the design of the supporting apparatus was sufficient for holding the materials. While no testing program can provide results to prove an application will function under all conditions that will be encountered in the field, our testing indicates that the SiltSaver BSRF should be an effective alternative to standard Type C silt fence.

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Well protection solution: new tools for educating individuals on wellhead management

2005-04 , Pagan, Tina W. , Vendrell, Paul F. , Risse, L. Mark

This paper presents the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Drinking Water Team’s new educational tools that teach well owners about wellhead protection and their role in safeguarding groundwater. In addition, it discusses the delivery methods identified to effectively instruct well owners on wellhead maintenance. Ninety-five of Georgia’s rural residents have their drinking water supplied by private water wells. It is critical these wells function properly and are free of pollutants to provide individuals with drinking water and prevent groundwater contamination. To address these issues, the following materials have been developed by the Georgia Extension Drinking Water Team: “Well…What Do You Know: An Introduction to Protecting Your Wells and Drinking Water” DVD/video, “Improving Drinking Water Well Condition” self-assessment, and “Solutions to Drinking Water Problems: A Clearinghouse of Drinking Water Well Information” website.

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Watershed assessment through ecological research/farmers active in research

2003-04 , Franklin, Dorcas H. , Cabrera, Miguel L. , Steiner, Jean L. , Risse, Larry A. , Risse, L. Mark , Hibbs, Henry E.

Producers in the Southern Piedmont graze and manage their lands in a variety of ways across watersheds and across individual farms. These land management practices may have an impact on the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in stream base flow and storm flow. A group of producers, researchers and educators (WATER/FAIR) pulled together to assess stream nutrient concentrations relative to land management practices in two typical Southern Piedmont watersheds. The objective of this paper is to increase awareness of participatory monitoring and of the spatial and temporal distribution of stream nutrients (N & P) at watershed and farm levels. Results showed that dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentrations were highly variable depending on the management system. Stream base flow nitrate concentrations were lower leaving farms than going into farms more than more than 75 percent of the time and were 16 percent lower in 2000 than in 1999. These lower concentrations coming out of farms could suggest that these management systems are not losing nutrients to aquatic systems but rather utilizing them on the farm.

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Phosphorus and Sediment in Headwater Streams Draining Poultry Operations in the Upper Etowah River Basin, Georgia

2007-03 , Romeis, Josh , Jackson, C. Rhett , Radcliffe, David E. , Risse, L. Mark , Bryant, J.

A 1.5-year monitoring program was initiated in January 2005 to support a University of Georgia study aimed at evaluating nutrient trading opportunities for phosphorus (P) in the upper Etowah River basin in Georgia. Twelve first-order streams were instrumented with hydrologic monitoring equipment and automated samplers. Nine streams drain agricultural (AG) watersheds predominated by poultry operations but different in terms of land use history, best management practices, soil test P (STP) concentrations, and other factors. Three streams drain forested (FORS) watersheds. The monitoring program consisted of biweekly grab sampling coupled with stormchasing. From preliminary results, median low-flow and stormflow concentrations of total P (TP) in astreams were 0-1 and 1-3 orders of magnitude greater, respectively, than in FORS streams. The 3 highest median stormflow TP concentrations in AG streams were observed where 3 of the 4 highest STP concentrations were observed. Median low-flow total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in AG streams were 0-1 order of magnitude greater than in forested streams. Median stormflow concentrations of TSS between the two land use types were within the same order of magnitude. Streamflow, STP, event mean concentrations, and other variables may be important for estimating P loads from agricultural watersheds monitored for the study.

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A closer look at southeast regional drinking water wells: identifying problems using a down well camera

2005-04 , Vendrell, Paul , Pagan, Tina , Thom, William , Risse, L. Mark

A majority of Georgia’s rural residents have their drinking water supplied by private water wells. It is critical these wells function properly and are free of pollutants. Over the past year, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service has been using a down well camera to gain a better understanding of private drinking water wells with concerns identified by a drinking water well test. The down well camera captures footage that allows a specialist to check a well’s casing, depth of casing, presence of seepage at joints, and depth to water level that might lead to contamination. Images obtained with the camera identify problems and provide individuals with information necessary to encourage them to repair their well and remove the presence of any potential surface pollutants. The down well camera offers Cooperative Extension Services a way to target the needs of their clientele and educate the public. This presentation will showcase selected video frames captured by the camera.

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Field evaluation of compost and mulches for erosion control

2005-04 , Risse, L. Mark , Faucette, L. Britt , Gaskin, Julia W. , Jordan, Carl F. , Cabrera, Miguel L. , West, Larry T.

Soil erosion is one of the largest contributors to nonpoint source pollution in Georgia. The use of surface applied organic amendments has been shown to reduce runoff and erosion and improve vegetative establishment on degraded soils such as those common to Georgia. In this study, four types of compost blankets, hydroseed, silt fence, and a bare soil (control) were applied in field test plots. Treatments were seeded with common bermuda grass. Simulated rainfall was applied at an average rate equivalent to a 50 yr one-hour storm event, and runoff samples were collected and analyzed for solids as well as runoff quantity. Three simulated rain events were conducted: immediately after treatment application, at vegetation establishment, and at vegetation maturity. In the short term, compost treatments produced significantly less runoff than the hydroseeded and bare soil plots. All treatments proved better than the control at reducing solids loss. Total solids loads were as much as 350% greater from the hydroseeded plots compared to the composts during the first storm and as much as 36 times greater during the second storm. Vegetative growth and nutrient loss data were also evaluated.

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Modeling Phosphorus Loading to Lake Allatoona: Implications for Water Quality Trading

2007-03 , Radcliffe, David E. , Lin, Z. , Risse, L. Mark

Lake Allatoona, a large reservoir north of Atlanta Georgia that drains an area of about 2870 km2, is threatened by excessive algal growth and scheduled for a phosphorus (P) TMDL. In this paper, we use the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) computer model to estimate the total P load to Lake Allatoona during the periods 1992-1996 and 2001-2004. We also use the model to estimate the contribution from different sources in the watershed. The total P load to Lake Allatoona increased by 20% between the two time periods. The contribution from point sources decreased from 30% to 13% of the total load due to permit restrictions on P for poultry processing plants. The largest nonpoint source of P was estimated to be forest land use in 1992-1996 accounting for 31% of the load and urban land use in 2001-2004 accounting for 50% of the load. Poultry/cattle land use accounted for 18% in 1992-1996 and 15% in 2001-2004. The implications for a program to trade P credits are: 1) point sources and poultry/cattle operations account for similar percentages of the current load, 2) urban development accounts for most of the current P load and should be brought into a trading program, 3) poultry processing plants that have not upgraded to better P removal technology might trade their current load to wastewater treatment facilities that accept their wastewater, 4) cattle in streams and row crops are not large sources according to our model, and 5) there is little net loss of P to streams during transport to Lake Allatoona so distance of a source from the lake may not be important in a trading scheme.

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Land use effects on suspended sediment yield in six small Georgia watersheds

2005-04 , Bradshaw, J. Kenneth , Radcliffe, David E. , Lichtenstein, Karin , Bakker, Mark , Jackson, Rhett , Markewitz, Daniel , Risse, L. Mark

In Georgia, over 600 stream segments are scheduled for TMDL development due designated use. Seventy-seven stream segments are listed for excessive sediment. The state does not have quantitative standards for the regulation of sediment concentration. The development of sediment yields using appropriate reference streams with minimum development may be a way to determine what the maximum daily sediment loading should be for impaired streams. This study was initiated to compare water quality in six streams with differing land use. This paper focuses on suspended sediment comparisons among the six streams. Two streams drain areas that are entirely forested and these represent reference streams for the purpose of this study. Two streams drain areas that are predominately agricultural (one dairy and the other a combination of poultry and cattle), and two streams drain areas that are in subdivisions with septic systems. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) and stream stage were measured during base flow and storm flow conditions. Annual sediment and water yields were calculated and for each stream for the years 2003 and 2004. Average SSC ranged from 155 to 720 mg/L and was lowest in one of the forested steams and highest in the dairy stream. Sediment yield ranged from 0.91 to 10.11 Mg/ha/yr and was lowest in one of the forested steams and highest in the dairy stream. In general, the forested streams had the lowest sediment yields, the agricultural watersheds had the highest sediment yields, and the suburban streams were intermediate.

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Using the Georgia P-Index to identify high risk management of poultry litter

2005-04 , Gaskin, Julia W. , Harris, Keith , Cabrera, Miguel L. , Risse, L. Mark

The Georgia P Index was developed as a tool to evaluate the risk of bioavailable P loss in fields under various management practices. We compared the results of the P Index with four years of data from 1.5 m by 4.6 m bermudagrass plots fertilized with poultry litter at 8.9 Mg ha-1 (recommended rate); poultry litter at 17.9 Mg ha-1; composted poultry litter, poultry litter with alum, commercial fertilizer; and a control (no amendments). P Index ratings above 75 indicate high risk where management should be changed. The P Index indicated management changes would be needed for the 17.9 Mg ha-1 treatment during all 4 years, for composted PL during year 4, and for PL with alum during years 3 and 4. The P Index did not indicate management changes were necessary using the recommended rate of 8.9 Mg ha-1 after 4 years of application; however, volume-weighted P concentrations in the 8.9 Mg ha-1 treatment were double the control concentrations during years 3 and 4. The comparison indicates that the P Index does identify high risk management practices under the conditions of this study.

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