Earth Sciences Commons^™

Fluid Fertilizers, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

Fluid fertilizers are available in a wide range of products to Kentucky farmers. Although the term "liquid fertilizer" is commonly used to describe all fluid fertilizers, in reality the two terms do not imply the exact same meaning. Technically, all fertilizers of fluid consistency which can be transferred by pump are called "fluid f ertilizers11. This is the proper term to use in the broadest sense to describe such materials. There are two general types of fluid fertilizers. One group is called "suspensions" or "slurries", and the other group is referred to as "clear liquids".

Water Relationships Of Kentucky Soils, Ronald E. Phillips, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

Plant water stress is the most limiting single factor in crop production in Kentucky. It almost always occurs sometime during July and/or August even though it's variability makes it hard to predict. Even though the 1979 growing season was an exception to this generalization the 1980 growing season was a vivid reminder of this fact especially in Western Kentucky.

Mathematical Model For Water Quality In Streams Impacted By Point And Nonpoint Source Pollution, Michael E. Meadows

KWRRI Research Reports

Modeling the impacts of stormwater runoff on small streams, requires that the prediction model has the capability of simulating the behavior of the hydrologic and water quality components of the stream system. Development of such a model involves coupling the equations for pollutant transport during unsteady flow with the appropriate flood routing equations. The decision on which equations to choose requires a full understanding of the pollutant transport and hydrograph dispersion processes.

This research was undertaken to develop a rigorous theoretical evaluation of the pollutant transport and hydrograph dispersion processes during unsteady flow, and to recommend a suitable model for …

Field Preparation For Pasture Renovation, Harold B. Rice

Soil Science News and Views

Grassland renovation is the improvement of pasture and hay fields by partial destruction of the sod, plus liming, fertilizing, and seeding as may be required to establish or re-establish desirable forage plants without an intervening crop. In Kentucky, this improvement has been primarily through the seeding of legumes such as clovers and alfalfa into grass sods.

Since liming and fertilizing are essential steps in pasture renovation the FIRST step is to have your soil tested to determine how much lime and plant nutrients to apply. Seedbed preparation will range from none to complete disturbance of the existing sod depending on …

Quality Of Surface Water In Bell County, Kentucky, Robert B. Cook Jr., Reese E. Mallette

Information Circular--KGS

Reconnaissance data for surface waters in Bell County, Kentucky, have been gathered in response to the anticipated need for baseline information related to Federal and State surface-mining regulations. Bell County is particularly well suited for such a study due to past and current coal mining, the widespread distribution of mining and diversity of stratigraphic units affected, the diverse array of both disturbed and undisturbed drainage basins, and the relative ease of access within the county.

Estimated flow rate, temperature, pH, conductivity, and concentration of iron, manganese, and suspended solids were determined for flowing waters collected at 71 scattered sites. Sample …

Fertilizer Recommendations, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Fertilizer recommendations are interpreted from a soil test value. The interpretations are based on field research that compares crop yield to soil test levels and the amount of fertilizer applied. These field studies provide data to compare relative yield of a crop for a measured soil test value and fertilizer recommendations are then calibrated to these soil test values.

Soil Drainage---Effects On Crop Production, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

One of the major physical properties of soil which is important to crop production is drainage through the rooting zone. This characteristic greatly influences aeration in the rooting zone, and the degree of aeration greatly influences several important biochemical reactions of economic importance to crop production.

Conservation Tillage Practices, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

The loss of topsoil from farmlands has become a serious problem in some parts of Kentucky. During the past 20 years, grain crop acreage has tripled. The production of soybeans, which leaves the soil in a condition more susceptible to erosion, has grown from almost none to 1.7 million acres. Much of this increased acreage has come at the expense of soil conserving crops such as hay and pasture on sloping class II and III land with an erosion hazard. Use of large equipment, larger fields, chemical weed control, etc., has added to the scope of the problem with which …

Use Of Annual Legumes As Winter Cover For No-Till Corn, Robert L. Blevins

Soil Science News and Views

Legumes in crop rotations hsve traditionally provided nitrogen for nonlegume crops since the early history of agriculture. When in association with the proper strains of Rhyzobium bacteria, legumes are capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen, which when residues from the legumes decompose, enrich the soil content of nitrogen. Legume cover crops recycle other nutrients, thus reducing leaching losses that often occur in soils during the winter and spring seasons. In addition to these advantages, legume cover crops used with no-tillage corn provide a surface mulch which reduces soil erosion, slows evaporation of soil moisture, increases infiltration of rainfall, and increases soil …

Effects Of Soil Erosion On Productivity, Wilbur Frye

Soil Science News and Views

About 75 percent of Kentucky's agricultural land is sloping enough that potential erosion losses must be considered in its management. In addition to the effect of soil erosion on water pollution is the question of its effect on the productivity of the soil. This is a complex question due to the interactions of the many factors that affect crop growth. Furthermore, the same degree of erosion has a greater adverse effect on some soils than on others. The kind of erosion that has taken place or is taking place is a major factor in making land use decisions for crop …

Delayed Nitrogen Applications On Corn, Grant W. Thomas

Soil Science News and Views

A method of fertilizer application that was standard practice 30 to 50 years ago has become important once again, and for the same reason. When nitrogen fertilizer was expensive and corn was cheap, it was considered prudent to save back some of the nitrogen fertilizer and apply it when the corn was "knee-high." This was thought to be safer because some of the nitrogen added at planting might be lost before the corn was big enough to take advantage of it. The increasing cost of nitrogen fertilizer has made efficient use of this product important again.

Soybean Inoculation, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Well-nodulated soybean plants are needed for most efficient soybean production. Recent research by University of Kentucky Agronomy Department personnel indicated that on Maury soil without N fertilizer, nodulating plant types of Clark 63 variety yielded 8 bushels per acre more than the non-nodulating Clark 63. With application of 125 lbs N per acre to the non-nodulating type only, both types yielded the same, showing the value of good nodulation.

Determination Of Sediment Filtration Efficiency Of Grass Media, David T. Kao

KWRRI Research Reports

Vegetative filters serve the purpose of retarding flow. As a result the sediment carrying power of flowing water in a vegetated channel is greatly reduced and silting takes place along the section where the vegetation is planted.

The mechanism of the filtering action of real or artificial vegetation can be described by a simplified principle, in that a gross reduction of turbulent fluctuation of the fluid is involved. This in turn allows the sediment particles to settle under the force of gravity more readily. In the case of nonsubrnerged flow, solid particles may settle out even faster due to the …

An Environmental Study Of The Origin, Distribution, And Bioaccumulation Of Selenium In Kentucky And Barkley Lakes, B. E. Mcclellan, Kenneth J. Frazer

KWRRI Research Reports

Many samples of water, bottom sediment, and fish were analyzed for toxic metal ion content. The samples were collected from several selected sites along Kentucky and Barkley Lakes as well as the Cumberland River and several sub-impoundments along these aquatic systems. Emphasis was placed on selenium, although several other metal ions were determined. The results showed that there are no serious pollution problems with As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, Sr, Zn, or Zr at any of the sites examined. Actually, none of the trace metals examined even come close to the EPA limits on fish, with the exception …

Ground Driven Powered Tillage, Larry G. Wells, E. M. Smith, D. E. Hammett, H. J. Thompson Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A ground driven powered tillage device is described which utilizes a passive rolling coulter propelled through the soil by a prime mover. The reaction torque imparted by the soil to the coulter is delivered via a torque transfer unit to a powered tillage blade. The tillage blade rotates counter to the direction of the passive rolling coulter and prepares a tilled furrow of some predetermined depth for seed placement and coverage.

Analysis is presented in which the torque developed by a passive rolling coulter engaging the soil is predicted. A relationship is presented for determining the velocity ratio between the …

Bibliography Of The Kentucky Geological Survey, 1839 Through 1978, Kentucky Geological Survey

Information Circular--KGS

It is the hope of the authors that all of the various publications and maps of the Kentucky Geological Survey are included in this bibliography. It is our intent to revise, supplement, and update the publication lists in "Geological Research in Kentucky" by Willard Rouse Jillson (1923).

During its history the Kentucky Geological Survey has suffered losses from two disastrous fires, one at Frankfort in 1929, and a second at Lexington in 1948. Many maps and some of the reports were reprinted after 1948 in Series VIII, but so many of the earlier publications were lost that they are now …

High-Carbonate And Low-Silica Stone In The High Bridge Group (Middle Ordovician), Fayette County, Central Kentucky, Garland R. Dever Jr.

Information Circular--KGS

The High Bridge Group (Middle Ordovician) of central Kentucky, a major source of limestone and dolomite for construction and agricultural stone, is also a potential source of stone for industrial uses requiring carbonate rocks of high chemical purity. Chemical analyses of foot-by-foot samples from a Fayette County core show that several thick zones of high-carbonate and low-silica stone are present in the High Bridge at a minable depth.

Influence Of Nitrogen Fertilization On The Quality And Quantity Of Streamflow From A Forested Watershed, George B. Coltharp, Michael T. Shearer, Everett P. Springer, Robert F. Wittwer

KWRRI Research Reports

This project was designed to determine the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the quality and quantity of streamflow eminating from an eastern hardwood forest watershed. A 40.67 ha watershed, located in mountainous eastern Kentucky, was aerially fertilized in late April 1975. The forest stand was principally oak, hickory, and yellow poplar, 50 - 55 years of age and in a relatively undisturbed condition. A helicopter applied anunonium nitrate at a rate of 504 kg/ha. Because a large part of applied nitrogen fertilizer ends up in the highly mobile nitrate nitrogen.form, this is the principal ion monitored in this study. No …

Effects Of Soil Injection Of Liquid Dairy Manure On The Quality Of Surface Runoff, I. J. Ross, S. Sizemore, J. P. Bowden, C. T. Haan

KWRRI Research Reports

Liquid dairy manure has been injected on the soil contour to depths of 6 and 12 inches and applied to the surface of a Bluegrass sod and a bare tilled soil. Application rates of 9,250 gallons per acre were used. Runoff from 9-foot-square plots which were sprinkled at rates of 2.5 inches per hour on sod and 1.5 inches per hour on bare soil was collected and analyzed for various pollution parameters including COD, N, TS, TSS, pH, DO, and Fecal Coliform. The effects of pollutant yield in the runoff have been determined for various treatments.

Injection of the manure …

Evaluation Of Detention Basins For Controlling Urban Runoff And Sedimentation, C. T. Haan, A. D. Ward

KWRRI Research Reports

This report summarizes the work completed under the research project "Evaluation of Dentention Basins for Controlling Urban Runoff and Sedimentation." The main project accomplishments were:

(1) a demonstration of the desirability of considering systems of urban stormwater detention basins as opposed to individual basin design,

(2) the development of a systems analysis approach for least cost selection of a system of dentention basins for meeting a preset hydrologic objective,

(3) the development of a mathematical, computer-based simulation model of the performance of sediment retention basins,

(4) partial verification of the sediment basin model and

(5) the development of design recommendations …

The Response Of Various Soil Strength Indices To Changing Water Content And Bulk Density, Larry G. Wells, O. Treesuwan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Various soil strength parameters were measured in the laboratory using a bevameter and a recording soil cone penetrometer. Measurements were made at various levels of soil bulk density and water content. Results were discussed in terms of similar published analyses. Two dissimilar methods of predicting vehicular tractive performance were compared and evaluated in terms of potential utility with respect to prediction of soil trafficability.

Predicted And Measured Drainable Porosities For Field Soils, R. W. Skaggs, Larry G. Wells, S. R. Ghate

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Experiments were conducted on large field cores to determine the relationship between drainage volume and water table depth for five soils. The measured drainage volumes were less than predicted from the soil water characteristics for three soils, but were in good agreement for the other two. Drainable porosities were calculated from both theoretical and experimental drainage volume-water table depth relationships by assuming that the unsaturated zone is essentially 'drained to equilibrium, with the water table. The experimental drainable porosities thus obtained were less than predicted.

Drainable porosities for drainage in two-dimensions were calculated from experimental results for one-dimension by assuming …

Simulation Of The Sedimentology Of Sediment Detention Basins, A. J. Ward, C. T. Haan, B. J. Barfield

KWRRI Research Reports

Sediment detention basins are a widely used means of controlling downstream sediment pollution resulting from stripmining and construction activities. A mathematical model for describing the sedimentation characteristics of detention basins has been developed. This model requires as inputs the inflow hydrograph, inflow sediment graph, sediment particle size distribution, detention basin stage-area relationship and detention basin stage-discharge relationship. Based on this information the model routes the water and sediment through the basin. In this routing process the outflow sediment concentration graph, the pattern of sediment deposition in the basin and the sediment trapping efficiency are estimated. Comparison of predicted results with …

Hydrology And Water Quality In The Central Kentucky Karst: Phase 1, James F. Quinlan, Donald R. Rowe

KWRRI Research Reports

Study of springs and cave streams has shown that heavy metal-rich effluent from a wastewater treatment plant can be traced to Hidden River Cave (beneath the city of Horse Cave) and thence 4 to 5 miles north to a group of 39 springs at 14 locations along a 5-mile reach of Green River. Nickel, chromium, copper and zinc in these effluent-bearing springs are in concentrations of as much as 30 times greater than other springs upstream and downstream from this reach, 20 times greater than the Green River, and 60 times greater than in shallow domestic wells between Horse Cave …

Vertical Drainage In Field Cores, Larry G. Wells, R. W. Skaggs

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Stream Channel Improvements On Downstream Floods, Yang H. Huang, Ronald K. Gaynor

KWRRI Research Reports

This report presents a self-calibrating watershed model for predicting the effect of channel improvements on downstream floods. The model is called MOPSET because it is a modified version of OPSET developed several years ago at the University of Kentucky. OPSET is a computerized procedure for determining an optimum set of parameter values by matching synthesized flows with recorded flows. Major modifications include the replacement of the modified Muskingum method of channel routing by a kinematic finite difference method, the division of the watershed into a number of segments, and the inclusion of a storage routing procedure to take care of …

Statistical Models For Precipitation, Z. Govindarajulu, Peter Purdue, Frank Cioch

KWRRI Research Reports

The available data consists of daily rainfall for the past 24 years (1948-1972) for Lexington, Louisville and Paducah. However, for Ashland, the data is available for the period of 40 years (1932-1972). The problem is to find an appropriate family of distributions indexed by a suitable number of parameters that fits the maximum daily rainfall. Further, there might be seasonal variations. The following seasons were considered: (i) Dry Convective season: August 1-0ctober 30; (ii) Early Convective season: May 1-July 31; (iii) Late Convective season: November 1- April 30. After extracting the yearly maximums for each of these seasons (see Appendix …

Hydrodynamic Separation Of Solids From Solid-Liquid Mixtures, Harry J. Sterling Jr., Don J. Wood

KWRRI Research Reports

Several schemes for separating solid pollutants from water flowing in a closed conduit were examined. Separation based on the momentum differential between the solids and liquids and the centrifugal movement of a conveying liquid were both examined under turbulent flow conditions. The study indicated these processes to have limited applications, primarily due to the difficulties in withdrawing a significant fraction of separated flow and the deleterious effects of turbulent mixing. However, utilization of the differential momentum of solid particles and water when flowing laminarly through a pipe was found to be a viable separation scheme. Significant experimental separations (greater than …

Upward Water Movement In Field Cores, Larry G. Wells, R. W. Skaggs

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Sediment Filtering Action Of Grassed Media, Billy J. Barfield, David T. Y. Kao, E. W. Tollner

KWRRI Research Reports

The movement of sediment in non-submerged flow through a rigid grass media was studied experimentally by simulating the media with cylindrical nails. Models of sediment movement were developed from probablistic reasoning and from the use of existing parameters describing total bed material in open channel flow. In the probability analysis, the percent sediment trapped was found to be a power function of the number of potential fall paths, N_f,a particle could make from the surface to the bed while traveling through the filter media. The percent trapped was also found to be an inverse power function of the …