Agricultural Contribution to Water Quality in Southern Minnesota

Location

CSU 202

Start Date

25-4-2005 1:15 PM

End Date

25-4-2005 3:00 PM

Student's Major

Geography

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Changjoo Kim

Mentor's Department

Geography

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Approximately seventeen of the United States' twenty-one water resource regions currently suffer from inadequate surface and groundwater supplies (USGS). There are several factors contributing to this phenomenon; including flooding, soil erosion, sediment accumulation and surface and groundwater pollution. Poorly managed farms in the upper Midwest are a source of increasing pollution to various types of water resources throughout the region. The focus of this research is to provide land users, managers, and planners information relating to cultivated lands, in order to make more educated and timely decisions. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are employed as the primary tool for collecting, analyzing, manipulating, visualizing and finally, monitoring the effects of commercial scale agricultural operations on soil as well as surface and ground water in southern Minnesota. This research considers the natural factors influencing the quality of streams and rivers in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, as well as the effects of agricultural components-varying tillage practices and soil composition. Finally, complimentary analytical methods-aerial photography and remote sensing-are coupled with the GIS to monitor and track changes in water quality.

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Apr 25th, 1:15 PM Apr 25th, 3:00 PM

Agricultural Contribution to Water Quality in Southern Minnesota

CSU 202

Approximately seventeen of the United States' twenty-one water resource regions currently suffer from inadequate surface and groundwater supplies (USGS). There are several factors contributing to this phenomenon; including flooding, soil erosion, sediment accumulation and surface and groundwater pollution. Poorly managed farms in the upper Midwest are a source of increasing pollution to various types of water resources throughout the region. The focus of this research is to provide land users, managers, and planners information relating to cultivated lands, in order to make more educated and timely decisions. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are employed as the primary tool for collecting, analyzing, manipulating, visualizing and finally, monitoring the effects of commercial scale agricultural operations on soil as well as surface and ground water in southern Minnesota. This research considers the natural factors influencing the quality of streams and rivers in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, as well as the effects of agricultural components-varying tillage practices and soil composition. Finally, complimentary analytical methods-aerial photography and remote sensing-are coupled with the GIS to monitor and track changes in water quality.

Recommended Citation

Pelz, Zachary. "Agricultural Contribution to Water Quality in Southern Minnesota." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 25, 2005.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2005/oral-session-G/3