Long-Term Nitrogen Load from the Little River Experimental Watershed on the Coastal Plain of Southwest Georgia

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The USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory initiated flow measurement of the Little River in a 334 km2 area near Tifton, Georgia in the late 1960’s. Monitoring of stream nitrogen concentrations began in 1974 for seven of the eight nested subwatersheds in the area, known as the Little River Experimental Watershed. This paper summarizes the first 30 years of the stream nitrogen record, from 1974-2003. The calculated nitrogen loading data provides insight into the effects of changing land use and agricultural practices, stream-side riparian zones, and climate cycles on nitrogen cycling over the long term in the Southeast Coastal Plain.