On-Farm Soil Monitoring for Water Resource Protection

1. On-Farm Soil Monitoring for Water Resource Protection WQ-43

2. Feedback • Prefer a PPT presentation (11) • Only skimmed article in class (too fast) • More details; better job of giving the big picture • Both (6) • About the same • Don’t care • Prefer the partner/classroom activity (25) • Easier to discuss/good discussion (multiple) • At our own pace • More efficient • Beneficial • Paid more attention • Partnership was good • More interesting • Not just sitting & listening

3. Table of Contents • Introduction—Soil and water quality • Using the record sheet • On-farm soil monitoring methods and what they indicate 1. Water infiltration rate 2. Earthworm count 3. Soil aggregate stability 4. Penetration compaction 5. Plant and crop residue cover Additional soil quality testing Soil monitoring record sheet Soil quality and soil management resources

4. Introduction Plant and animal life depends on healthy soil Value of improving and protecting soil Essential for water quality

5. Soil Monitoring • To track changes in soil quality • To assess how changes in the field and cropping practices affects the soil • Approaches • Take measurements annually over time • Compare the results to a standard • Late spring and early autumn are generally the best times

6. Water Infiltration Rate Measuring the speed that water is absorbed into the soil: time (in minutes) for 1 inch of water in a 6 inch diameter ring to infiltrate (volume?) Soils with shorter infiltration times have less runoff and retains more moisture Tend to have good pore space and aggregate stability (except some sandy soils) Soils with slow infiltration times are likely compacted or very low in OM

7. Earthworm Count • Optimum soil temperature range: 50 °F – 70 °F • Moisture: soil should be moist, but not fully saturated • Earthworms • Indicate a healthy soil • Cycle nutrients by digesting OM and soil • Rule of thumb: 10 earthworms/dug hole, 1 ft deep x 1 ft wide

8. Soil Aggregate Stabiltiy Test for macro-aggregates (made up of micro-aggregates which are much smaller) Higher scores indicate more stable aggregates Stable aggregates resist disruption by water and provide necessary pore space for water and air exchange Well-aggregated soil is loose and crumbles easily through your fingers

9. Penetration (Compaction) • Soils allowing penetration have adequate pore space and an absence of compacted layers • Substantial resistance indicates soil that is likely compacted • Compacted soils generally have less water infiltration, poorer root development and increased runoff • Do not measure for compaction following tillage • Different soil moistures will cause variable results

10. Plant and Crop Residue Cover The higher the % of plant and residue cover the better the soil is protected (from wind, rain, and direct sunlight) Fields with bare spots or bare soil are at risk of erosion and runoff problems, esp. on slopes Use cover crops, double cropping, inter-cropping, and no-till cropping to increase cover

11. Additional Soil Quality Testing % Organic Matter Humus content Soil food web testing – counts of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and mycorrhizal fungi