biostudies-literatureStreeter MTIowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship500https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8294834biostudies-literatureUnknown193(8)Agricultural drainage tiles are primary contributors to NO₃-N export from Iowa croplands. Saturated buffers are a relatively new conservation practice that diverts tile water into a distribution tile installed in a riparian buffer parallel to a stream with the intent of enhancing NO₃-N processing within the buffer. In this study, tile NO₃-N concentration reductions were characterized through two different saturated buffers at a working farm site in eastern Iowa. Study objectives were to (1) evaluate the hydrogeology and water quality patterns in the saturated buffer and (2) quantify the reduction in tile NO₃-N concentration from the saturated buffer installation. Results showed that the two saturated buffers are reducing NO₃-N concentrEnvironmental monitoring and assessmentQuantifying the effectiveness of a saturated buffer to reduce tile NO₃-N concentrations in eastern Iowa.PMC8294834N/ASchilling KEStreeter MTfalseQuantifying the effectiveness of a saturated buffer to reduce tile NO₃-N concentrations in eastern Iowa.Agricultural drainage tiles are primary contributors to NO₃-N export from Iowa croplands. Saturated buffers are a relatively new conservation practice that diverts tile water into a distribution tile installed in a riparian buffer parallel to a stream with the intent of enhancing NO₃-N processing within the buffer. In this study, tile NO₃-N concentration reductions were characterized through two different saturated buffers at a working farm site in eastern Iowa. Study objectives were to (1) evaluate the hydrogeology and water quality patterns in the saturated buffer and (2) quantify the reduction in tile NO₃-N concentration from the saturated buffer installation. Results showed that the two saturated buffers are reducing NO₃-N concentr2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jul2025-04-26T03:49:00.157Z2022-02-10T21:51:06.403ZS-EPMC82948343429132210.1007/s10661-021-09297-3