Impact of gypsum

Extremely hopeful news for Idaho farmers coming out of Ohio State University regarding water runoff from fields. Studies show gypsum – or calcium sulfate -- is a tool farmers can use to help protect water quality. Ohio State University researchers are in the midst of a three-year study evaluating the impact of gypsum on farm fields and they have seen significant reductions in sediment and nutrient runoff – in fact 55 percent less soluble phosphorus in tile water runoff.  Dr. Warren Dick is the Ohio State soil scientist leading the study: "when we got those first samples back, I have some really nice pictures showing the difference between water samples collected from the tile treated areas versus the untreated areas, the sentiment, cloudiness in the samples was much much less. It's just a very nice clean water sample from the gypsum treated areas compared to where there was no gypsum. There is work being done in Alabama, Indiana and even overseas. This is not a unique finding for the work here in Ohio."