Long-Term Agroecosystem Research in the Central Mississippi River Basin: Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed Flow Data

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 18 - 27
• Main Authors: Baffaut, Claire, Sadler, E. John, Ghidey, Fessehaie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc 2015; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agricultural ecosystems; Agricultural research; agroecosystems; Anthropogenic factors; atmospheric precipitation; claypan soils; Creeks; Cropping systems; Data collection; Discharge; groundwater; Groundwater runoff; Growing season; hydrograph; Hydrologic cycle; Internet; Land use; management systems; monitoring; Networks; overland flow; River basins; Rivers; Runoff; Sorghum; Stream discharge; Stream flow; Streams; Surface flow; Surface runoff; Systems management; tillage; Water quality; Watersheds; Websites; Mississippi River; USA, Mississippi R. basin
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2014.01.0008

Flow monitoring in Goodwater Creek Experimental Watershed started in 1971 at three nested watersheds ranging from 12 to 73 km2. Since then, runoff or stream flow has been measured at 14 plots, three fields, and 12 additional stream sites ranging from 0.0034 to 6067 km2 in the Central Mississippi River Basin. Long-term data sets are important to document the changes resulting from anthropogenic and natural drivers. The data set presented here documents discharge across a range of catchment sizes in an area known for its high runoff potential. It constitutes the flow database of the Central Mississippi River Basin site of the Long-Term Agricultural Research network. Like the other sites of this network, data are accessible through the STEWARDS web interface (www.nrrig.mwa.ars.usda.gov/stewards/stewards.html). Here we (i) describe the data collection methods, (ii) document the data available at plot, field, and watershed scales, and (iii) provide the main characteristics of discharge. General characteristics of discharge per unit area for different cropping system management systems show that in this claypan soil setting, management and tillage of row crop systems do not affect surface flow during the growing season (April–October). Data from fields and stream sites show the dampening of peak flow values and lengthening of storm hydrographs caused by mixed land uses and longer times of concentration. Overall, stream flow accounts for a third of the precipitation, of which 80% is from surface runoff and 20% is from groundwater.