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Compost/Erosion Research in Iowa
Entry ID: Iowa_CERDP

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Summary

Abstract: As a follow-up to the Iowa Groundwater Protection Act of 1987,
lawmakers passed further legislation in 1989 to stem the growth of
landfills and improve solid waste management. The new legislation
mandated a 50% reduction (by year 2000) in the amount of solid waste
buried in landfills, and imposed an immediate ban on land filling of
yard and garden wastes.

Ten years later, 76 composting facilities in Iowa divert 350,000 tons
of yard waste, sewage sludge, and industrial organics from landfills
each year. Despite many solid waste management successes during the
past decade, however, 900,000 tons of organics still go into Iowa
landfills each year, making continued growth of organics recycling a
top priority in Iowa. To help expand potential markets for recycled
organics the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of
Transportation, and Iowa State University have joined forces to
evaluate the possible benefits of using composted organics to reduce
erosion and runoff from new or reconstructed roadway embankments and
ditches.

This data collected here is designed to showcase the objectives,
methods, and results of the project. The first round of erosion and
water quality samples were collected during the summer of 2000 and are
currently being analyzed in the laboratory. Further rainfall
simulation studies are planned for the summer of 2001, and summaries
of new project results will be posted here as they become available.

Project Objectives:

Measure and compare the quantity and quality of roadside vegetation
(grasses) grown on conventionally treated roadway foreslopes with
vegetation produced on foreslopes amended with various levels of three
types of composted organics produced in Iowa.

Measure and compare soil characteristics, runoff quantity, and soil
erosion occurring on conventionally-treated roadway foreslopes with
that occurring on foreslopes treated with composted organics.

Use field measurements of soil erosion to calculate interrill and rill
soil erodibility factors that can be used with the USDA Water Erosion
Prediction Program to model and predict the effects of compost.

Currently, some examples are being analyzed,and some observations were
made on the plots. Additional results will be added here soon.

[Summary provided by IOWA State University]

Related URL

Link: VIEW PROJECT HOME PAGE
Description: Compost/Erosion Research and Demonstration Project homepage

Geographic Coverage

N: 44.0 S: 40.0 E: -90.0 W: -97.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Iowa State University
Dataset Title: Using Compost for a Safer Environment
Dataset Release Place: Iowa
Dataset Publisher: IOWA State University
Data Presentation Form: tables

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > IOWA

ISO Topic Category

FARMING
ENVIRONMENT

GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
IMAGERY/BASE MAPS/EARTH COVER
PLANNING CADASTRE

Project

CERDP >Compost/Erosion Research and Demonstration Project [Information]

Keywords

erosion

soil characteristics

soil erodibility factors

soil preservation

Water Erosion Prediction Program

compost

treatment plots

grassed plots

land management

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Originating Center

Iowa State University

Data Center

Department of Natural Resources, Iowa [Information]
Data Center URL: http://www.iowadnr.com/

Data Center Personnel

Name: TODD BOGENSCHUTZ
Phone: 515 432-2823
Fax: 515 432-2835
Contact Address:
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
900 E. Grand
City: Des Moines
Province or State: Iowa
Postal Code: 50319-0034
Country: USA

Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering, Iowa State University [Information]
Data Center URL: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/

Data Center Personnel

Name: SUNDAY TIM
Phone: 515-294-0466
Fax: 515-294-2552
Email: tim at iastate.edu
Contact Address:
Iowa State University
100 Davidson Hall
City: AMES
Province or State: IA
Postal Code: 50011-3080
Country: USA

Department of Transportation, Iowa [Information]
Data Center URL: http://www.dot.state.ia.us/

Data Center Personnel

Name: DATA CENTER CONTACT
Phone: 515-239-1101
Fax: 515-239-1639
Email: jerry.dickinson at dot.state.ia.us
Contact Address:
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
City: Ames
Province or State: Iowa
Postal Code: 50010
Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution_Media: electronic
Fees: no fees

Personnel

TYLER B. STEVENS
Role: DIF AUTHOR
Phone: (301) 614-6898
Fax: 301-614-5268
Email: Tyler.B.Stevens at nasa.gov
Contact Address:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Global Change Master Directory
City: Greenbelt
Province or State: MD
Postal Code: 20771
Country: USA

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2006-11-01

Last DIF Revision Date: 2013-05-13

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