Michigan State University researchers are analyzing how regenerative agricultural practices affect water movement in the soil through an interdisciplinary initiative known as the Soil Health Advancement for Agricultural Resilience Enhancement project.
The interdisciplinary effort, designated under award number AG25-019, investigates how methods like no-till farming and cover cropping influence soil health and moisture retention during periods of erratic weather, addressing a notable gap in existing agricultural data regarding how these combined techniques perform during droughts and floods.
Tracking twenty Michigan farms under contrasting management
Since the fall of 2025, the research initiative has collaborated with approximately 20 agricultural producers across Michigan growing both row crops and specialty crops. For each participating farm, investigators evaluate two distinct fields under contrasting management histories to understand how specific practices alter subsurface conditions. Alex Kuhl with the Institute of Water Research explained the comparative approach, noting that researchers look at historical management such as a field maintained with no-till and cover crops for two decades versus a newly acquired parcel.
Each monitored field is equipped with soil moisture sensors installed at four distinct depths. Investigators also gather regular soil samples and local weather metrics using in-field rain gauges alongside data from nearby National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and MSU Enviroweather stations.
Evaluating soil texture and moisture holding capacity
Water movement depends on more than basic soil texture alone. Investigators are measuring how much water the soil retains when fully saturated compared to when it is depleted, connecting those capacity metrics directly with collected soil carbon figures, bulk density information, and pore space dimensions.
Kuhl noted that tying these structural measurements together clarifies how specific soil architectures relate to overall moisture retention and nutrient cycling. The work aims to help growers identify which specific regenerative practices will improve soil health and mitigate extreme weather disruptions on their individual properties.
Building decision-support tools from field observations
To scale these findings beyond the participating sites, the research team plans to utilize process-based crop models benchmarked against long-term data gathered from the Kellogg Biological Station’s Main Cropping System Experiment. MSU Extension Field Crops Educator Madelyn Celovsky pointed out that cropping systems and soil types vary significantly even within a single field, making modeled integration vital for broader application.
Celovsky stated that layering on-farm soil moisture data with weather conditions and management practices will feed into a decision-support tool designed to help producers apply the findings to non-participating farms. Meanwhile, a dedicated social science team is conducting parallel interviews to examine how grower involvement in the modeling process influences trust in the final recommendations.
Projected outcomes for Michigan water and agriculture
Organizers expect the initiative to deliver real-time soil moisture metrics and practical tools while generating concrete evidence on whether widespread adoption can reduce agricultural runoff, curb nutrient losses, recharge groundwater supplies, and lower irrigation expenses. Beyond immediate farm-level benefits, the resulting dataset is intended to establish a foundation for broader sustainability initiatives throughout the state, including future efforts focused on groundwater management and aquatic habitat protection.
Funding for the project is provided by the Agricultural Resiliency Program through AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, operating in partnership with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
