ILSOYADVISOR POST

Webinar: Linking BMP and Water Quality Success in Indian Creek Watershed

The Indian Creek Watershed Project is an innovative approach to voluntary adoption of on-farm conservation systems. Chad Watts, executive director with the Conservation Technology Information Center; Sarah Church, Ph.D., postdoctoral research associate at Purdue University; and Ursula Mahl, senior research technician with the University of Notre Dame, provided an overview of the project, what made the project a success and water-quality results.

Key Takeaways:

  • Success takes teamwork
    • Identify a passionate, committed local champion
    • Capitalize on partnerships
    • Engage agricultural retailers
    • Establish common goals and a community approach
    • Ensure sufficient funding for outreach and cost-sharing
    • Network with community members
  • Education and outreach
    • On-farm demonstrations
    • 4R Nutrient Stewardship
  • Successful results
    • BMP area increased from less than 10% of the watershed area to more than 50% between 2010 and 2015
    • Water-quality monitoring showed the majority of annual nitrate loss occurs during elevated flow, with 30 – 60% during a large storm
    • Looking at storms in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to determine fluctuations in nitrate export, the research team found that for similar storms, nitrogen export decreased over time
      • This suggests that adoption of BMPs, especially those that decrease runoff, does decrease nitrogen export

1 CEU in Nutrient Management is available for this webinar. Visit the Certified Crop Adviser website to self-report your credit after viewing the webinar recording.


Illinois Soybean Association
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts while the membership program supports the government relations interests of Illinois soybean farmers at the local, state, and national level through the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG). ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org and www.ilsoygrowers.com.


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