HR: 0800h
AN: H11F-0351    [Abstracts]
TI: Rice Straw Compost as a Soil Amendment for the Reduction of Surface Runoff in Almond Orchards in Glenn County, California
AU: * Coelho, C
EM: ccoelho1@mail.csuchico.edu
AF: CSU Chico, California State University, Chico 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95926
AU: McKinney, M
EM: mmckinney1@mail.csuchico.edu
AF: CSU Chico, California State University, Chico 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95926
AU: Brown, D
EM: dlbrown@csuchico.edu
AF: CSU Chico, California State University, Chico 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95926
AU: Johns, M
EM: MJohns@csuchico.edu
AF: CSU Chico, California State University, Chico 400 West First Street, Chico, CA 95926
AB: Almond production in the Northern Sacramento Valley is dependant on dormant season pesticide application and fertilizers. However, over the past 10 years there has been increased demand from public and regulatory agencies for farmers to reduce the movement of agricultural chemicals into local water sources. Many pesticides of concern have been detected in California watersheds particularly after runoff producing storm events. Two methods of reducing surface runoff into local waterways are to increase orchard soil infiltration rates, and to use riparian buffers to reduce surface flow velocity or runoff that does occur. Organic rice straw compost was applied in an orchard to examine its effect on soil infiltration and runoff. A rainfall simulator was developed capable of producing a 2.54 cm per hour storm and covering an area roughly 3 meter diameter. Runoff and infiltration are being tested from three orchard cells with the compost addition and three orchard cells without. Infiltration and runoff are also being monitored at three plots in a nearby riparian buffer strip. Runoff samples are being analyzed for nutrients, pH, EC and aqueous carbon content.
DE: 1860 Runoff and streamflow
DE: 1871 Surface water quality
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting