Dakota Access Pipeline officials says they?ll fund an Iowa State University project looking at the effects of pipeline installation on farmland.
Researchers at Iowa State University will conduct a five-year project studying how DAPL affects crop production and soil compaction.
?Farmers are always interested and concerned about soil disturbance issues. We are going to take a close look at what the construction does in terms of soil compaction and soil disturbance. Also, in subsequent years were will monitor crops yields that come out of the area where the land was disturbed,? Iowa State University Agricultural Engineer, Mark Hanna said.
Iowa State University researchers began collecting data on the effects of construction last year.
?There was considerable activity last fall looking at soil measurements, soil bulk density, and soil stress due to construction activities.?
Researchers will collect data through 2021.
?We hope to be able to provide better answers for folks periodically. There are needs to do some type of construction activity on Iowa cropland and we hope we have better information as these activities occur in the future.?
Dakota Access Pipeline LLC is funding the project. Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners is building the $3.8 billion pipeline. It runs through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. According to Dakota Access, the pipeline will cross about 5,740 acres of cropland in Iowa.
