Water Balance Modeling for Irrigated and Natural Landscapes in Central Wisconsin

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Project Number:

DNR-201

Other Project Number:

DR07R011

Funding Year:

2007

Contract Period:

7/1/2007 - 6/30/2009

Funding Source:

DNR

Investigator(s) and affiliations:
Birl Lowery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Soil Science;
William L. Bland, University of Wisconsin-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 (WCSP) 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 WCSP.
  3. Measure storm-based groundwater recharge rates under four vegetation types (various irrigated crops, deciduous forest, pine plantation, and natural grasslands) in WCSP, 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.
Project Report:

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