124A journal of soil and water conservation

j o u r n a l o f s o i l a n d w at e r

conservationEditor’s dEskDoes community-supported agriculture support conservation?Mark anderson-wilk, editor

HomE FrontA very good yearcraig a. cox, executive director of the soil and water conservation society

ViEwPointsConservation issues of yesterday, today, and tomorrowMaurice G. cook

Rising to the challenge of Hugh Hammond Bennettdavid sanders

ConsErVationist ProFilEThaler Land and Livestock, Wyoming

in tHE nEwsRunoff from potato farms blamed for fish kills on Canadian islandKathy Birt

ConsErVation in aCtionHeron Lake watershed conservation strip tillage demonstrationMelanie luinenburg

idEas & innoVationsAncient water systems provide lessons for todayMichael Kennth cowan

FEaturEsSoils and runaway global warming: Terra incognitaPhilippe c. Baveye

Strategies for soil conservation in no-tillage and organic farming systemsjohn r. teasdale

tECH transFEr BriEFingIs setting aside highly erodible cropland for carbon storage economically viable?Mark sperow

Changes in carbon storage in inland saline-alkalined wetlandsjunhong Bai

Phosphorus-based management challenges and strategies for poultry farmingandrew n. sharpley, sheri Herron, and tommy daniel

The capacity of forested filter strips to retain sedimentlawrence a. Morris

Evaluation of erosion control methods for storm water qualityl. Britt faucette, jason Governo, carl f. jordan, B. Graeme lockaby, Honorio f. carino, and robin Governo

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On the Coverfall color of paper birch and red

maple in northern wisconsin. Photo by steven Katovich, usda

forest service.

VOLumE 62, NumBER 6

ContEnts

NOVEmBER/DECEmBER 2007

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opportunities exist for improving soil productivity using elements of both organic and no-till systems.

a look at how Canada’s Prince

Edward island is responding to

fish kills.

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Printed on 100% recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.

Predictors of field-scale variation of soil phosphorussheilah c. nolan, joanne l. little, janna P. casson, frank j. Hecker, and Barry M. olson

An integrated economic-hydrologic framework for evaluating environmental effects and cost effectiveness of conservation programs and management practiceswanhong Yang, alain n. rousseau, and Peter Boxall

Can the Soil Conditioning Index be successfully used for semiarid, hot, sandy soils?ted. M. Zobeck

The profitability factor of controlled drainage implementationadela P. nistor and jess lowenberg-deBoer

imPlEmEntation uPdatEModifying erosion control structures for ecological benefitsf. douglas shields jr., Peter c. smiley jr., and charles M. cooper

A model for reducing soil erosion by tillagelorenzo Borselli and dino torri

aPPliEd rEsEarCHThe marginal costs of carbon sequestration: Implications of one greenhouse gas mitigation activityM sperow

Overcoming the challenges of phosphorus-based management in poultry farminga.n. sharpley, s. Herron, and t. daniel

Annual distribution of rainfall erosivity in western Andalusia, southern Spainl. domínguez-romero, j.l. ayuso Muñoz, and a.P. García Marín

Erosion control and storm water quality from straw with PAm, mulch, and compost blankets of varying particle sizesl.B. faucette, j. Governo, c.f. jordan, B.G. lockaby, H.f. carino, and r. Governo

Field-scale variation of soil phosphorus within small Alberta watershedss.c. nolan, j.l. little, j.P. casson, f.j. Hecker, and B.M. olson

An integrated economic-hydrologic modeling framework for the watershed evaluation of beneficial management practicesw. Yang, a.n. rousseau, and P. Boxall

Investigation of Soil Conditioning Index values for Southern High Plains agroecosystemst.M. Zobeck, j. crownover, M. dollar, r.s. van Pelt, v. acosta-Martinez, K.f. Bronson, and d.r. upchurch

Drainage water management impact on farm profitabilitya.P. nistor and j. lowenberg-deBoer

Soil organic carbon contents of two natural inland saline-alkalined wetlands in northeastern Chinaj. Bai, c. Baoshan, w. deng, Z. Yang, Q. wang, and Q. ding

Sediment retention by forested filter strips in the Piedmont of Georgiaw.j. white, l.a. Morris, a.P. Pinho, c.r. jackson, and l.t. west

VolumE 62 (2007) indEx

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Published bySoil and Water ConServation SoCiety945 SW ankeny roadankeny, ia 50023 USaphone 515-289-2331fax 515-289-1227www.swcs.org

exeCUtive direCtorCraig a. Cox

editorMark anderson-Wilk

editorial aSSiStantJacqueline Smith

reSearCh editorJorge delgado, USda agricultural research Service

aSSoCiate editorS Mahdi al-Kaisi, iowa State UniversityFrancisco arriaga, USda agricultural research ServiceJames ascough ii, USda agricultural research ServiceGrant Cardon, Utah State Universityadrian Chappell, University of Salford, Manchester, UKZhibao dong, Chinese academy of SciencesMoustafa elrashidi, USda natural resources

Conservation Serviceali Fares, University of hawaiiBradley King, USda agricultural research ServicePeter Kleinman, USda agricultural research ServiceKokoasse Kpomblekou-a, tuskegee UniversityBirl Lowery, University of Wisconsin–Madisonloretta lynch, University of MarylandMaurice Mausbach, USda natural resources

Conservation Servicelaura M.J. McCann, University of MissouriGuy Mehuys, McGill UniversityKenneth Potter, USda agricultural research ServiceMary Stromberger, Colorado State UniversityJohn White, louisiana State UniversityJohn Williams, USda agricultural research ServiceWanhong yang, University of Guelphted Zobeck, USda agricultural research Service

editorial adviSorS lynn Betts, USda natural resources Conservation

ServiceWarren Busscher, USda agricultural research Service

Board oF direCtorSPeggie James, President & West north Central directordon Wysocki, vice-President & Western directorJean Steiner, Secretary & at large directorira linville, treasurer & South Central directorrobert abercrombie, Southwestern directorashley andrews, Student directorJoseph arbour, Canada directortheo dillaha, Southeastern directorClark Gantzer, at large directorJerry Hatfield, At Large DirectorJames hotaling, northeastern directorMary Miller, northern Plains directorGary Steinhardt, east north Central director

the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation (iSSn 0022-4561) is published bimonthly by the Soil and Water Conservation Society. © 2007 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society. all rights reserved.

For subscriptions or membership, please visit www.swcs.org or call 1-800-the-Soil (1-800-843-7645). PoStMaSter: Send address changes to Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 945 SW ankeny road, ankeny, ia 50023. Periodicals postage paid at ankeny, IA, and additional mailing offices.

Submit comments, contributions, advertising queries, and requests for reprints and permissions to the editor at pubs@swcs.org. articles appearing in the research section have undergone peer review. the Soil and Water Conservation Society assumes no responsibility for statements and opinions expressed by contributors.

JOURNAL OF SOIL AND WATER

CONSERVATION

128A journal of soil and water conservation

YOuR LETTERS

Readers’ forum

NEw MiNDSET NEEDED foR MANAGiNG ouR SoilI recently read Managing Agricultural Landscapes for Environmental Quality and greatly appreciated the insightful articles. But I must say that I read very little about leading a change in managing our soil.

We seem to continue the old mindset of focusing on the loss of the soil particle. We need a new direction that focuses on main-taining the pore space and thus soil health. It is disappointing that the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and soil conservation districts have all kinds of practices/standards such as conservation crop rotaion, cover crops, and residue and tillage management yet we fail to have a standard or at the least a guide-line for soil management. We spend money and time on erosion and poor drainage, etc., but we cannot cost share on soil manage-ment, the practice that would sustain the physical, chemical, and biological funcitons.

We don’t have to be rocket scientists to know we have a problem and don’t need costly equipment to measure compac-tion—ask any farmer who drives fence posts or tills hard/dense worn-out soil. Try driving a metal rod in the soil. If you have difficulty, how do you think the roots feel that are trying to pen-etrate the hard soil?

So my question is, when will we adopt a new mindset and use our tax dollars for the farm bill more effectively?

David FriedmanDirector of the Ocean County Soil Conservation District, New Jersey

ANoThER ChAPTER iN lifE-loNG lEARNiNGThank you for your review of the book Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations. I read the book and found it quite interesting, educational, eye opening, and just a bit alarming. David R. Montgomery sure packed a lot in it. There’s much I wish I had known when I started with the USDA Soil Conservation Service back in 1966. I’m retired now, but although I’m no longer a “fed,” I’m still a conservationist and I’m involved in conservation in other ways now. I’m convinced of the impor-tance of life-long learning.

Many years ago I was introduced to the book Topsoil and Civilization by Vernon Gill Carter and Tom Dale published in 1955 and updated in 1974. After reading that book, it became early “assigned reading” for all new trainees that came to my office. Now, if I had trainees the assigned reading would be Dirt. Both are good, but considering that “soil science” really didn’t become a science until about 100 years ago, Dirt has about twice as many years of research knowledge to call upon.

Of course, we have to thank Walter C. Lowdermilk for his work in the early part of the 20th century for beginning to pull back the shroud and give us a peek at the relationships of civilizations and natural resources over 7,000 years.

Daniel F. KesselringPast president, SWCS Michigan ChapterMarshall, Michigan

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ANSwERS SouGhT foR flooDPlAiN MANAGEMENTYour recent journal issue was exceptional in terms of the information it provided of surface water management.

Our situation with our tributary streams in southeastern Minnesota and the man-agement of their floodplains has been a concern, particularly with the impact of the very severe storms that now seem to occur more frequently. These floodplains in many areas are now no longer pastured and have been taken over by dense invasive wooded vegetation. A question that could be addressed by the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation is, what is the impact on the flow characteristics of these streams, espe-cially as it relates to downstream flooding?

A study on the Coon Creek area of Wisconsin reported by Stan Trimble in Science indicated a widening of the stream channels in the wooded parts of the floodplain. He was looking more at the effects of sedimentation and wasn’t able to address the effects of flooding or flowage from storm events.

My question is, are we seeing an accelerated rate of flowage in these areas because more of these flood waters are now directed to the channel of the floodplain and maybe are somewhat stalled in these dense wooded areas? Is this also causing a “ven-turi effect” where the velocities within the channels are significantly increased and could be more damaging in the way of downstream flooding?

Trimble indicates that there are no or limited federal programs to address this situ-ation because many of these areas are noncropped and are not eligible for any type of program consideration. If these unmanaged floodplains are contributing to a flooding problem, maybe it is time to rethink some of our policies.

George PochRochester, Minnesota

128A journal of soil and water conservation

YOuR LETTERS

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATIONI. Publication Title: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 2. Publication Number: 0282-8800. 3. Filing Date: September 30, 2007. 4. Issue Frequency: Bimonthly (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December). 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: Six (6). 6. Annual Subscription Price: $92. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50023, USA. 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters of General Business Offices of Publisher: 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50023, USA. 9. Full Names and Complete Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Soil and Water Conservation Society, 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50023, USA. Editor: Mark Anderson-Wilk, Soil and Water Conservation Society, 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50023, USA. 10. Owner: Soil and Water Conservation Society, 945 SW Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50023, USA. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning of Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages. or Other Securities: None. 12. Tax Status: The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during preceding 12 months. 13. Publication Title: Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: July/August 2007. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Average no. copies each issue No. copies of single issue during preceding 12 months published nearest to filing dateA. Total No. Copies Printed (net press run) 6,142 6,100B. Paid Circulation 1. Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions 5,312 5,117 2. Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions 0 0 3. Paid Distribution Outside the Mailes Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, 408 368 Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS 4. Paid DIstribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS 0 0C. Total Paid Distribution 5,720 5,485D. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 0 0 1. Outside-County 0 0 2. In-County 0 0 3. Other Classes Mailed Through USPS 0 0E. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 0 0F. Total Distribution 5,720 5,485G. Copies Not Distributed 422 615H. Total 6,142 6,100I. Percent Paid 100% 100%16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: This publication is a general publication. Publication of this statement is required and will be printed in the November/December 2007 issue of this publica-tion. I7. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Mark Anderson-Wilk, Editor, Soil and Water Conservation Society. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

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