1. Rick Cruse Iowa Water Center Iowa State University The Bioeconomy: Water Quality Implications Presented at: EPA-State Innovation Symposium January 9, 2008

4. Vision  Replace equivalent of 30% of liquid fuels by 2030  Derived dominantly from plant biomass – a renewable resource Perlack, Robert D., Lynn L. Wright, Anthony F. Turnhollow, Robin L. Graham, Bryce J. Stokes, and Donald C. Erbach. 2005. Biomass as a Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: the Technical Feasibility of a Billion-ton Annual Supply. DOE/GO-102005-2135 ORNL/TM-2005/66. Available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/research/.http://www.fs.fed.us/research/ Burton C. English, Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte, Kim Jensen, Chad Hellwinckel, Jamey Menard, Brad Wilson, Roland Roberts, and Marie Walsh. 2006. 25% Renewable Energy for the United States By 2025: Agricultural and Economic Impacts. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Department of Agricultural Economics. http://beag.ag.utk.edu/

5. Future Bioeconomy and Its Impacts on Soil and Water Resources  Plant residues, feedstock for liquid fuels, are renewable  Plant residue production dependent on soil and water resources  Soil resources are not renewable; water is only conditionally renewable  Plant residues required for bioindustry – Plant residues required for soil and water conservation

6. Future Bioeconomy and Its Impacts on Soil and Water Resources  Do we have the scientific knowledge to identify acceptable removal rates?  Can we balance energy needs, financial interests, and soil/water conservation in the bioenergy industry?

7. Soil Erosion Impacts Kazemi, Masoud, L.C. Dumenil, and T.E. Fenton. 1990. Effects of accelerated erosion on corn yields of loess-derived and till-derived soils in Iowa. Final report for Soil Conservation Service, Agreement No. 68-6114-0-8, Des Moines, IA.

8. Primary Water Quality Impairment Components  Nitrogen  Phosphorus  Sediment

9. Nitrogen  Microbial transformations NO 3 -  Mobile N also plant available N  Nitrogen management considerations Soil temperature (microbial activity) Soil temperature (microbial activity) Amount or load Amount or load Crop needs Crop needs

10. NO3-N Concentration in the Raccoon River at Des Moines 0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 1972197719821987199219972002 NO3-N Concentration (mg/L) Annual Max Annual Mean Data provided by Chris Jones Des Moines Water Works

11. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 NO3-N Load (Tons N) 199819992000 200120022003 20042005 20062007 First Quarter NO3-N Load, Raccoon River at Des Moines Data provided by Chris Jones Des Moines Water Works

12. Phosphorus  Water solubility limited  Moves with soil particles  Phosphorus management considerations Soil movement/sediment Soil movement/sediment Soil fertility/P fertilizer applications Soil fertility/P fertilizer applications

13. Sediment  Dependent on soil erosion Rainfall and runoff energy Rainfall and runoff energy Soil surface cover – intercept water energy Soil surface cover – intercept water energy

14. Water Quality Management Goals  Nitrogen Reduce load Reduce load  Phosphorus Limit soil erosion Limit soil erosion Reduce load Reduce load  Sediment Limit soil erosion Limit soil erosion Maintain surface cover Maintain surface cover

15. Residue Impacts on Erosion Residue Cover (%) Erosion - % of Bare 100 0 50 30 % Effect of Residue Cover on Soil Erosion 100% Laflen, J. M., and T. S. Colvin. Effect of crop residue on soil loss from continuous row cropping. Trans. Am. Soc. Agric. Eng. 24(3):605-609. 1981.

16. What is RUSLE Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation A =RKSLCP A = computed average annual soil loss (T/A) R = rainfall factor C = crop management factor Renard, K.G, G. R. Foster, G.A. Weesies, D.K. McCool, and C. C. Yoder. 1997. Predicting Soil Erosion by Water: A Guide to Conservation Pl,anning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). USDA-ARS. Agric. Handbook Number 703.

17. RUSLE Annual ‘C’ Factor As Affected By Residue Removal * * I-FARM © 2003-2007 Ed Van Ouwerkerk Cropping SystemC Perennial Grass or polyculture.02 Continuous Corn Grain only removed.04 Continuous Corn – 75% residue removed.16 Continuous Corn – 95% residue removed.55

18. Recommended N Application  Continuous corn Minnesota – 134 – 174 kg/ha (120 – 155 lb/a) Minnesota – 134 – 174 kg/ha (120 – 155 lb/a) George Rehm, Gyles Randall, and John Lamb. 2006. Nitrogen Guidelines For Corn: Out With The Old, In With The New. Minnesota Crop e-News   Switchgrass New York – 56 – 84 kg/ha (50 – 75 lb/a) Joe Lawrence, Jerry Cherney, Pete Barney, and Quirine Ketterings. 2006. Establishment and Management of Switchgrass. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet No. 20.

19. Recommended N Application   Hybrid Poplar – Based on leaf N concentration. Edward A. Hansen, Daniel A. Netzer, and David N. Tolsted. 1993. Guidelines For Establishing Poplar in the North Central U.S. USDA Forest Service Research note NC-363.   Polyculture 0 - ? ? ? David Tilman, Jason Hill, Clarence Lehman. 2006. Carbon-Negative Biofuels from Low-Input High-Diversity Grassland Biomass. Science. 314:1598-1600.

20. Water Quality Management Goals  Nitrogen Reduce load Reduce load  Phosphorus Limit soil erosion Limit soil erosion Reduce load Reduce load  Sediment Limit soil erosion Limit soil erosion Maintain surface cover Maintain surface cover

21. Water Quality Goals - Possible  Common market for wide range of crops  Multiple purpose, multiple function

22. Challenges and Opportunities To Favorable Water Quality in the Bioenergy Industry 

23. Climate Change & Water Quality  20% precipitation leads to 37% erosion ( Lee et al. 1996)  Runoff 10% - 310% for different Midwest regions ( O’Neal et al. 2005)  Soil loss 33% - 274% for different Midwest regions ( O’Neal et al. 2005) Lee, J.L., D.L. Phillips, and R.F. Dodson. 1996. Sensitivity of the US Corn Belt to climate change and elevated CO2:II. Soil erosion and organic carbon. Agric. Systems 52: 503–521. Monte R. O’Neal, M.A. Nearing, Roel C. Vining, Jane Southworth, and Rebecca A. Pfeifer. 2005.Climate change impacts on soil erosion in Midwest United States with changes in crop management. Catena 61:165-184.

24. Trends in Precipitation

25. Groisman, Pavel Ya., Richard W. Knight, David R. Easterling, Thomas R. Karl, Gabriele C. Hegerl, and Vyacheslav N. Razuvaev. 2005. Trends in intense precipitation in the climate record. J. of Climate. 18:1326-1350.

26. Conversion Process – Impacts Management Practices  Biological – Homogeneous feedstock;  Thermochemical – Mixed feedstock

27. Barriers to a Sustainable Bioeconomy/Water Quality  Land ownership profile  Are soil and water “resources” or are they a form of investment for short term profit?  2006: 39% of Iowa farm land purchases were by investors – not farmers

28. Farmland Ownership – Major Obstacle  HARVESTED FARMLAND - % Rented 1 Iowa – 56% (Cash rent %: 49, 54, 69% - 1982, 1992, 2002 respectively) Iowa – 56% (Cash rent %: 49, 54, 69% - 1982, 1992, 2002 respectively) Illinois – 62% Illinois – 62% Indiana – 58% Indiana – 58%  “Nothing accelerates faster, stops quicker, or corners harder than a rented car” 2 1 http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/volume1/us/st99_2_040_040.pdf http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/volume1/us/st99_2_040_040.pdf 2 Personal Communication – Trevor Price, Anheuser Busch ‘ethanol’ distributor. 2006.

29. Farmland Ownership – Major Obstacle "I think you have to try to be a good steward of the land," said Jerry Peckumn, who farms corn and soybeans on about 2,000 acres he owns or leases near the Iowa community of Jefferson. "But on the other hand, you can't ignore the price of corn." "I think you have to try to be a good steward of the land," said Jerry Peckumn, who farms corn and soybeans on about 2,000 acres he owns or leases near the Iowa community of Jefferson. "But on the other hand, you can't ignore the price of corn." Peckumn grows alfalfa and natural grass on the 220 or so acres he owns, but said he cannot afford to experiment on the land he rents. Peckumn grows alfalfa and natural grass on the 220 or so acres he owns, but said he cannot afford to experiment on the land he rents. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22301669/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22301669/ Corn boom could expand ‘dead zone’ in Gulf. Updated 4:45 p.m. CT, Mon., Dec. 17, 2007

31. Bioeconomy: Water Quality Implications  Can How do we balance energy needs, financial interests, and soil/water preservation in the bioeconomy?