Monitoring edge-of-field surface-water runoff: a three-state pilot project to promote and evaluate a simple, inexpensive, and reliable gauge

This proposed three-state project will test, demonstrate, and promote a promising new system to obtain low-cost, good-quality edge-of-field monitoring data in production agricultural settings within a three-state region that can be used in tiered efforts to develop local knowledge and expertise in water quality management. The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneer Farm, in collaboration with UW-Platteville Engineering, has developed an innovative, low-cost monitoring system that will meet the criteria of interim Code 799 and enable widely-deployed, coordinated edge-of-field monitoring. By eliminating unnecessary features and assembling components in-house, the prototype monitoring system derives the majority of cost savings with minimal sacrifice in accuracy. Despite costing less than one third of conventional systems, features are included to reduce failure rate and maintenance costs, which include a tail-water sensor, backup stage sensors datalogger, power supply, and passive sampler, a flume heater (for accurate snowmelt monitoring), and a larger enclosure for ease of access and use.