- Exploring the Relationship Between Soil Health Practices and Water Cycling – Andrea Basche, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Retaining water in the soil is critical to ensure that farmers can take advantage of rainfall when it is in excess and can hold onto it when it is not. In this presentation, the relationship between soil health practices, such as the use of cover crops, and water cycling will be highlighted. The presentation will also highlight research on multiple scales in the state of Nebraska, including on-farm experiments and watershed analyses, demonstrating the potential of soil health practices to improve water and nitrogen cycling, and to reduce the frequency of high-flow water events.
- Connecting Soil Health Practices to Water Quality in Kansas – Emily Nusz, EPA Region 7, and Lena Wang, EPA Office of Research and Development (ORISE)
Nitrogen is an important nutrient for crop yield and quality, but excess nitrogen can leach from fields affecting groundwater and surface water quality. To improve soil nutrient retention, many conservation groups and funding agencies are focused on building soil health in agricultural land. This research seeks to establish a monitoring framework for quantifying the benefits of soil health practices as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method to promote nutrient use-efficiency and protect water supplies that would benefit many small/rural communities. Our research indicates that use of soil health practices may increase nutrient storage and reduce nutrient leaching throughout the winter, thus providing more nutrients in spring for crop growth. This is valuable information for farmers and others working to improve soil health.
Presenters and Moderator
Andrea Basche, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Andrea Basche is an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Her research team focuses on crop practices that offer “continuous roots” in the soil, and the agronomy and resource conservation benefits they offer.
Emily Nusz, EPA Region 7
Emily Nusz is the Clean Water Act Section 319, Nonpoint Source Water Quality Pollution, State Coordinator for the State of Kansas at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7. She works closely with the State of Kansas to implement soil health practices for water quality benefit as a technical advisor and project officer.
Lena Wang, EPA Office of Research and Development (ORISE)
Lena Wang (pronounced Lina Wong) is an ORISE fellow based in EPA ORD’s Pacific Ecological Systems Division focusing on soil science and water quality. She earned a M.S. in Water Resources Sciences from Oregon State University in 2023. She is currently working as an ORISE Fellow with Jana Compton and Renée Brooks to understand how land management may influence nitrate leaching.
Jana Compton, EPA Office of Research and Development – Moderator
Jana Compton is a research ecologist in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. Her research focuses on the connections between nutrient cycling on land and water quality.
