PE4.01 (SUPERSEDED) MetaData - CALIFORNIA SUGAR BEETS (Northern and Southern)

MetaData

The field used to represent sugar beet production in California is located in the Central Valley, although sugar beet production covers diverse climates. The major production areas are in the Kalmuth Basin and Imperial Valley. According to 1997 Census of Agriculture, California ranked 4th among producers of sugar beets in the U.S.. Sugar beets are planted almost every month somewhere in the state and are generally grown in rotation. Production concentrates on heavy clay and clay loam soil and are irrigated by both furrow or sprinkler systems. Areas between rows of plants may or may not be maintained. Row spacing is generally 30-inches. Row canopies tend to be very close to 100 percent, while the canopy between rows is much less. The soil selected to simulate the field is a benchmark soil, Exeter loam. Exeter loam, is a fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Durixeralfs. These soils are often used for citrus production under irrigation. Exeter loam is a moderately deep, moderately well drained, very slow to medium runoff soil that formed in alluvium mainly from granite sources. The soil also consists of a duripan. The Exeter loam has moderately slow permeability above the duripan and very slow permeability within the duripan. These soil are generally found on alluvial fans and stream terraces at elevations of up to 700 feet above mean sea level and have slopes of 0 to 9 percent. The soil is extensive in MLRA 17. Exeter loam is a Hydrologic Group C soil.

Table 1
PRZM 3.12 Climate and Time Parameters for Central Valley, California - Sugar beets
Parameter Value Source
Starting Date January 1, 1948 Meteorological File - Southern: Bakersfield, CA (W23155) and
Northern: Sacramento, CA (W23232)
Ending Date December 31, 1983 Meteorological File - Southern: Bakersfield, CA (W23155) and
Northern: Sacramento, CA (W23232)
Pan Evaporation Factor (PFAC) 0.75 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Snowmelt Factor (SFAC) 0.0 cm C- 1 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Minimum Depth of Evaporation (ANETD) 17.0 cm PRZM Manual Figure 5.2 (EPA, 1998)
Table 2
PRZM 3.12 Erosion and Landscape Parameters for Central Valley, California - Sugar beets
Parameter Value Source
Method to Calculate Erosion (ERFLAG) 4 (MUSS) PRZM Manual (EPA, 1998)
USLE K Factor (USLEK) 0.34 tons EI-1* FARM Manual, Table A3 (EPA, 1985)
USLE LS Factor (USLELS) 0.0054 Haan and Barfield, 1979
USLE P Factor (USLEP) 1.0 Per QA/QC Guidance (EPA, 2001)
Field Area (AFIELD) 172 ha Area of Shipman Reservoir watershed (EPA, 1999)
NRCS Hyetograph (IREG) 1 PRZM Manual Figure 5.12 (EPA, 1998); based on crops grown on Eastern side of slopes.
Slope (SLP) 2% Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Hydraulic Length (HL) 600 m Shipman Reservoir (EPA, 1999)
Irrigation Flag (IRFLAG) 2 (cropping period only) Based on recommendations from farm advisors for general flooding for crop irrigation
Irrigation Type (IRTYP) 1 (Flood) Based on recommendations from farm advisors for general flooding for crop irrigation
Leaching Factor (FLEACH) 0.1 Estimated
Fraction of Water Capacity when Irrigation is Applied (PCDEPL) 0.55 Based on recommendations from farm advisors for general flooding for crop irrigation
Maximum Rate at which Irrigation is Applied (RATEAP) 0.4 cm hr-1 PRZM Manual, Table 5.33 (EPA, 1998)

* EI = 100 ft-tons * in/ acre*hr

Table 3
PRZM 3.12 Crop Parameters for Central Valley, California - Sugar beets
Parameter Value Source
Initial Crop (INICRP) 1 Set to one for all crops (EPA, 2001)
Initial Surface Condition (ISCOND) 1 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Number of Different Crops (NDC) 1 Set to crops in simulation - generally one
Number of Cropping Periods (NCPDS) 36 Set to weather data.
Meteorological File - Bakersfield, CA (W23155) or Sacramento, CA (W23232)
Maximum rainfall interception storage of crop (CINTCP) 0.25 PRZM, Table 5.4 (EPA, 1998)
Maximum Active Root Depth (AMXDR) 90 cm Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Maximum Canopy Coverage (COVMAX) 100 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Soil Surface Condition After Harvest (ICNAH) 1 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Date of Crop Emergence
(EMD, EMM, IYREM)		 01/02 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Date of Crop Maturity
(MAD, MAM, IYRMAT)		 31/05 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Date of Crop Harvest
(HAD, HAM, IYRHAR)		 01/08 Kurt Hembree (559.456.7556)
UC Cooperative Extension Office, Fresno County
Maximum Dry Weight (WFMAX) 0.0 Set to "0" Not used in simulation
SCS Curve Number (CN) 89, 86, 87 Gleams Manual Table A.3, Fallow SR/CT/poor, Cropping and Residue = Row Crop SR/CT/poor (USDA, 1990)
Manning's N Value (MNGN) 0.014 RUSLE Project; C21SUSUC Sacramento climate station, Conventional tillage, no cover (USDA, 2000)
USLE C Factor (USLEC) 0.015 - 0.769 RUSLE Project; Variable with date, C21SUSUC Sacramento climate station, Conventional tillage, no cover (USDA, 2000)
Table 4
PRZM 3.12 Exeter Soil Parameters for Central Valley, California - Sugar beets
Parameter Value Verification Source
Total Soil Depth (CORED) 183 cm NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001)
Number of Horizons (NHORIZ) 2 (Base horizons)
  First and Second Soil Horizons (HORIZN = 1,2)  
Horizon Thickness (THKNS)
  • 10 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 173 cm (HORIZN = 2)
 NRCS, National Soils Characterization Database (NRCS, 2001) http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/soils/home/
Bulk Density (BD)
  • 1.59 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 1)
  • 1.76 g cm-3 (HORIZN = 2)
Initial Water Content (THETO)
  • 0.16 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =1)
  • 0.2 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN =2)
Compartment Thickness (DPN)
  • 0.1 cm (HORIZN = 1)
  • 17.3 cm (HORIZN = 2)
Field Capacity (THEFC)
  • 0.16 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.2 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 2)
Wilting Point (THEWP)
  • 0.06 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.11 cm3-H2O cm3-soil (HORIZN = 2)
Organic Carbon Content (OC)
  • 0.46% (HORIZN = 1)
  • 0.19% (HORIZN = 2)

EPA. 1985. Field Agricultural Runoff Monitoring (FARM) Manual, (EPA/600/3-85/043) Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA.

EPA. 1998. Carsel, R.F., J.C. Imhoff, P.R. Hummel, J.M. Cheplick, and A.S. Donigian, Jr. PRZM-3, A Model for Predicting Pesticide and Nitrogen Fate in the Crop Root and Unsaturated Soil Zones: Users Manual for Release 3.0. National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, GA.

EPA. 1999. Jones, R.D., J. Breithaupt, J. Carleton, L. Libelo, J. Lin, R. Matzner, and R. Parker. Guidance for Use of the Index Reservoir in Drinking Water Exposure Assessments. Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington. D.C.

EPA. 2001. Abel, S.A. Procedure for Conducting Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Existing and New PRZM Field and Orchard Crop Standard Scenarios. Environmental Fate and Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

Haan, C.T. and B.J. Barfield. 1978. Hydrology and Sedimentology of Surface Mined Lands. Office of Continuing Education and Extension, College of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506. pp. 286.

USDA. 1990. Davis, F.M., R.A. Leonard, W.G. Knisel. GLEAMS User Manual, Version 1.8.55. USDA-ARS Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory, Tifton GA. SEWRL-030190FMD.

USDA. 2000. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) EPA Pesticide Project. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

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