Protecting Surface Water with Healthy Soils and Cover Crops

Kansas State University proposes to demonstrate that adoption of cover crop systems will improve soil health, reduce P loss, and protect water quality. Our objectives are to quantify the effects of Cover Crops on: i) surface runoff and P loss, ii) soil health, and iii) temporal trends of near-surface soil moisture. By achieving these objectives, we will identify specific mechanisms by which cover crop integration can reduce runoff, sediment loss, and nutrient loss. We will further demonstrate that improved soil health results in decreased runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss. The data collected through this project will be part of a long-term dataset for edge-of-field water quality monitoring and soil health management systems, thus laying the foundation for long-term demonstrations of cropping system effects on soil health improvement and water quality protection.