It's Raining Nitrogen In A Colorado Park. Farmers Can Help Make It Stop
It's May in Rocky Mountain National Park, but on a mountainside 10,829 feet above sea level, snow is falling. It's pelting Jim Cheatham, a biologist with the National Park Service. Shrugging off the cold, Cheatham seizes a teachable moment. This snow, he says, holds more than just water.
"Chances are it's carrying the excess nitrogen we're talking about," says Cheatham.
For the past eight years, the biologist has spent most of his time thinking about how nitrogen pollution is changing the park's forests, wildflowers and alpine lakes. He's also been looking for a way to stop it.
As Cheatham explains, it's not that nitrogen is bad in and of itself. It's that there's too much of it in the park. Think about putting fertilizer, which is basically nitrogen, on your lawn or garden, he said.
"What if you applied that fertilizer — and that's exactly what it is — at that rate — 15 times what's on the label," he says. "Weird things are going to happen."
Weird things are happening in the park's alpine meadows and in the lakes nestled beneath its craggy peaks. Cheatgrass, an invasive weed, is making its way higher and higher into the park, buoyed by extra fertilizer, as are other weeds. Native trees are weakened by the extra nitrogen. Rivers are becoming more acidic.
Cheatham recalled a moment one day when he was driving through the park with his family, in what should have been a relatively pristine alpine environment.
"And I happened to catch what I thought was Canada thistle, you know catch sight of that while driving," said Cheatham. "I stopped, and I panicked."
Those spiky, purple flowers are a highly invasive weed. That thistle isn't supposed to be there. When it is, that means it is crowding out native plants, like wildflowers.
And it gets weirder.
"This past year, for the first time we saw an algal bloom in one of our high mountain lakes," said Cheatham. "Never been seen before, never been documented before."
Scientists are still investigating the links between the algae bloom and nitrogen, said Cheatham. Regardless of if the link is direct, they are sure of one thing: Too much nitrogen is throwing off the park's ecological balance. If nitrogen levels stay high, the park could look completely different in just a few decades.
After he saw that invasive thistle, Cheatham called out what he called a "SWAT team" of biologists who attacked and removed the weed. A better solution, though, would be to stop the extra nitrogen from getting to the park in the first place.
That's where Jon Slutsky comes in. He's a dairy farmer in Wellington, Colo., about 50 miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Slutsky admits that at first it's hard to make a connection between a dairy farm on Colorado's Eastern Plains and biological weirding in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Yet strange as it might seem, farmers on the plains are responsible for a significant amount of the extra nitrogen that's falling in the park, as rain, or snow.
Other sources include automobiles, oil and gas operations, and other industrial activities from within Colorado. Some nitrogen comes from as far away as California, Nevada, Nebraska and Iowa, according to a 2009 report. Spurred by a 2004 petition from Trout Unlimited and the Environmental Defense Fund, the Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment began to focus on reducing nitrogen in the park.
Pointing at a corral where a few of his 1,500 dairy cows were chowing down, Slutsky says this is where the problem starts.
"Ammonia is created out in the corrals — the cows are designed so perfectly, they provide everything — so the urine hits the ground and it creates ammonia," Slutsky says.
Ammonia, which contains nitrogen, can come from a cow urine and manure reacting with the air. Ammonia is a gas, and it can be transformed into another type of particle, ammonium nitrate, that is small and easily carried on the wind.
Normally, wind comes from the west. So most of the nitrogen created at dairies like Slutsky's, and other farms, is carried to places like Nebraska. A few times a year, though, the winds change.
"Not real often. But on occasion they do. Maybe a dozen times a year," says Slutsky.
When that happens, the nitrogen gets carried up into the park. If it rains or snows, it falls on the park, providing fertilizer for weeds like Canada thistle and stressing out the park's ecosystem.
Neither Cheatham nor cattle feedlot owners want this to happen. That's why the Park Service and other federal agencies are partnering with groups of Front Range farmers to use a novel alert system.
Slutsky and around 50 other farmers signed up for a voluntary program where they get an alert when the winds are blowing the wrong way, from the east, and a system is likely to move in and rain nitrogen down on the park.
The alert tells them how long the weather system will last, often two days or less. In response, the farmers can implement conservation practices that keep nitrogen out of the air. Slutsky might decide to move manure another day. Another farmer might postpone a fertilizer application.
Texas A&M University professor Brock Faulkner is a consultant for the project, which went through a trial run in 2014, sending out 10 warnings to Eastern Plains farmers.
"If we could shift the timing of those practices so that those emissions occur at a time when they're less likely to cause detrimental environmental impacts, that would be fantastic," says Faulkner.
Participants ironed out the kinks and showed that the alert system functioned. Faulkner said during the trial run, at least 60 percent of the farmers notified were willing to change their practices to avoid releasing more nitrogen.
While nitrogen levels haven't started declining in the park, Cheatham says they have stopped increasing.
Farmers hope it works. As Slutsky says, they're doing it because they want to, but also to avoid future regulations: "We all either have either the hammer over or our conscience or both."
It's not just Rocky Mountain National Park that could benefit.
If this type of voluntary program works, it could be a model for other places where pollution from agriculture has caused problems, like the Gulf of Mexico or Lake Erie.
Luke Runyon and Stephanie Paige Ogburn report from Colorado for KUNC and Harvest Public Media, a public radio reporting collaboration that focuses on agriculture and food production issues.
Copyright 2020 KUNC. To see more, visit KUNC.
Mvua ya Nitrojeni Inanyesha Katika Hifadhi ya Colorado. Mwezi Mei umefika katika Mbuga ya Taifa ya Rocky Mountain, lakini kwenye mteremko wa mlima unaopanda kwa futi 10,829 juu ya usawa wa bahari, theluji inashuka. Jim Cheatham, mwanabiolojia wa Shirika la Hifadhi za Taifa Akipinga baridi, Cheatham anatumia wakati huo kufundisha. Anasema kwamba theluji hiyo ina mengi zaidi ya maji tu. "Inawezekana kwamba ni kubeba nitrojeni ziada sisi ni kuzungumza juu ya", anasema Cheatham. Kwa miaka minane iliyopita, mwanabiolojia huyo ametumia muda wake mwingi akifikiria jinsi uchafuzi wa nitrojeni unavyoathiri misitu, maua ya porini na maziwa ya milimani. Pia amekuwa akitafuta njia ya kuizuia. Cheatham anaeleza kwamba hakuna kitu chochote ambacho nitrojeni inaweza kufanya kwa ajili ya afya ya binadamu. Ni kwamba kuna mengi sana ya hayo katika bustani. "Kama vile unavyotumia mbolea, nitrojeni, na nitrojeni kwenye bustani yako, ""alisema." "Kama ungetumia mbolea hiyo na hiyo ndiyo, kwa kiwango hicho, mara 15 ya kile kilicho kwenye lebo, ""alisema." "Vitu visivyo vya kawaida vitatokea". Mambo ya ajabu yanatokea katika nyasi za milimani za mbuga hiyo na katika maziwa yaliyo chini ya vilele vyake vyenye miamba. Mimea ya cheatgrass, ambayo ni magugu yenye kuvamia, inaendelea kuingia juu zaidi na zaidi katika mbuga hiyo, ikitegemezwa na mbolea za ziada, kama vile magugu mengine. Miti ya asili hupunguzwa nguvu na nitrojeni ya ziada. Mito inakuwa na asidi zaidi. Cheatham alikumbuka wakati mmoja alipokuwa akisafiri kwa gari kupitia mbuga hiyo pamoja na familia yake, katika mazingira ambayo yangepaswa kuwa safi sana. "Na mimi ilitokea kukamata nini nilidhani ilikuwa Canada thistle, unajua kukamata sight ya kwamba wakati wa kuendesha gari, "alisema Cheatham. "Nilisimama, na nikaogopa sana". Maua hayo yenye miiba na ya zambarau ni magugu yenye kuambukiza sana. Mti huo haupaswi kuwa hapo. Wakati huo, hilo lamaanisha kwamba mimea ya asili, kama vile maua ya mwituni, inazidi kuongezeka. Na inakuwa ya ajabu zaidi. "Mwaka huu uliopita, kwa mara ya kwanza tuliona maua ya mwani katika mojawapo ya maziwa yetu ya milimani", akasema Cheatham. "Hijawahi kuonekana kabla, haijawahi kuandikwa kabla". Wanasayansi bado wanachunguza uhusiano kati ya maua ya mwani na nitrojeni, akasema Cheatham. Hata hivyo, hata kama kuna uhusiano wa moja kwa moja, wana uhakika wa jambo moja: Nitrojeni nyingi kupita kiasi inaharibu usawa wa ikolojia wa mbuga hiyo. Ikiwa viwango vya nitrojeni vitabaki kuwa vya juu, mbuga hiyo inaweza kuonekana tofauti kabisa katika miongo michache tu. Baada ya kuona mti huo wenye kuambukiza, Cheatham aliita kile alichokiita "timu ya SWAT" ya wanabiolojia ambao walishambulia na kuondoa magugu hayo. Hata hivyo, suluhisho bora lingekuwa kuzuia nitrojeni ya ziada isiingie kwenye mbuga hiyo. Hapa ndipo Jon Slutsky anapoingia. Mkulima wa maziwa huko Wellington, Colorado, karibu maili 50 mashariki mwa Mbuga ya Kitaifa ya Rocky Mountain. Slutsky anakiri kwamba mwanzoni ni vigumu kufanya uhusiano kati ya shamba la maziwa katika Colorado ya Mashariki Plains na biological weirding katika Rocky Mountain National Park. Hata hivyo, kwa kushangaza, wakulima katika nyanda ni wajibu kwa kiasi kikubwa cha nitrojeni ya ziada ambayo ni kuanguka katika Hifadhi, kama mvua au theluji. Vyanzo vingine ni pamoja na magari, shughuli za mafuta na gesi, na shughuli nyingine za viwanda kutoka ndani ya Colorado. Nyota hiyo inapatikana katika maeneo ya mbali kama vile California, Nevada, Nebraska na Iowa, kulingana na ripoti ya mwaka 2009. Kwa kuchochewa na ombi la mwaka 2004 kutoka kwa Trout Unlimited na Mfuko wa Ulinzi wa Mazingira, Huduma ya Hifadhi, Shirika la Ulinzi wa Mazingira la Marekani na Idara ya Afya ya Umma na Mazingira ya Colorado ilianza kuzingatia kupunguza nitrojeni katika Hifadhi ya Hifadhi. Slutsky, akionyesha kwenye ghala ambapo baadhi ya ng'ombe zake 1,500 walikuwa wakila, anasema kwamba tatizo linaanza hapo. "Amonia hutengenezwa nje katika korali - ng'ombe zimebuniwa kikamilifu, hutoa kila kitu - kwa hivyo mkojo hupiga ardhi na hutengeneza amonia", Slutsky anasema. Amonia, ambayo ina nitrojeni, yaweza kutokea kutokana na mkojo wa ng'ombe na mbolea inayoshirikiana na hewa. Amonia ni gesi ambayo inaweza kubadilishwa kuwa aina nyingine ya chembechembe, amonia nitrati, ambayo ni ndogo na inaweza kusafirishwa kwa urahisi na upepo. Kwa kawaida, upepo hutoka magharibi. Nitrojeni inayotokana na maziwa ya Slutsky na mashamba mengine ya maziwa hupelekwa kwenye maeneo kama Nebraska. Hata hivyo, mara chache kwa mwaka, upepo hubadilika. "Si mara nyingi sana. Lakini pindi kwa pindi wao hufanya hivyo. "Hata hivyo, ni vigumu sana kuamini kwamba kuna mtu anayeweza kufanya hivyo, ""alisema Slutsky." Wakati huo, nitrojeni hiyo hupelekwa kwenye mbuga hiyo. Mvua au theluji huanguka kwenye mbuga hiyo, na kutoa mbolea kwa magugu kama vile Canada thistle na kusababisha mkazo kwenye mazingira ya mbuga hiyo. Wala Cheatham wala wamiliki wa mashamba ya kulisha ng'ombe hawataki jambo hilo litukie. Shirika la Ulinzi wa Hifadhi na mashirika mengine ya shirikisho yanafanya ushirikiano na makundi ya wakulima wa Front Range kutumia mfumo mpya wa tahadhari. Slutsky na wakulima wengine 50 walijiandikisha kwenye mpango wa kujitolea ambapo wanapata onyo wakati upepo unapovuma kwa njia isiyofaa, kutoka mashariki, na mfumo unatarajiwa kuhamia na mvua ya nitrojeni kwenye mbuga. Alerti hiyo huwaambia ni kwa muda gani hali ya hewa itaendelea, mara nyingi ni kwa siku mbili au chini. Kwa sababu hiyo, wakulima wanaweza kutumia mbinu za kuhifadhi mazingira ambazo huepuka kutokeza nitrojeni hewani. Slutsky anaweza kuamua kuhamisha mbolea siku nyingine. Mkulima mwingine aweza kuahirisha matumizi ya mbolea. Profesa Brock Faulkner wa Chuo Kikuu cha Texas A&M, ambaye ni mshauri wa mradi huo, aliwasilisha onyo kwa wakulima wa mashambani ya Mashariki ya Marekani. "Ikiwa tunaweza kuhamisha wakati wa mazoea hayo ili uzalishaji huo utokee wakati ambapo ni chini ya uwezekano wa kusababisha athari mbaya za mazingira, hiyo itakuwa ya ajabu, ""Faulkner anasema." Washiriki walirekebisha mambo hayo na kuonyesha kwamba mfumo wa kuonya ulikuwa ukifanya kazi. Faulkner alisema wakati wa jaribio hilo, angalau asilimia 60 ya wakulima waliohubiriwa walikuwa tayari kubadilisha mazoea yao ili kuepuka kutolewa kwa nitrojeni zaidi. Ingawa viwango vya nitrojeni havijaanza kupungua katika mbuga hiyo, Cheatham anasema vimeacha kuongezeka. Wakulima wanatumaini kwamba itafanya kazi. "Slutsky anasema, ""Wanafanya hivyo kwa sababu wanataka, lakini pia ili kuepuka kanuni za baadaye: sote tuna ama nyundo juu au dhamiri yetu au zote mbili.""" Si Mbuga ya Kitaifa ya Milima ya Rocky tu inayoweza kufaidika. Kama mpango wa kujitolea wa aina hii utafanya kazi, inaweza kuwa mfano kwa maeneo mengine ambapo uchafuzi wa mazingira kutokana na kilimo umesababisha matatizo, kama vile Ghuba ya Mexico au Ziwa Erie. Luke Runyon na Stephanie Paige Ogburn wanaripoti kutoka Colorado kwa KUNC na Harvest Public Media, ushirikiano wa ripoti za redio ya umma ambayo inazingatia masuala ya kilimo na uzalishaji wa chakula. Copyright 2020 KUNC. Kwa maelezo zaidi, tembelea KUNC.