Browsing by Subject "Grand Rapids Minnesota"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Beneficial Use of Biosolids from the City of Grand Rapids: A Third-Year Assessment of Its Impact on Shallow Soil Water
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 1998-10) McCarthy, Barbara J; Monson Geerts, Stephen D
    This report, which presents the results of the third year of a three-year study, is part of a project sponsored by the City of Grand Rapids at the North Central Experiment Station (NCES) on the beneficial re-use of biosolids. The project was coordinated by the NCES, with.technical assistance provided by the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI). The overall purpose of the project is to determine if biosolids can be used in a beneficial manner, alone, or in combination with wood ash, in reforestation practices in northern Minnesota. The purpose of this portion of the project is to evaluate the impact of applying biosolids, with and without wood ash, on shallow soil water in the unsaturated zone of a newly reforested area. Biosolids from the City of Grand Rapids were applied by NCES staff on research plots planted with various tree seedlings in the summer of 1995. The biosolids were applied at two rates, 15 and 30 ton/acre, with and without wood ash applied at a single rate of 10 ton/acre. This report presents the results from the third year of the study of soil water monitoring during the summer/fall of 1997. Annual reports were prepared in 1996 (McCarthy and Monson Geerts 1996) and 1997 (McCarthy and Monson Geerts 1997) that summarized the data from the first two years of the project.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Land Application of De-Inking Residue
    (University of Minnesota Duluth, 1996-04) McCarthy, Barbara J; Monson Geerts, Stephen D
    Pulp facilities which recycle office waste paper generate a large amount of waste by-products in the process of producing high-grade pulp. The paper-like substance, called de-inking residue, was evaluated for use as a soil amendment on land used for crop production in northeast Minnesota. Research plots were established in the fall of 1993 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The 10- by 20-foot plots were arranged in a randomized block design with 3 replications consisting of 3 levels of de-inking residue, 3 nitrogen rates, 1 manure rate, and 2 crops commonly produced in the region, for a total of 19 treatment combinations. Thirty-six lysimeters were installed to monitor changes in subsurface water quality. Soils were evaluated to determine impacts of de-inking residue on soil chemical properties. Crop yields and plant nutrient levels were determined in the late summer and early fall of 1994. De-inking residue was not a significant source of plant nutrients and cannot be classified as an Agricultural Liming Material (ALM). De-inking residue had a minimal impact on the chemical properties of soils and on subsurface water quality. The highest alfalfa yields typically occurred with the application of the following treatment combinations: 1) only nitrogen fertilizer, 2) nitrogen fertilizer with manure, 3) nitrogen fertilizer, manure, and 10 ton/acre de-inking residue, 4) 150 lb/acre nitrogen with 10 ton/acre de-inking residue applied in the fall, and 5) 300 lb/acre nitrogen with 10 ton/acre de-inking residue applied in the spring. The highest corn silage yields occurred with the application of the following treatment combinations: 1) no nitrogen, manure, or de-inking residue, applied in the spring, 2) only nitrogen fertilizer, 3) nitrogen fertilizer with manure, 4) spring application of 300 lb/acre nitrogen fertilizer with 10 ton/acre de-inking residue, 5) nitrogen fertilizer, manure and 10 ton/acre de-inking residue, and 6) 150 lb/acre nitrogen with 10 ton/acre de-inking residue applied in the fall. The alfalfa and corn plant analyses indicated that both nutrient and metal levels were within published sufficiency ranges, with few significant differences due to treatment effects.