Plant Nutrients in Base Flow of Streams in Southwestern Wisconsin

Abstract

The study covers a two year period in order to determine the plant nutrients in the base flow of southwestern Wisconsin streams. The average base flow from 36 drainage areas covering a total of 643 square miles was 0.360 cu ft/sec sq mi, representing 4.9 in/yr. The annual nutrient losses in base flow were nitrogen, 1.1 lbs/acre; phosphorus, 0.10 lb/acre; and potassium, 1.8 lbs/acre. These losses were only one fourth of those in the 1967 surface runoff from 0.01‐acre plots at the Lancaster Experimental Farm and three Agricultural Research Service watersheds near Fennimore, Wisconsin.