Precision Farming at Old Woman Creek
Old Woman Creek is a tributary of Lake Erie and is home to a rural community with a tradition of farming. Increased polluted runoff from agricultural fields has contributed to the steady decline in the health of Lake Erie. In response to this problem, the Erie Soil and Water Conservation District, in cooperation with the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Huron, Ohio, has been helping farmers implement precision farming and stream bank stabilization projects in the area to help reduce non-point source pollution. This project introduced local farmers to the rapidly evolving technology and equipment associated with precision farming, while giving them information about the chemicals and nutrients polluting local waters.
Initially, ten farmers participated in the precision farming project. Their agricultural fields were gridded, sampled and mapped. Using global positioning equipment to gather local data, field staff collected soil samples from fields and each sample was analyzed for various elements. This information was then used by farmers to develop customized chemical application plans for each field, resulting in a decrease of polluting runoff from the fields into nearby waterways.
As a result of this pilot project, farmers in the watershed have purchased equipment, software and precision farming services from local dealers. This type of farming has allowed these farmers to save time and money by reducing the application of nitrogen fertilizer to agricultural fields without decreasing their crop yields. With the addition of buffer strips along streams to stabilize the stream banks, precision farming has great promise for reducing polluted agricultural runoff entering local bodies of water.