Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.)....

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Upper Snake Rock Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Conservation Effects Assessment Project Assessment Project Dale Westermann, Dave Dale Westermann, Dave Bjorneberg Bjorneberg , and Nathan Nelson , and Nathan Nelson ARS, NWISRL, Kimberly, ID ARS, NWISRL, Kimberly, ID Twin Falls Canal Co. Twin Falls Canal Co. NRCS, SWCD NRCS, SWCD Univ. Idaho Univ. Idaho ID ID - - DEQ, IDWR DEQ, IDWR Northside Northside Irrigation Co. Irrigation Co.

Transcript of Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.)....

Page 1: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Upper Snake Rock Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Conservation Effects Assessment ProjectAssessment Project

Dale Westermann, Dave Dale Westermann, Dave BjornebergBjorneberg, and Nathan Nelson, and Nathan NelsonARS, NWISRL, Kimberly, IDARS, NWISRL, Kimberly, ID

Twin Falls Canal Co.Twin Falls Canal Co.NRCS, SWCDNRCS, SWCD

Univ. IdahoUniv. IdahoIDID--DEQ, IDWRDEQ, IDWR

NorthsideNorthside Irrigation Co.Irrigation Co.

Page 2: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Upper Snake Rock CEAPUpper Snake Rock CEAP

The Upper Snake Rock Watershed• Extends from Milner Dam

to Bliss (698,580 ha)• Includes the North Side

and Twin Falls Canal Companies

• About 42% is irrigated while 53% is range or forested land

Three year funded NRCS project concentrates on the Twin Falls Irrigated Tract (Oct. 1, 2004-Sept. 30, 2007).

Page 3: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Twin Falls Canal Irrigated TractTwin Falls Canal Irrigated Tract• ~86,000 ha irrigated• Defined hydrogeology• Limited intermittent & perennial streams• Increasing overhead irrigation (~35%)• >50% land impacted by soil erosion• AFOs (small & large)

• Water Quality Issues: cold water biota, salmonidspawning, recreation

• Water Quantity Issues: urban, industrial, salmon recovery (ESA), drought

Page 4: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVESDetermine water and salt balance for irrigation tract. (Salt Balance)Determine effect of conservation practices on surface water quality. (Sub-basins)Calibrate and validate watershed-scale models for irrigated agricultureDevelop & compile a water quality database for the USR

Page 5: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Salt Balance Sites

(Jan. 1, 2005-Dec. 31, 2006)

Page 6: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Water Sample Analysis Water Sample Analysis (Salt balance & Sub(Salt balance & Sub--basins)basins)

• Dissolved NO3, NH4, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Fe, Mn, Zn, S, and Cl

• Total suspended solids• Water pH, EC, Temperature• Total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and Na

Page 7: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Other Data Obtained Other Data Obtained (Salt balance & Sub(Salt balance & Sub--basins)basins)

• Cropping distribution• Conservation practices• Irrigation systems• Irrigation water inflows/outflows• Climate• Soils• Cultural practices

Page 8: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Salt Balance AnalysisSalt Balance Analysis

• Compare findings with salt and water balance data published by Carter in 1970s to determine effect of changes in tract (irrigation systems, sediment ponds, filter strips, PAM, urban development, etc.).

Page 9: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis

• Multiple watershed approach (6)

• Objective: Determine effect of conversion from furrow to sprinkler irrigation on:– Water balance– Sediment and nutrient concentrations– Sediment and nutrient loads

Page 10: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Sub-basins

(2005-2006)

Page 11: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

2005 Sub-Basin Characteristics

Sub-basinSub-basin area (ha)

AFO† within Sub-basin

AFO near Sub-basin

Sediment Basins§ Seeps Major Soil Series

Slope (%)

Perrine Coulee 1 397 0 0 2 No Portneuf Silt Loam 0 to 2

E Coulee 678 0 2 2 Yes Minveno Silt Loam 2 to 8

Twin Falls Coulee 1 1951 (very small) 1 3 No Portneuf Silt Loam 2 to 4

Perrine Coulee 2 510 0 1 2 No Portneuf Silt Loam 0 to 2

Twin Falls Coulee 3 171 0 0 1 No Portneuf Silt Loam 2 to 4

S2 Coulee 793 0 0 4 Yes Portneuf Silt Loam 0 to 2

† Animal Feeding Operations§ Approximate

Page 12: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

2005 Irrigation Practices in Sub2005 Irrigation Practices in Sub--BasinsBasins

0102030405060708090

100

PerrineCoulee 1

E Coulee Twin FallsCoulee 1

PerrineCoulee 2

Twin FallsCoulee 3

S2 Coulee

Subbasin

Rel

ativ

e D

istr

ibut

ion

(%)

SurfaceSprinklerOther

(Summer, 2005)

Page 13: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Sub-Basin Progress• Collected and analyzed samples from

irrigation water and return flow (2005- )• Conducted field surveys to determine

cropping and irrigation practices (2005- )

Page 14: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Out-flow Suspended Sediments Concentrations for Two Selected Sub-basins in 2005

0

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000

3/19 5/8 6/27 8/16 10/5 11/24

Susp

ende

d Se

dim

ent (

mg/

L)

E CouleeS2 Coulee

Sampling Date (2005)

Page 15: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Out-flow Dissolved P Concentrations for Two Selected Sub-basins in 2005

00.050.1

0.150.2

0.250.3

0.350.4

0.450.5

3/19 5/8 6/27 8/16 10/5 11/24Sampling Date (2005)

Diss

olve

d P

(mg/

L)

E CouleeS2 Coulee

Page 16: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

2005 Sub-basins

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80Flow

Wei

ghte

d Su

spen

ded

Sedi

men

t (g/

L)

% Sprinkler Irrigated (2005)April, 2006

Average Inflow = 0.029 g/L

Page 17: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

2005 Sub-basins

0.05

0.07

0.09

0.11

0.13

0.15

0.17

0.19

0.21

0.23

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

% Sprinkler Irrigation (2005)

Flow

Wei

ghte

d D

isso

lved

P (m

g/L)

April, 2006

Average DP Inflow = 0.07 mg/L

Page 18: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Watershed ModelingWatershed Modeling• Objectives

– Calibrate and validate models– Simulate water quality effects of additional

conservation practices– Simulate effects of conservation practice placement

• Models for comparison– SWAT – Soil Water Assessment Tool– AnnAGNPS – Annualized Agricultural Non-Point

Source model– Others

Page 19: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Modeling IssuesModeling Issues

• There is not an accurately digitized map of the canal system, prohibiting accurate sub-basin delineation.

• There is not a current map of irrigation practices for the entire irrigation tract.

• Existing models must be modified for irrigation and irrigation-induced soil erosion processes.

Page 20: Upper Snake Rock Conservation Effects Assessment Project · strips, PAM, urban development, etc.). Sub-basin Monitoring & Analysis • Multiple watershed approach (6) •Objective:Determine

Progress Progress (May 2006)(May 2006)

• Watershed data compilation in process (IDWR, USGS, IWRRI, IDEQ, TFCC)

• First year water, field and spatial data collection finished and analyses underway

• Second year sampling and data collection in process

• Need modeling support