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BiorenewablesWatersheds: Boone River Watershed
The Boone River watershed covers over 237,000 ha in six north central Iowa counties and lies within the Des Moines Lobe geologic formation, which is the southern most portion of the central North American Prairie Pothole Region. An extensive network of subsurface tile drains and surface ditches have been installed throughout the watershed, resulting in the elimination of most wetland areas and an intensively cropped landscape. The watershed is dominated by corn and soybean production and is also characterized by intensive livestock production. The watershed was identified by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) as discharging some of the highest nitrogen loads during 2000-2002 among the 68 Iowa watersheds that were analyzed within their statewide nutrient balance study.
Relevant Projects
- 2009-2011: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A Market Feasibility Assessment for a Reverse Auction in the Boone River Watershed. Investigators: C.L. Kling, P.W. Gassman, M. Jha, K. Schilling, C. Wolter, and S. Rabotyagov. Amount: $200,000.
- 2009-10: USEPA. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Development of SWAT Hydrologic Parameters for Specific Iowa Landform Regions. Investigators: M. Buyck, P.W. Gassman, M. Jha, K.E. Schilling, and C.F. Wolter. Amount: $76,797.
- 2006-07: Iowa Farm Bureau, Leopold Center for Sustainable Development, Iowa Soybean Association. Iowa Corn Growers Association. Assessment of Conservation Practices on Agricultural Cropland in Iowa. Investigators: C.L. Kling. P.W. Gassman, M. Jha, H. Feng, and S. Secchi. Amount: $55,000.
- 2006-2007: Prairie Rivers of Iowa RC&D (funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service). Rapid Watershed Assessment for the Boone River Watershed, the Upper Iowa Watershed and the South Skunk Watershed. Investigators: T. Isenhart, C.L. Kling, S. Secchi, M. Tomer, and P.W. Gassman. Amount: $72,500.
- 2005-2008: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Water Resource Degradation in the Boone Watershed: Integrating Stakeholder Knowledge and Preferences with Economic and Watershed Models. Investigators: C.L. Kling, M. Duffy, L. Kurkalova, P.W. Gassman, H. Feng, S. Secchi, and J. Cooper. Amount: $590,000.
- 2004-05: Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Adopting Conservation Practices on Agricultural Cropland in Iowa and Possible Nutrient Standards. Investigators: C.L. Kling, H. Feng, S. Secchi, P.W. Gassman, L. Kurkalova. Amount: $53,360.
Conference/Workshop Proceedings/Presentations
- Gassman, P.W., T. Campbell, M. Jha, and S. Secchi. 2009. Application of SWAT2005 for Potential Biofuel Cropping Systems in the Boone River Watershed in North Central Iowa, United States. Presented at the Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation, University of Bonn, October 28, Bonn, Germany.
- Gassman, P.W., T. Campbell, M. Jha, and S. Secchi. 2009. Application of SWAT2005 for Alternative Cropping Systems in the Boone River Watershed in North Central Iowa, United States. Presented at the Soil and Water Assessment Tool-Southeast Asia (SWAT-SEA) Conference, January 7-8, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
- Gassman, P.W., M. Jha, and S. Mickelson. 2009. Application of the SWAT2005 Alternative Runoff Curve Number Method for the Boone River Watershed in North Central Iowa, United States. Presented at the Soil and Water Assessment Tool-Southeast Asia (SWAT-SEA) Conference, January 7-8, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
- Gassman, P.W., M. Jha, S. Secchi, and C. Kling. 2008. Tile drainage and crop yield issues encountered using SWAT for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. Presented to the Mid-American SWAT Users Group, Jan. 18, St. Paul, MN.
- Gassman, P.W. 2008. Boone River watershed SWAT scenario results. Presented to the Boone River Watershed Association, Jan. 10, Prairie Rivers RC&D (sponsor), Webster City, IA.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, and M. Jha. 2008. Assessment of bioenergy-related scenarios for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. In: Proceedings of the 21st Century Watershed Technology: Improving Water Quality and Environment Conference, March 29-April 3, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Concepción, Chile.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, and M. Jha. 2007. An alternative approach for analyzing wetlands in SWAT for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. In: 4th International SWAT Conference Book of Abtracts, July 3-7, UNESCO-IHE, Institute for Water Education, Delft, Netherlands (http://www.brc.tamus.edu/swat/conf_4th.html; full proceedings forthcoming).
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, and M. Jha. 2007. Boone River watershed SWAT modeling workshop. Presented to the Boone River Watershed Association, Sept. 19, Prairie Rivers RC&D (sponsor), Webster City, IA.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, and M. Jha. 2007. Development of a modeling system for addressing nitrate and other diffuse pollution problems for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. Integrated Environmental Systems Institute, June 25, Cranfield Univ., Cranfield, UK.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, and M. Jha. 2006. Application of SWAT for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. Presented at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual Meeting, July 9-12, Portland, OR. ASABE Paper 062234, St. Joseph, MI.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi and M. Jha. 2007. Alternative wetland analysis approaches with SWAT for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa. In: Watershed Management to Meet Water Quality Standards and TMDLs: 4th Conference Proceedings, pp. 180 (abstract). March 10-14, San Antonio, TX, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, MI.
- Secchi, S. and P.W. Gassman. 2006. CARD efforts in the Boone watershed. Presented to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Dec. 7, Des Moines, IA.
- Secchi, S., L. Kurkalova, C. Kling, J. Cooper, P. Gassman, and M. Jha. 2006. Water resource degradation in the Boone River watershed: Integrating economic and watershed models. In: Managing agricultural landscapes for environmental quality, Strengthening the Science Base: Workshop Program & Abstract Book, pp. 56 (abstract). Oct. 11-13, Kansas City, MO. Soil and Water Conservation Society, Ankeny, IA.
Posters
- Gassman, P.W., C. Tornquist, S. Secchi, T. Campbell, and J. Williams. 2008. Assessment of bioenergy-related scenarios on soil carbon for the Boone River watershed in north central Iowa using Century and EPIC. Presented at the 21st Century Watershed Technology: Improving Water Quality and Environment Conference, March 29-April 3, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Concepción, Chile.
- Gassman, P.W., S. Secchi, M. Jha, L. Kurkalova, T. Campbell, and C.L. Kling. 2008. The Boone River watershed modeling framework: A common land unit (CLU) approach for constructing model simulation scenarios. Presented at the USDA-CSREES National Water Conference: Research, Extension and Education for Water Quality and Quantity, Feb. 3-7, Sparks, NV.