Citizen ScienceCitizen Science

Education Combined with Education Combined with Volunteer Soil and Water Volunteer Soil and Water

Testing for Enhanced Testing for Enhanced Natural Resource Natural Resource

StewardshipStewardship

Citizen ScienceCitizen Science

Project Coordinators:Project Coordinators:

Rhonda JankeRhonda Janke, Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry, , Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources, Kansas State and Recreation Resources, Kansas State

UniversityUniversityrrjanke@ksu.edurrjanke@ksu.edu

Rebecca Moscou,Rebecca Moscou, Research Assistant, Dept. of Research Assistant, Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources, Kansas State UniversityResources, Kansas State University

rls5353@ksu.edurls5353@ksu.eduG. Morgan PowellG. Morgan Powell, Dept. of Biological and , Dept. of Biological and

Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State UniversityUniversity

mpowell@bae.ksu.edumpowell@bae.ksu.edu Ted T. CableTed T. Cable, Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry, , Dept. of Horticulture, Forestry,

and Recreation Resourcesand Recreation Resourcestcable@oznet.ksu.edutcable@oznet.ksu.edu    

Citizen ScienceCitizen Science The goals of on-farm soil and The goals of on-farm soil and

water testing are to: water testing are to: 

1. Help individuals know more about their 1. Help individuals know more about their farmfarm or community, and to assist with or community, and to assist with management decisions. management decisions.

2. Identify potential "hot spots" on the 2. Identify potential "hot spots" on the farm orfarm or community; areas that may be community; areas that may be contributingcontributing sediment, fecal coliform (bacteria), sediment, fecal coliform (bacteria), nutrientsnutrients or pesticides to drinking water, or pesticides to drinking water, livestock livestock water sources, or down-stream water sources, or down-stream neighbors.neighbors.

3. Help land owners, farmers and 3. Help land owners, farmers and community community members meet farm stewardship members meet farm stewardship goals.goals.

The key here is education:The key here is education: Learn the basics of soil and water cycling, Learn the basics of soil and water cycling,

how they are linked, sources of potential how they are linked, sources of potential problems.problems.

Learn how to perform soil and water tests, Learn how to perform soil and water tests, how to interpret the results.how to interpret the results.

Learn more about an area of interest – farm Learn more about an area of interest – farm pond, well, community lake, etc.pond, well, community lake, etc.

Learn what to do about a test that indicates a Learn what to do about a test that indicates a potential problem – how to find the source.potential problem – how to find the source.

Learn about cost-share programs, Learn about cost-share programs, best management practices, and best management practices, and structures that can remediate structures that can remediate problems.problems.

Soil and water tests include:Soil and water tests include:

Soil pHSoil pH Soil nitrogenSoil nitrogen Soil phosphorusSoil phosphorus Soil potassiumSoil potassium Humus/organic matterHumus/organic matter TextureTexture Infiltration rate/water Infiltration rate/water

stable aggregatesstable aggregates

Water color, odor, Water color, odor, temperature and pHtemperature and pH

Nitrogen and Nitrogen and phosphorus (soluble)phosphorus (soluble)

Turbidity/transparencyTurbidity/transparency TriazinesTriazines Coliform & Coliform & E. coli E. coli

bacteriabacteria Stream biology/macro-Stream biology/macro-

invertebratesinvertebrates Stream site visual Stream site visual

assessmentassessment

In addition to kit instructions, In addition to kit instructions, fact sheets also include:fact sheets also include:

Data sheetsData sheets Quick data interpretation guideQuick data interpretation guide Sampling methods/how to design a projectSampling methods/how to design a project Teaching guide (especially for home Teaching guide (especially for home

school and independent study students)school and independent study students) More information on how and More information on how and

why to form a stream-team or why to form a stream-team or other community based water other community based water monitoring team.monitoring team.

How it works:How it works:

Initial contact – from publicity, Initial contact – from publicity, referral from Watershed Specialist, referral from Watershed Specialist, other agent.other agent.

Phone visit, site visit, initial classroom Phone visit, site visit, initial classroom presentation or farm instruction.presentation or farm instruction.

We provide kits for pilot projects, but also We provide kits for pilot projects, but also provide information on how to purchase provide information on how to purchase additional kits. We aren’t in the “kit additional kits. We aren’t in the “kit business.”business.”

Follow-up visits as needed, help with Follow-up visits as needed, help with interpretation (blue vs. pink dots), etc.interpretation (blue vs. pink dots), etc.

How they use the data is up to the client.How they use the data is up to the client.

Primary audience focus:Primary audience focus:

Farmers/land ownersFarmers/land owners High school FFA and Vo-ag groupsHigh school FFA and Vo-ag groups Older youth in independent study, Older youth in independent study,

home school, 4-H or other group.home school, 4-H or other group. Adult audiences in interested in Adult audiences in interested in

environmental monitoring.environmental monitoring. Future focus on “train the trainer” Future focus on “train the trainer”

activities with county agents, NRCS activities with county agents, NRCS personnel, others who might interact with personnel, others who might interact with those in our primary audience groups and those in our primary audience groups and pass on the training to them.pass on the training to them.

Some models include:Some models include:

Alabama Water WatchAlabama Water Watch IOWATERIOWATER Others……many new Others……many new

ones each year.ones each year.

One key difference is that we aren’t One key difference is that we aren’t interested (at this point) in centralized data interested (at this point) in centralized data collection, or even supplementing KDHE, collection, or even supplementing KDHE, USGS or other data sets. This is data USGS or other data sets. This is data collected for use by the community group or collected for use by the community group or land owner.land owner.

Previous work:Previous work: Tested the test kits (from 2002-2004) [see Tested the test kits (from 2002-2004) [see

Rodriguez 2004 dissertation] Did lab work and Rodriguez 2004 dissertation] Did lab work and pilot test on 6 farms.pilot test on 6 farms.

Began pilot project with 6 schools in the Maris des Began pilot project with 6 schools in the Maris des Cygnes basin in 2004/2005Cygnes basin in 2004/2005

Currently expanding number of schools (including Currently expanding number of schools (including Western KS), and working with 7+ land owners.Western KS), and working with 7+ land owners.

Recent publication of fact sheets allows us to Recent publication of fact sheets allows us to address the other youth group audience now.address the other youth group audience now.

Began the train-the-trainer work in collaboration Began the train-the-trainer work in collaboration with the Watershed Institute, Kaw Valley Heritage with the Watershed Institute, Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance, KAWS, Melvern Lake Lake Water Quality Alliance, KAWS, Melvern Lake Lake Water Quality Project, and Soil Conservation Commission - with Project, and Soil Conservation Commission - with 2-day workshops in 2005 & 2006.2-day workshops in 2005 & 2006.

Current resources include:Current resources include:

BrochureBrochure Series of 12 Water fact sheets and Series of 12 Water fact sheets and

folderfolder Soon-to-be published companion set Soon-to-be published companion set

of 12 soil fact sheets and folder.of 12 soil fact sheets and folder. Educational poster.Educational poster. Website (in English and Spanish) Website (in English and Spanish)

www.oznet.ksu.edu/kswaterwww.oznet.ksu.edu/kswater

Examples of the kits in use:Examples of the kits in use: Triazine data – Lower Arkansas River Triazine data – Lower Arkansas River

Basin/Newton area. Farmers collaborated with Basin/Newton area. Farmers collaborated with local student for data collection, report, etc….local student for data collection, report, etc….

E. coli data – Herschel George, pond fencing E. coli data – Herschel George, pond fencing studystudy

School project data – diverse set of projects, often School project data – diverse set of projects, often close to the schools.close to the schools.

Rannels Prairie demonstration - KSU study in Rannels Prairie demonstration - KSU study in collaboration with the GLWQP.collaboration with the GLWQP.

Sampling in Uruguay and Paraguay, part of Sampling in Uruguay and Paraguay, part of “Paraguay Partners” grant.“Paraguay Partners” grant.

Farmer data – case studies, confidential for the Farmer data – case studies, confidential for the most part.most part.

Farmstead

Farmstead Map Showing E. Coli samples on tributaries.

Old lots with newly seeded grass

New cattle feeding area

Old feeding area:

New feeding area:

Rannels Prairie – fenced ponds with

tanks.

Hope to also use as a companion in “River Hope to also use as a companion in “River Friendly Farm” program demonstration Friendly Farm” program demonstration

projects – before vs. after examples.projects – before vs. after examples.

Kansas River Friendly Farm

Environmental Assessment

Profitability, Stewardship,

Quality of Life

Questions?Questions?