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Analysis of surface water for irrigation in the Big Sunflower River Watershed

Exploitation of groundwater and excess nutrient runoff are major issues plaguing agriculture and streams in the Lower Mississippi River Basin, and increased irrigation intensity has yielded a proportionate increase in water use. Quantifying the use and effects of conservation practices like on-farm water storage (OFWS) systems will justify continued adoption of these practices to mitigate groundwater decline and nutrient runoff. Since 2010, over 795 hectares of surface water storage has been added in the Big Sunflower River Watershed, and analysis of aquifer saturation shows a recent rise in the water table and a decrease in seasonal water table drawdowns. Modeling pre- and post- construction conditions of a small agricultural subwatershed shows little difference in runoff at the watershed outlet after the construction of an OFWS system, but field monitoring and modeling show more water retained within the system and the importance of management to maximize the benefits of conservation practices.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-6086
Date30 April 2021
CreatorsBrock, Meredith Lynn
PublisherScholars Junction
Source SetsMississippi State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceTheses and Dissertations

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