Calcasieu River Basin Reforestation Water Quality Project

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Calcasieu River Basin Reforestation Water Quality
Project

• A USEPA 319 Project, Contract 554904 between
  The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
  and The LSU Agricultural Center, Louisiana
  Cooperative Extension Service

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Use of Wood Ash/Wood FiberMix to Reduce
Erosionat Reforestation Sites

• Rod Hendrick
• LSU Agricultural Center
• Principal Investigator

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Pine Forests are long term stable environments
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Except during and just after harvesting
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During and following harvest the disturbed soil
is open to erosion
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However, wood fiber residue from paper production
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And wood Ash Residue from Waste to Energy at the
Paper Mill
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When mixed make a Mulch
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That offers good surface protection
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Surface Applications of mulch to Reforestation
Sites Should

• Reduce Erosion
• Reduce plant competition with seedlings
• Improve soil moisture
• Return nutrients to the soil
• Increase available soil phosphorous
• Increase soil organic matter
• Convert a waste to an environmental asset

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In the Calcasieu River Watershed

• Over 80 of the upper basin is forest production
• The soil is low in phosphorous, organic matter,
  calcium and other nutrients
• The soil pH is low
• The soil is sandy and highly erodadable

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The Calcasieu Reforestation Project was designed
to

• Measure the ability of a wood ash/wood fiber
  mixture applied to the surface to
• Reduce soil loss during the planting period
• Improve soil moisture levels during the first
  year after planting
• Increase the availability of soil phosphorous
• Return nutrients to the soil
• Improve seedling survival and growth

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A Recently Harvested Site was Selected at Slagle
in Vernon Parish
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The Experimental Design from the Grant Proposal
and Contract was followed

• Four Treatments were used
• Untreated-Check
• 10 tons of wood ash/wood fiber (11)/ Acre
• 15 tons of wood ash/wood fiber /Acre
• 20 tons of wood ash/wood fiber /Acre
• Each treatment was replicated 3 times in a
  Randomized Block Design

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Plots were laid out and marked
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Plot layout at Slagle
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Weather Postponement

• During soil sampling in February 2000 it was
  realized that with the soil being so dry from 2
  years of drought that a 5 pound hammer was needed
  to get a 3 inch core, that seedling survival
  would be too poor to generate reliable data. The
  decision was made to postpone a year and hope for
  better conditions the next year. LDEQ concurred
  with this decision.

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2001 Study

• January 2001 the plots were relocated and the
  original site used since a suitable fresh site
  could not be located.
• Mulch was mixed and brought to the site.
• A side-throw spreader was located, brought to the
  site and calibrated.

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Mulch being applied with a Knight side discharge
spreader
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Soil Moisture was much improved
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Soil Moisture brings its problems
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The Application Rate was monitored

• 10 tons per acre

• 10 tons per acre soil coverage

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• 15 tons per acre

• 15 tons per acre soil coverage

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• 20 tons per acre

• 20 tons per acre soil coverage

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The mulch sticks where it hits
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Vegetation recovered quickly during 2000
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ISCO Automatic Samplers were installed in the
streams

• Calcasieu River above the test site

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On the Calcasieu above the test site-SW 1
On the Calcasieu River above the test site-SW-1

• Calcasieu River above the test site

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Stream draining the test site-SW2
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Solar collectors and rain gauges were used on
both samplers
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Installing Isco Sampler in lockable box
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Barrel installation with help
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Flume and collection barrel
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Detail of Flume showing water collector

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Without the pipe and anchors the wet sand pushed
the barrels out

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Wet sand tends to flow
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Site 1, 5-30, 2001
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Site 2- May 31, 2001
Site 2, 5-30, 2001
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The ISCOs Samplers were set to collect samples
from 2 inch rains

• Tropical Storm Allison was the first 2 rain

Tropical Storm Allison was the first 2 inch rain.
Site 1, 6-7, 2001
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Site 2, 6-7, 2001
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It proved difficult to collect the samples timely
It proved difficult to collect the samples in
timely manner
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Water Sampling Procedure

• The procedure for collecting water samples from
  the plots was validated as described in the QAPP.
• Collection of samples from the ISCO samplers was
  less involved.
• Samples were refrigerated after collection.

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In plot water collector after rain event
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Tube from flume was drained into barrel
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The lid was removed and barrel contents agitated
with battery powered pump
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Agitating barrel contents to suspend solids and
mix sample
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Collecting sample in 1 liter bottle
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Measuring seedlings in 1/10 Acre
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Flume set after Allison
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Cleaning flume after rain event
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Cleaning collection tube
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Rinsing tube with distilled water
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Cleaned flume
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Data Collection

• Soil and water samples were collected and
  analyzed using methods and procedures approved in
  the QAPP. However, since they were collected
  prior to QAPP approval, they are considered
  preliminary and are shown for information only.

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Vegetation Re-growth continued in 2001