Assessing the impact of vegetative cover within Northeast Arkansas agricultural ditches on sediment and nutrient loads

Ditch systems in Northeast Arkansas drain excess water from Mississippi Delta fields and transport into larger streams. This conveyance system is part of the River drainage basin that feeds sediment nutrients Gulf Mexico. These ditch can be an important component ecosystem services for managing quality because their ability to settle sequester field runoff. Vegetation characteristic these influences nutrient values. study investigated impact vegetation on agricultural ditches. Ten sites across two HUC-8 watersheds were measured weekly three years monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, flow, turbidity, total suspended solids, nutrients, chlorophyll a. Bed bank vegetative coverage qualitatively characterized at each site. Contaminant loading comparisons report upstream - downstream increase all variables, with few exceptions. Sites then grouped based characteristics. Those greater bed had reduced values compared less many parameters. Additionally, parameters higher non-production season production despite similar precipitation discharge year, suggesting a need control measures. helps understand in-stream processes potentially improve regional basis.