Irrigated mountain hayfields can act as large filtration systems that reduce sediment, phosphorus and other contaminants from runoff, sometimes improving the quality of water flowing back into the environment, Colorado State University research has found.
The findings result from a producer-driven, three-year study by CSU’s Agricultural Water Quality Program in the Yampa, Gunnison and Colorado River basins.
The examination of agricultural impacts on water quality found consistently low nutrient concentrations in runoff from Colorado hayfields — lower than levels warranting concern and sometimes lower than when the water was applied to fields…