Project Number:
DNR-201
Other Project Number:
DR07R011
Funding Year:
2007
Contract Period:
7/1/2007 - 6/30/2009
Funding Source:
DNR
Investigator(s):
PIs:- Birl Lowery, UW-Madison, Dept. of Soil Science
- William L. Bland, UW-Madison, Dept. of Soil Science
Abstract:
Significant decline in the water table in the Wisconsin Central Sand Plain (WCSP) has caused concern over the increase in land area devoted to irrigated agricultural crop production.
Objectives
(1) Conduct a survey of Wisconsin Sand Plains (WSP) crop growers’ current cropping and irrigation practices.
(2) Develop a soil-specific determination of “field capacity” water content for a range of soil types in WSP.
(3) Measure storm-based groundwater recharge rates under four vegetation types (various irrigated crops, deciduous forest, pine plantation, and natural grasslands) in WSP, by direct observation of water table changes.
(4) Modify and apply a one-dimensional soil-plant-atmosphere model to estimate evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge under different vegetation types, using results from objectives 1-3.