Environment and Natural Resources Stewardship: Opportunities and Issues Jim Pease and Matt Helmers

Why are we concerned? Human health – relative to water quality Aquatic life Recreational uses Wildlife habitat There is an ever increasing pressure from society for maintaining and improving our natural resources and specifically water quality

Slide prepared by USDA-National Soil Tilth Lab

Nitrate Export Source: USGS

Issue Areas

Tillage and Nutrient Management Soil and nutrient loss via surface water runoff is a concern Role: Continue educational and demonstration programs on improved tillage and nutrient management (e.g. Iowa Learning Farm) Challenge: This is not a new issue so how do we continue to raise awareness

Subsurface Drainage Extensive agricultural areas in Iowa benefit from subsurface drainage Subsurface drainage water commonly has nitrate-nitrogen concentration in excess of 10 mg/L (ppm) In-field and edge-of-field practices that have the potential to reduce nitrate export are being investigated: –In-field nitrogen management –Wetlands –Subsurface drainage bioreactors –Cropping practices (e.g. cover crops)

Subsurface Drainage and Nitrate Export Role: Continued educational and demonstration programs focused on utilization of best management practices –Education on the challenges to make significant improvement Challenges: Can we make significant improvement without significant land use changes or structural investments (e.g. wetlands)?

Hydrologic Alteration We have greatly altered the hydrology due to land use changes, drainage, stream straightening, etc. In many cases need to focus efforts not only in-field but in the stream due to factors such as stream bank and bed erosion. Role: Facilitate increased understanding of the importance of in-stream issues. –Should be considered in watershed management plans

Watershed Management Increasing numbers of local watershed groups interested and concerned about water quality. Role: Facilitate dialogue about objectives of projects and provide science-based information for groups to consider.

Energy Conservation and Human Housing Energy conservation and human housing issues are important to many stakeholders Do we have resources to be a leader in this area?

Air Quality The issue is emerging in: –Livestock production –Energy generation (harvest, manufacturing)

Air Quality Air quality continues to be an issue because of nuisance concerns, regulations and potential emission restrictions. Proposed legislation incorporates the use of ABE's community assessment model for determining acceptable separation distances for siting of new facilities. The challenge is to work with producers before there is a problem.

Forest 12.8% Urban waste 2.9% Manure 4.1% Grains 5.2% Crop residues 7.6% Soy 6.2% Wheat straw 6.1% Corn stover 19.9% Perennial crops 35.2% From: Billion Ton Vision, DOE & USDA 2005 U.S. biomass inventory: 1.3 billion tons* *Could supply 66% of U.S. transportation fuel

What is ANR’s role in the emerging bioeconomy? Having access to research-based information, what are our responsibilities to our communities, both as citizens and as professionals? Being ISU employees, to what degree do we “cheerlead” ISU’s efforts? How can we partner with researchers to find answers to unanswered questions?

Does Iowa have an adequate supply of ground water? One dairy cow uses about 35 gallons of water a day. One feedlot animal uses about 15 gallons of water a day. One human uses 150 gallons of water a day. A 50 million gallon ethanol plant uses about the same amount of water as a town of 4000 people. One gallon of ethanol is produced using 4+ gallons of water.

Does Iowa have an adequate supply of ground water? FAIR POOR GOOD Iowa DNR – Geological Survey

Will growth in biobased industries affect the quality of surface water? Residue and tillage management Buffers Nitrate-removal wetlands Strategic placement of perennial vegetation Regulation--effluents?

How will biomass production impact biodiversity? Recovery of species past 50 years--impact of CRP Monocultures limit biodiversity –Row-crop acreage –Single species grass crops Soil erosion affects stream quality and aquatic species Careful growth and harvest of cellulosic crops affect –valuable winter cover for wild species –nesting and brood-rearing cover functions

How can resource monitoring impact our future? Citizen-science programs help citizens become knowledgeable and engaged Examples: Iowa NatureMapping, IoWater Lead to community-based environmental protection Keeps people directly involved with the natural world--grows their values

Iowa NatureMapping since 1999 inception: NatureMappers: 1064 Monitoring Sites: 1635 Observations: 62,230 Species: 364, out of 496

How can Iowa NatureMapping* help us in ANR? Implement on-farm monitoring projects Track changes over time Test differences between different land use practices Customize according to community needs *Contact Jason O’Brien,

DISCUSSION