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US Projects
Since 1993 Waterborne has worked on a wide variety of innovative projects for the US agrochemical industry and the regulatory community. Whether you need to conduct higher-tier modeling, develop large geospatial datasets, determine the presence of soil features adversely affecting agrochemical fate in the environment, or conduct watershed scale monitoring studies, Waterborne has the expertise you need. Use the links below to learn about some of our recent projects in the US.
Vegetative Filter Ditch Modeling
Washoff of Pyrethroids from Building Material Surfaces
Dispersion and Dissipation of 2,4-D Residues
Ecological Exposure Monitoring
Vegetative Filter Ditch Modeling
Runoff from irrigated crops can carry agrochemicals to surface water bodies. To reduce the amount of agrochemical transport, vegetated agricultural drainage ditches are used to trap the runoff and have been suggested as a best management practice.
Field studies in Yolo County, California demonstrated that vegetated ditches were able to reduce initial agrochemical concentrations by 50 percent in 22 to 169 meters, while nonvegetated ditches required 347 meters to accomplish the same task. In conjunction with these field studies, Waterborne developed the Vegetative Filter Ditch Model (VFDM). The model simulates agrochemical fate and transport from fields through a vegetated ditch. It can be used as a design tool to calculate the optimum dimensions of a vegetated ditch for a particular farm system or as an evaluation tool to predict the efficacy of agrochemical reduction for a ditch of known dimensions.
GeoSTAC
The Geo-Spatial Tools and Access (GeoSTAC) program was initiated by Crop Life America to improve the framework for ecological risk assessments. Using more realistic and standardized spatial data to determine the potential vulnerability of habitat, drinking water sources, and other landscape features is an essential step for structuring this framework.
Waterborne developed the GeoSTAC data from a multitude of sources into a consolidated dataset for use by the agrochemical industry, academia, and government agencies such as USEPA and USDA. The GeoSTAC dataset contains over 50 gigabytes of standardized spatial data with fully documented metadata.
Dispersion and Dissipation of 2,4-D Residues
Water hyacinths and Eurasian water milfoil are two invasive species threatening US waterways and aquatic biodiversity. By using agrochemicals, these invasive can be controlled in an aquatic environment. To better understand the fate of agrochemicals used for invasives, a controlled aquatic dissipation and dispersion study was conducted by Waterborne on behalf of the Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D Research Data.
In this study 2,4-D was applied to Eurasian water milfoil in a lake in Minnesota and to water hyacinths in both lake and river environments in Florida. The Minnesota study required direct injection below the water surface at the rate of 10.8 lbs a.e./acre. The Florida studies required foliar treatment over the surface at a rate of 3.8 lbs a.e./acre. The Task Force also conducted an in situ microcosm study upstream from the St. Johns River study site in Florida. Results of these studies showed rapid dissipation of 2,4-D within and outside the treated areas to levels below the drinking water standard within a short period of time.
Washoff of Pyrethroids from Building Material Surfaces
Urban applications of agrochemicals often include spraying the perimeter of buildings. When it rains, the chemicals on the walls and surrounding hard surfaces may wash off and be available for transport away form the treated area. Little is known, however, about how much washoff can occur. Waterborne conducted a study to examine the potential for washoff from applications of pyrethroids to different external building materials. The study simulated rain events using a laboratory research track sprayer and indoor rainfall simulator.
Cypermethrin formulated as Cynoff® EC Insecticide and Cynoff® WP Insecticide was applied at the maximum label rate to 10 different building material types. Three treated replicate rectangular slabs per type of building material and formulation were then subjected to a one-hour, one-inch-per-hour rainfall event.
Washoff quantified from this study was quantified for both Cynoff® EC and Cynoff® WP Insecticides. Generally more washoff occurred from smooth surfaces such as vinyl and aluminum and less from rough surfaces such as unpainted stucco. A manuscript is in preparation and, once accepted, can be made available upon request.
Ecological Exposure Monitoring
In 2003, Waterborne initiated an ecological exposure monitoring program for an herbicide which continues through 2010. Sampling locations were identified on streams at the outlets of watersheds based on potential herbicide use and watershed characteristics. For each watershed, four-day grab samples were collected during the five-month growing season or autosamplers were used. Monitoring of over 45 corn and sorghum agricultural watersheds in Midwestern and Southeastern states has produced nearly 120 “site years” of land use, water residue, total suspended solids, meteorological, and stream flow data. Results to date show that the study design adequately captured herbicide runoff events following chemical applications for each growing season.
