Measuring Impact: SWOF’s Role in Water Quality
By Owen Terwilliger, Field Operations Specialist
Water is the lifeblood of agriculture. From irrigating crops to providing drinking water for livestock, its role in food production is undeniable. Ensuring good water quality is essential for sustainable farming, environmental health, and food security. By prioritizing clean water practices, farmers can not only improve the health of their crops and livestock but also contribute to the well-being of ecosystems and local communities.
The Impact of Water Quality on Agriculture
Good water quality brings numerous benefits to farming operations and the environment. When farmers actively manage and protect water resources, the positive impact is widespread:
Quality Crop Yields: Good water quality supports soil structure and fertility. Healthy soils have better water retention and allow more opportunity for plant uptake, creating stronger, higher-yielding crops.
Healthy Livestock: Access to clean water is vital for maintaining livestock health and productivity. Safe, high-quality water reduces the risk of illness in animals, leading to healthier herds and more efficient farming operations.
Balanced Ecosystems: Improving water quality helps protect nearby rivers, lakes, and wetlands. By reducing nutrient runoff, farmers can prevent harmful algal blooms and safeguard aquatic habitats. Cover crops and pollinator habitats encourage pollinators to thrive, which is crucial for biodiversity and optimal crop reproduction.
Community Health and Well-Being: When farms prioritize water quality, the positive effects extend beyond the fields. Clean water contributes to safe drinking water supplies for surrounding communities and reduces the risk of environmental contamination.
Our Water Sampling Process for Enrolled Fields
To ensure the effectiveness of these conservation efforts, regular monitoring of water quality is key. The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund conducts water sampling on subset of enrolled fields from April to September. We monitor these fields for nitrogen and phosphorus losses, through subsurface tile drainage, offering valuable insights for farmers and environmental conservation efforts.
To be eligible for sampling, a field must meet specific criteria:
Single management zone
Only drains one field or area enrolled in SWOF
No surface intakes should be present on the field.
The field must have an accessible tile outlet.
Preparation
The day starts at the office, where sampling supplies are gathered and loaded into the SWOF trucks. This includes equipment for collecting water samples, measuring flow, and recording data. Then we hit the road, as there are several routes across the area with many sampling sites of SWOF enrolled fields.
Sampling
At each site, the sampler walks to the tile outlet, collects a water sample, and uses a stopwatch to record the amount of time it took to collect the given measurement of water. From there, we can measure flow, providing crucial information for further analysis in the lab. Samples are placed in a cooler to maintain their integrity, and the sampler moves on to the next sampling site. The process is repeated throughout the day, capturing a snapshot of water quality at various tile outlets of the SWOF enrolled fields.
Analysis and Reporting
Finally, water samples are taken to the lab where they undergo testing for Nitrate and Phosphorus concentrations. Results are analyzed by an independent third-party service to ensure reliable data. The collected data is compiled and analyzed throughout the sampling season. At the end of September, SWOF prepares comprehensive reports highlighting trends in Nitrate and Phosphorus levels, furthering producer’s knowledge on the movement of nutrients through subsurface flow in each of their fields and offering valuable insights for optimal management.
How Farmers Can Support Water Quality
Farmers play a crucial role in maintaining and improving water quality. By adopting sustainable practices, farmers help ensure the long-term health of their land, water, and surrounding ecosystems. There are several management practices, such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and the implementation of buffer zones between fields and water sources, that can reduce nutrient runoff and improve water retention in soils. And through enrollment in our program, farmers receive payments for adding or scaling their conservation efforts.
In 2023, our enrolled farmers prevented over 2.8 million pounds of nitrogen runoff and more than 150,000 pounds of phosphorus runoff from entering our waterways. As we near the end of the 2024 enrollment season, we're excited to see even greater results. This year, our program is on track to more than double its acre footprint, amplifying our positive impact on both farmers and the environment. If you have any further questions about our water sampling process, please reach out to us at contactus@theoutcomesfund.com.
Owen Terwilliger
Field Operations Specialist
As a Field Operations Specialist, Owen manages the soil and water sampling program. He is instrumental in field compliance checks, which take place in the fall and spring, and he also provides critical support to our Field Team during peak enrollment seasons. Owen graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in environmental science. He enjoys hunting and spending time outdoors.