71st SWCS International Annual Conference July 24-27, 2016 Louisville, KY

1. Conservation
Technology
Information
Center
MIKE SMITH, PROJECT DIRECTOR
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2. History of CTIC
Conservation Tillage Information Center
•Founded in 1982
•Agribusiness leaders & NACD
Bring together people from
all corners of industry,
policy and research
Clearinghouse for
information on
conservation tillage 2

3. History of CTIC
• Conservation TECHNOLOGY
Information Center
1987
Increased demand for information
about how agriculture can address
nonpoint source pollution and other
water quality concerns
- Water nonpoint source pollution
- Air quality issues
- Soil quality
- Economic sustainability &
resilience
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4. Tillage Survey
•CTIC is best known for the Crop
Residue Management (CRM) survey
•Conducted between 1989 and 2004
•Survey estimated crop residue
amounts and tillage at multiple
scales
• National Level
• State Level
• County Level
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5. What We Do
Connect
Champion
Inform
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6. A Public/Private Partnership
Members
Corporations, Institutions (media, commodity groups, conservation organizations, associations),
Individuals
Advisors & Partners
Federal agencies, universities, extension, research institutions
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7. Indian Creek Watershed
Unites Diverse Partners
to Protect Drinking
Water
CHAD WATTS, CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION CENTER

8. Indian Creek Project

9. Illinois Nutrient
Loss Reduction
Strategy

10. Indian Creek Partners
Livingston County
Soil & Water Conservation District
Indian Creek Steering
Committee
Industry Partners and Sponsors

11. Sponsors and Contributors

12. Indian Creek Goals
Provide support to watershed farmers
◦ Social Support
◦ Technical Support
◦ Educational Support
A farmer and community-led watershed conservation effort
Encourage voluntary use of conservation practices and systems on at least
50% of the acres in the watershed
◦ We want to determine if that scale of implementation can make a difference in
water quality

13. 4R Nutrient Stewardship

14. Water Quality Data
Analysis
ANALYSIS DONE BY NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY FROM DATA
COLLECTED BY USGS AND IL EPA.

15. A. Hydrograph
Water Year
10/2009 10/2010 10/2011 10/2012 10/2013 10/2014 10/2015
Discharge(L/s)
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
base flow
direct runoff
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
storm flow
10/1/2009 10/1/2010 10/1/2011 10/1/2012 10/1/2013 10/1/2014 10/1/2015
export(lbNO3
-
-N/day)
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
sensor data
grab sample
Timing of peaks in NO3
- export match peaks in flow
• drought
sensor data improves annual NO3
- export estimates
Flow(L/s)
• NO3
- is leaky 
runoff with water
NO3
- peaks match storm peaks BUT
note dampening of N peak 2013 - 2015

16. 0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
1,000,000
0 91 183 274 365
cummulativewaterexport(L)
Day
fall winter spring summer
2012
2013
2014
2015
Cumulative NO3
- export decreased over time
• Cumulative export
• Add daily export for given day
+ all previous days
• Gradual during base flow
• Periodic sharp during storms
Cumulativeflow(L/s)
1,000,000 –
800,000 –
600,000 –
400,000 –
200,000 –
• Cumulative annual NO3
- export
from 2013 to 2015.
• Flow: Similar for non-drought
years (slight 2013 to 2015).
2015
2014
2013
2013
2014
2015
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
0 91 183 274 365
cummulativeNO3-
(tonsN/year)
Day
fall winter spring summer
CumulativeNO3
-
export(tonsN/year)
1,200 –
1,000 –
800 –
600 –
400 –
200 –
2012
2012

17. Working with Partners
Partners are the one of the keys to success in Indian Creek watershed
◦ SWCD, NRCS and Local partners
◦ State Partners (IL EPA)
◦ Bring technical expertise and relationships with local farmers
NGO Partners
◦ Bring critical principles to the table to help with the project
◦ 4R concept is the basis for our on-farm demonstration program
Industry Partners
◦ Bring products, equipment and best practices to the project that we can use to
implement nutrient strategies

18. Contact CTIC
Chad Watts
Executive Director
watts@ctic.org
765-494-9555
www.ctic.org
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