The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the USDA established the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed in Coshocton County in 1935 to search for better farming methods on sloping land. More than 1,000 acres divided into various sized watersheds have been monitored over the years in an attempt to better understand soil-water interactions in this hilly region.
The effort expanded in 1973 when Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) scientists began conducting intensive studies on the storage and movement of water, sediments, chemicals and animal wastes within a watershed. These studies by OARDC animal scientists, agronomists, and agricultural engineers were carried out in conjunction with USDA researchers located at the watershed.
Agronomists study soil and water conservation, tillage systems, and soil properties. Chemical movement in soils has been studied here for a number of years. Perhaps the major contribution of this site has been the detailed understanding of the comparative hydrologies of no-tillage and moldboard- plow based corn production systems. Ohio corn performance trials are also located here. Scientists have also made significant contributions to the body of knowledge regarding cattle feedlot run- off control and the non-point pollution potential of beef cow herds pastured at different stocking rates, varied levels of fertilizer application, and winter pasture management systems.
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