A new partnership kicked off in 2018 to study the saturated buffer practice. A saturated buffer connects a drainage tile outlet with an edge-of-field buffer using denitrification and vegetative uptake to remove nutrients from drainage water. The Edge-of Field Partnership includes the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Chapter of the Land Improvement Contractors of America, USDA NRCS, and Southern Illinois University (www.illica.net/2019-saturated-buffer-partnership).
The group will see the first installation in early 2019. The partners plan to establish a new saturated buffer site each year, for five years, in different counties, starting in Moultrie County. By studying sites with a saturated buffer, researchers can develop a better understanding of the benefits of this practice. The partners are working to expand the suite of nutrient loss reduction practices to meet the diverse needs of farmers across Illinois.
