A new version of the Nebraska
Phosphorus Index 2005 can make assessment of potential phosphorus
run-off from agricultural land much easier.
A new version of the Nebraska Phosphorus Index 2005 can make assessment of potential phosphorus run-off from agricultural land much easier. The new version has a built-in calculator for estimating sheet and rill erosion, said Charles Wortmann, University of Nebraska-Lincoln nutrient management specialist.
“Most information needed to assess a field with a phosphorus index is easily available to a producer,” Wortmann said. “However, the estimate of sheet and rill erosion is the most important information and relatively difficult to determine.”
The new spreadsheet tool is available to producers, field consultants and others at http://cnmp.unl.edu. Background information and instructions are also available at the Nebraska Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning website.
The erosion calculator was developed by university nutrient management specialists in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The calculator does not require any additional information entry than needed for the previous version of the phosphorus index. It estimates erosion loss in consideration of soil type, slope, rainfall, land use and crop rotation, tillage, crop yields and conservation practice. It is calibrated against the USDA-NRCS RUSLE2 erosion calculator.
