Why study the Morgan Creek watershed?
Morgan Creek and the other four watersheds represent nationally important agricultural settings (chemical use, crops, and AMPs) and natural settings (climate, geology, topography, and soils). Morgan Creek, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, is representative of corn and soybean row cropping in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Other features relevant to this study: • Use of agricultural chemicals: Chemicals used include herbicides such as atrazine, simazine, metolachlor, and glyphosate; and fertilizers, both organic and inorganic. • Distinct natural setting: The nearly flat topography, porous soils, and a permeable surficial aquifer allow water and chemicals to move downward to the water table, discharge to streams, and then move downstream to Chesapeake Bay. The wooded riparian zone along Morgan Creek retards runoff from fields and allows chemicals to break down. • Variety of agricultural management practices: AMPs include tillage and no-tillage; maintenance of stream buffer zon
