EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM BUFFERS IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED

• Sponsoring Institution: Agricultural Research Service/USDA
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: USDA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0429907
• Project Start Date: Sep 30, 2015
• Project End Date: Sep 29, 2017
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Project Director
KLEINMAN P J

Recipient Organization
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
PENNSYLVANIA,PA 16202

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

60%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

20%

Applied

60%

Developmental

20%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
133	0330	2000	10%
102	0199	2000	10%
112	0210	2050	30%
102	0399	2050	30%
112	0430	2000	10%
133	1610	2050	10%

Knowledge Area
133 - Pollution Prevention and Mitigation; 102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 112 - Watershed Protection and Management;

Subject Of Investigation
0430 - Climate; 0210 - Water resources; 1610 - Pasture; 0199 - Soil and land, general; 0399 - Watersheds and river basins, general; 0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
2050 - Hydrology; 2000 - Chemistry;

Keywords

riparian

buffer

conservation

reserve

program

Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to improve the cost-effectiveness of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)-funded riparian buffers by evaluating the effectiveness of current projects across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and developing strategies to enhance the targeting, implementation, and management of CRP buffers. 1) Evaluate the placement of CRP buffers relative to hydrologic flow pathways. 2) Assess the range of field conditions and services provided by CRP buffer projects in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Project Methods
A combination of field assessment, remote sensing, and watershed modeling will be used to: 1) assess the placement of CRP projects relative to concentrated hydrologic flow pathways that they should be expected to intercept, 2) summarize the range of field conditions and services provided by CRP buffer and grass filter projects, 3) quantify the range of nutrient and sediment reduction benefits of current CRP projects and assess the potential for improved placement of these projects.