1. Agricultural Engineer Water Quality Specialist
Government’s Role in Water Quality Issues and Concerns for Agriculture in Illinois
Don Pitts
Agricultural Engineer
Water Quality Specialist
Champaign, IL
NRCS USDA
In humid regions, artificial drainage is common and serves serveral purposes. First, drainage allows for field and seed bed preparation and other field operations. Secondly, artificial drainage is an effective means of reducing plant stress due to excessive moisture. The undesireable effects of excessive drainage or drainage that is not controlled includes: reduced water available to plants, the leaching of loss of fertilizer with the drainage water, and increased oxidation of organic matter.
Much of the nation’s water resources are degraded by excessive nutrients. Nutrients are the leading cause (55 percent) of impairment for estuaries and coastal waters, the second leading cause in lakes (32 percent) and rivers (28 percent). Nitrogen from diffuse nonpoint sources is often cited cause of water quality degradation. (T.E. Davenport, USEPA, 1994).
This report will present computer simulations of controlled drainage verses un-controlled drainage using the new DRAINMOD-N model. The objective is to determine the practicality of controlled drainage as a means of reducing nitrate loading from agricultural fields and thus as means of improving regional surface water quality.

2. Historical Perspective on Water Quality and the Role of Government
In the 19th century clean and safe drinking water was not a given
Many communities were established along rivers and streams - for a source of drinking water, power, transportation, etc
Cities also dumped sewage and waste into these rivers and streams
People died of cholera and thyphoid

3. Federal Water Quality Policy
Nation Law Clean Water Act
Safe Drinking Water Act
USDA Policy Regulation
Regulation
NRCS Policy GM 450 & 460, Parts 401

4. Federal Law and Water Quality
Rivers and Harbors Act
limited the dumping of waste
Drinking Water Standards
drinking water standards adopted (limited to coliform bacteria)
Revised Drinking Water Standards
strength to standard on coliform bacteria

5. Federal Law and Water Quality (cont)
Federal Pollution Control Act
provide joint federal and state control (provided funding for local sewage treatment plants)
Water Quality Act
created water quality standards (limited to interstate waters)
Clean Water Act
Safe Drinking Water Act

6. Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Amended in 1972 and is known as the Clean Water Act)
Objective was to restore and maintain the integrity of the Nation’s waters
Authorizes States to establish water quality standards
Established the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Clean Water Act was enacted in It is the bases of much of the legal enforcement of national water quality standards and goals.
The objective of the Clean Water Act was to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters
Clean Water Act authorizes States to establish water quality standards or criteria
It established the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which is the enforcement tool for EPA

7. Federal Water Pollution Control (Clean Water Act - 1972)
“…restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters…”
“...protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provide for recreation in and on the water”
known as fishable/swimmable
Clean Water Act was enacted in It is the bases of much of the legal enforcement of national water quality standards and goals.
The objective of the Clean Water Act was to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters
Clean Water Act authorizes States to establish water quality standards or criteria
It established the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which is the enforcement tool for EPA

8. Federal Safe Drinking Water Act 1974
Set enforceable maximum contaminate levels (MCLs)
Required monitoring and reporting of drinking water
MCL for nitrate is 10 mg/l
Clean Water Act was enacted in It is the bases of much of the legal enforcement of national water quality standards and goals.
The objective of the Clean Water Act was to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters
Clean Water Act authorizes States to establish water quality standards or criteria
It established the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which is the enforcement tool for EPA

9. Primary Agricultural Water Quality Contaminants
Nutrients
N (nitrate) P
Sediments
Pesticides and Heavy Metals
Pathogens
Salts

10. Nutrients of Concern in Illinois
Nitrogen Associated Problems
Drinking water standard
Cultural eutrophication (estuaries)
Phosphorus Associated Problems
Cultural eutrophication (lakes and reservoirs)

11. Nitrate-Nitrogen Concerns
Local
drinking water supplies cannot exceed (10 mg/l)
Regional
stream and reservoirs with elevated nitrate levels are contributing to eutrophication problems
National
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
Although in many areas drainage is essential for economic crop production, the nitrate rich tile flow has produced significant environmental impacts. High nitrate levels endanger public water supplies in some areas. Also studies have suggested that nitrogen enrichment is the main cause of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Tile flow data have shown that a large portion of the total nitrogen load to the Mississippi River is being delivered to surface water from tile drainage systems in the Midwest.
Numerous public water suppliers have had to provide bottled water to at risk population and/or install expensive treatment systems to remove the nitrate.
Regional over 90 percent of Illinois public owned lakes are eutrophic or hyper-eutrophic (IEPA, 2001).
A significant amount of the total N load entering the Mississippi has its source as tile drainage water.

12. Associated with Elevated Nitrate Levels in Drinking Water
Human Health Problems
Associated with Elevated Nitrate
Levels in Drinking Water
Blue Baby Syndrome
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma

13. Locations of elevated nitrate levels in surface water and the distribution of tile-drained soils in Illinois
Much of the nation’s water resources are degraded by excessive nutrients. Nutrients are the leading cause (55 percent) of impairment for estuaries and coastal waters, the second leading cause in lakes (32 percent) and rivers (28 percent). Nitrogen from diffuse nonpoint sources is often cited cause of water quality degradation. (T.E. Davenport, USEPA, 1994).
Nitrate levels in Illinois surface water are very high.
The blue background shows the location of tile drained soils in Illinois. The association between high nitrate levels in surface water and tile drainage is clear.

14. Hydrologic Cycle (with tiles)
While the water drains into the drain pipes, its is simultaneously discharged to the stream through a network of pipes. This section here, shows some important hydrologic processes where the drain meets the stream or the ditch. There is also a significant amount of water drained through the ditch sides through interflow process, all along the ditch. And of course the water that remains undrained, flows as surface runoff towards the streams as well.

15. N - Conclusions Nutrient management: Drainage management:
an important practice to mitigate elevate nitrate levels in ground and surface waters.
Drainage management:
can be an effective tool to lower nitrate levels in surface waters.

16. Phosphorus (P) Is an essential element for plant growth
Fertilizer P inputs have been long recognized as necessary for profitable crop production
Phosphorus in surface water can also increase biological productivity and cause eutrophication.
Phosphorus can enter surface water from a variety of sources including municipal waste, industrial waste, animal feed lots, and runoff from cropland.
This presentation will concentrate on crop land runoff - with 30 million acres of cropland, this is probably the largest source of P to surface water in Illinois.

17. Eutrophication:
Is the loading of dissolved and particulate matter to a water body at rates sufficient to produce high biological production
Has been identified as the main cause of impaired surface water in the U.S.
Is the loading of dissolved and particulate matter to a water body at rates sufficient to produce high biological production and to lead to a decrease in basin volume
Is the natural aging process of lakes brought on by nutrient enrichment.
Eutrophication is generally accelerated by Phosphorus (P) inputs

18. P Levels & Trophic State (source: EPA, 1990)
Oligotrophic (nutrient-poor)
P< mg/l
Mesotrophic (biologically productive)
P = mg/l
Eutrophic (nutrient rich)
P = mg/l
Hypereutrophic (pea-soup)
P > mg/l
Relatively low concentrations of P in surface water can cause eutrophication problems.
Most reservoirs in Illinois have higher P levels that 0.06 mg/l
Assuming P is limiting

19. Phosphorus (TP) Concentrations in Surface Water in Illinois
(Source: IEPA)
The high P levels around Chicago are likely urban point sources.
In much of the rest of the state non-point sources dominate.
Two important variable to explain P loads to surface water is clay content of the soil and the amount of watershed in row crop production.
Manure from livestock production can also be a significant source of P loading.

20. P - Conclusions
Increased soil-P levels lead to increased P loading to surface water
Management of soil-P levels to avoid unnecessary buildup of soil P levels should be an essential part of a program to reduce P loadings to surface water
Bray-1 soil test P of 75 lbs/ac is high!