An Introduction to: CARBON CAPTURE FARMING
Transcript of An Introduction to: CARBON CAPTURE FARMING
CARBON CAPTURE FARMINGCARBON CAPTURE FARMINGUSGS R&D Project
in collaboration with CA DWR and many other state partners
An Introduction to:
DATE RECD.
DOCKET09-IEP-1P
May 26 2009
May 26 2009
1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006-10
-5
0
5
10
15
BIOMASS ACCRETION
PROBABLE SUBSIDENCE
YEAR
Land
Sur
face
Cha
nge
(in)
Punch Line
Historic compactionMicrobial oxidation of peat soils dominant causePeat islands subsided up to 25 feet below sea levelOngoing subsidence of a few inches per year
20+ Years of Research on Delta
Subsidence
Continuous Flooding Found to Stop Microbial Oxidation
1997-presentDemonstration Pond
Experiment
Used existing water management infrastructure—siphons and island drainsCreated two 7½ acre wetlandsMaintained constant water levels
West Pond: 10 in. deep
East Pond: 22 in. deep
Leveled Field Site
Flooded and Planted With Tules and Cattails
Site Studies…
Biomass accretionGas Fluxes
Site Studies……
ET MeasurementsDecomposition
Water Budgets Wetland Management
and Dissolved Organic Carbon Characteristics
Net CO2 Sequestered Varied Spatially
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50CarbonCaptureWetland
Delta Corn Crops
Car
bon
Dio
xide
(met
ric to
ns p
er a
cre)
~30TCO2
Highest accretion in dense stands
No accretion in open water
Moderate accretion in shallow pond
East Wetland, Land Surface Elevation
17.2 in
Year1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Land
Sur
face
Ele
vatio
n (in
)
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
Land Surface Accretion
Probable Subsidence
17.2 inches / 8 years = 2.15 inches/year
*
* 2003 - 2005: 3.9 inches/year
And temporally….
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
Prairie ForestMarsh
CarbonCaptureWetland
Delta Corn
Car
bon
Dio
xide
(met
ric to
ns p
er a
cre)
Net CO2 Sequestered by Different Land Uses
Emergent plants shaded water, lowered temp., algal activity, & DOMaximum accretion where water circulation lowRiver water nitrate rich, nitrate and methane emissions decreased along flow paths
→“Sweet spot” where conditions:• retard decomposition• minimal nitrate and methane emissions• high sequestration rates
Observations from Demonstration Ponds
The Research Plan
Characterize specifics of biogeochemical processesTest responses to flow rates, plant communities, sediment amendmentsTest responses across range of estuarine environmental conditionsCalibrate DNDC model to plot conditions
Research Elements
Identify conditions which minimize methyl mercury production and exportCharacterize methyl mercury levels in wetland food chainQuantify formation of dissolved organic matter and offsite transportAssess linkages between manageable wetland conditions and GHG fluxes
Research Elements cont’d
Quantify variability of GHG gas fluxes over time over wetland plots and adjacent landsCalibrate DNDC model to range of Delta conditions
Research Elements, cont’d
Science Designed in Support OfCarbon credit protocolsFarm-scale economic decisionsDelta levee failure risk mitigation Regional-scale economic assessmentsState and federal hazard and recovery programs