Landowner perceptions of sinkholes and groundwater contamination

Sinkholes allow Iwrmful materials to enter groundwater aquifers in knrst areas. Interviews with Iowa farmers Iwving sinkholes found widespread recognition that sinkholes threaten groundwater quality. Fanners indicated that runoff into sinkholes was common, as was material disposal, feedlot runoff, and tile drainage. Most farmers expressed concern about runoffinto sinkholes. The most acceptable practices to control such runoff were reduced chemical use, plugging, filter strips, diversions, and contour stripcropping. Practices considered most effective were permanent seeding ofdrainage areas and elimination or reduction in fann chemical use. Most fanners were unlikely to enroll land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)ifavailable for sinkhole areas because participation would be inconvenient or because they had small fanns and needed the land to remain economically viable. Two modifications of CRP are suggested. Fanners wanted slightly more tlwn full land value for conservation easements to establish trees around sinkholes because they felt there would be no return from the trees in their lifetime. They also considered about 70