Potential for saturated riparian buffers to treat tile drainage among 32 watersheds representing Iowa landscapes

URL https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2020.00129

This study evaluates the potential of saturated riparian buffers (SRBs) to treat nitrate-laden tile drainage in 32 Iowa watersheds using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF). The results show that suitable SRB sites are common, with 30% to 70% of streambank lengths and 15% to 40% of watershed areas above suitable sites capable of diverting tile drainage for nitrate removal. There was no significant difference in SRB suitability among different Iowa landform regions, but SRBs are less applicable for headwater catchments, especially in the extensively tile-drained MLRA 103. The study concludes that SRBs have a substantial potential role in reducing nitrate losses from many tile-drained Midwestern watersheds, though alternative practices are needed to address headwater areas.

_{ACPF HUB is supported through Cooperative Agreement # NR213A750008C007 with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Funding for the development of new tools and capabilities for the ACPF is provided, in part, by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Effects Assessment Project- Watershed Assessment Studies under the ACPF Enhancement Project, NRCS Interagency Agreement # NRC21IRA0010883 with USDA ARS.}