Drought Response - Agriculture Water Management Alternatives in a drought year if soil moisture levels are too low to produce any crop. In some cases, more water savings may be realized by management changes than http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/publications/pdf2html2.cfm?file=/files/engr
Extractions: The Ojos Negros Research Group 4. DROUGHT MITIGATION Drought is a natural hazard, it has a slow onset, and it evolves over months or even years. It may affect a large region and causes little structural damage. The impacts of drought can be reduced through preparedness and mitigation. The components of a drought preparedness and mitigation plan are the following: Prediction can benefit from climate studies which use coupled ocean/atmosphere models, survey of snow packs, anomalous circulation patterns in the ocean and atmosphere, soil moisture, assimilation of remotely sensed data into numerical prediction models, and knowledge of stored water available for domestic, stock, and irrigation uses. Monitoring exists in countries which use ground-based information such as rainfall, weather, crop conditions and water availability. Satellite observations complement data collected by ground systems. Satellites are necessary for the provision of synoptic, wide-area coverage. Impact assessment is carried out on the basis of land-use type, persistence of stressed conditions, demographics and existing infrastructure, intensity and areal extent, and its effect on agricultural yield, public health, water quantity and quality, and building subsidence.
Growing Canola soil water management Strategies. Canola crops on the Canadian prairies are reduces the drought tolerance of canola by reducing the amount of soil water http://www.canola-council.org/watermgmtstrat.aspx
Extractions: Site Map Search Contact Us Growing Canola Crop Production IPM Tips IPM Tools Stress Factors ... Weeds Soil Water Management Strategies Canola crops on the Canadian prairies are frequently subjected to temperature and moisture stress. The soil water supply during the growing season is frequently insufficient to meet the potential evapotranspiration needs of the crop, especially in dryland areas. Crop productivity is directly proportional to the amount of water transpired. The transpiration can be increased either by increasing the water supply or by reducing evaporation. Therefore, any management practice that improves water available for transpiration either by conserving or by reducing evaporation, increases crop yield. Conserving Snow Moisture Standing stubble increases snow trapping compared to fallow field. The amount of snow trapped is directly proportional to stubble height. Tall standing stubble also reduces wind speed, solar radiation reaching the soil surface and keeps soil temperature cooler than fallow reducing water lost by evaporation. These changes in the microclimate are noticed early in the growing season when the crop canopy is small and cannot yet affect evaporation loss. Canola sown early on tall stubble has increased water use efficiency and higher yields. Use of Crop Residues Provide a ground cover with crop residues on the soil surface to improve soil water intake. Surface trash increases water infiltration by breaking up raindrops and delaying runoff.
Managing Turf Water -- Drought UGA CAES PROPER water management KEY TO TURFGRASS drought STRESS Turfgrass water userates depend on soil type, grass species and/or cultivar, management level http://interests.caes.uga.edu/drought/articles/turfwater.htm
Extractions: Gil Landry The key to green lawns during drought is to prepare the grass to use as little extra water as possible and remain green and growing. This is done by developing a deep rooted turfgrass. Listed below are the guidelines which will help develop a deep-rooted turfgrass that is more tolerant to seasonal drought. Select a turfgrass which is well adapted to your location. Irrigate as infrequently as possible. Irrigate when the turf starts turning a dull bluish green, the first sign of drought stress. Apply enough water to drench the soil six to eight inches deep. Raise the height of cut during stress and mow more often. Use an irrigation system that provides an even distribution of water at about one-fourth to one-third inches per hour. Fertilize lightly in the summer months, especially on tall fescue.
Extractions: Minimum tillage for soil and water management with animal traction in the West-African region by Alioune Fall and Adama Faye Agricultural Mechanisation, ISRA/CRA Djibélor, Animal Scientist, Coopération Suiss) Abstract The paper reviews the utilization levels of animal traction for better soil and water management, through conservation tillage in the West Africa region. Various tools and techniques used by farmers are reported. Recommendations in order to improve farmers' environmental conditions for better agricultural productivity and sustainability have been proposed. 1. Introduction et al. A number of research studies, conducted both on-station and on-farm throughout the region, have shown that sustainability of cropping systems is better achieved when agricultural practices are aimed at improving plant-soil-water relations. 1.1 Objective The objectives of this paper are: to review the use of animal traction in the region towards better soil-water management through conservation tillage, to identify the most suitable tools and techniques available to farmers and to formulate recommendations in order to improve farm environmental conditions for enhanced sustainability.
Colorado AES Projects 2005-2006 2) Determine the effect of water and soil management on the accumulation of In times of drought (as experienced in most western states over the past http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/AES/projs/612.html
Extractions: Title Investigators Department Objectives ... Publications Title *Water and Soil Salinity Management in the Western US Investigator(s) Cardon, GE Department Soil and Crop Science Objectives 1) Test and develop methods of rapid, accurate assessment of soil and water salinity. 2) Determine the effect of water and soil management on the accumulation of salinity in soil and water resources. 3) Determine the impact of salt accumulation on the quality and sustained , productive use of soil and water resources. 4) Develop, demonstrate, and promote the adoption of sound water and soil salinity management practices. Approach Keywords water management, irrigation, salinity, ground water management, water quality Progress Reports This marked the third year of data acquisition for this experiment. The same data was collected as last year with only minor changes in methodology. The corn suffered from a long period of wet cool conditions in the spring and a very early frost. Because of these conditions, yields were depressed below that for preceding years. Preliminary results for this year show no differences in yield or Nitrogen use efficiency between treatments. This is different from last year's results where the spoon-fed Nitrogen application treatment required less N than the recommendation level and had the highest N-use efficiency. To date, no publications are complete from the research. A doctoral student has completed his research under this study and is now preparing his dissertation and several papers that should be completed by next year.
Flower Management Before, During, And After The Drought How to care for flowers under drought conditions and watering restrictions. Proper soil preparation prior to planting will help conserve water. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Flowers/drought5.htm
Extractions: Flower Management in a Dry Climate By Dr. Jim Klett, Larry Vickerman, and Carl Wilson, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Horticulture No Current Watering Restrictions If Watering Restrictions are Expected in the Next Few Weeks or Mild Restrictions are in Place When NO Watering is Allowed After Watering Prohibition is Lifted The following practices will help keep your flowers healthy while conserving water. Proper soil preparation prior to planting will help conserve water. Proper Mulch Fertilization Fertilizing perennials is generally not needed if proper soil preparation is done prior to planting. Fertilizer causes lush growth that requires more water. If fertilization is needed, a slow release fertilizer can be applied in the spring. Moderate fertilization for bedding plants is recommended either as liquid or granular or a combination of both.
Texas Water Foundation - Drought Information and the heroic efforts of soil and water conservationists working with local Many local utilities have also implemented their own drought management http://www.texaswater.org/water/drought/default.htm
Extractions: Currently, the Palmer Drought Severity Index places the Lower Valley and Trans-Pecos portion of West Texas in the extreme drought stage. Dry conditions and higher than normal temperatures have significant portions of the rest of Texas in severe or moderate drought conditions. With bans on outdoor burning in effect for 29 counties, emergency management experts are concerned about the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend. Already the Texas Cooperative Extension estimates crop damage and acreage losses this season at $316 million. Low water levels in reservoirs on the Rio Grande have limited irrigation and ranchers are reducing the size of their herds due to poor grazing conditions. 61 public water utilities are limiting water use to avoid shortages.
Agriculture: Soil & Water The importance of soil and water management are well known to most people In the summer of 2001, the headlines were full of news of a drought from coast http://www.climatechangesolutions.com/agriculture/soilwater/default.shtml?o=soil
IWMI Recent Research - Dealing With Drought Excess water is stored in the soil profile or contributes to groundwater More sustainable water management. Droughts can serve as a catalyst for http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/home/drought.htm
Extractions: Dealing with Drought Find more water or need less When water becomes scarce, farmers have two options: find new sources of irrigation water or find ways of minimizing irrigation demand. In both the Turkey and Sri Lanka cases, farmers pursued a dual strategy. In Turkey's Gediz Basin, farmers coped with a five-year drought by tapping groundwater. The government had offered a subsidy to encourage groundwater development, but this process proved to be too slow for desperate farmers. There was an explosion in private tubewell development. In many cases, groups of neighbors combined to purchase a pump and run it as a joint venture. Some Gediz farmers further reduced their need for canal irrigation by switching from cotton to grapes, which have a lower irrigation requirement. The Gediz basin had been one of the most important cotton growing areas in western Turkey, but as a result of the drought, approximately 40 percent of the area is now under grape cultivation. The switch, although it involved a considerable initial investment, has paid off. Farmers' incomes have improved due to the higher value of grapes, and they are now less vulnerable to future droughts. In Sri Lanka's Kirindi Oya Irrigation and Settlement Project, a key element of the farmers' strategy during a season-long drought was to recycle drainage water. To capture this water, which otherwise would have flowed out to sea, farmers created earthen bunds across drainage channels and diverted the water to their fields either by gravity or by pumping. Before the drought, farmers didn't believe drainage water was of high enough quality for reuse. Here the drought created a change in thinking, and recycling of drainage water has continued even under normal conditions of water availability.
Drought To reduce above adverse effect, a good drought management plan is necessary. management strategies for conservation of soil moisture and water use http://ncb.intnet.mu/moa/areu/crppub/drought.html
Extractions: Managing drought in crop production Plants and plant products consist of 80 to 95% water. Thus plants have high water requirements and as such they are very susceptible to drought conditions. Water is a critical component for growth, development and good yields. Shortage of water early in the crop cycle generally delays maturity and reduce yield. At later stages it results in a lower yield and poor quality of produce. To reduce above adverse effect, a good drought management plan is necessary. The following guidelines on water management strategies and cultural practices can assist to offset or mitigate the effects of water scarcity or drought on crop production. Efficient irrigation is critical under drought conditions. Wastage should be eliminated all along the line: Elimination of water loss from leaks in your irrigation unit. Proper timing of irrigation : reduction of losses from evaporation achieved by irrigation in the morning or the afternoon Avoidance of over-irrigation. Water is applied as and when required. A simple method to determine soil moisture is to "feel"
Year-Round Drought Management Decisions soil moisture management Longterm water conservation and riparian In droughtyears and especially after prolonged drought, water can become a scarce http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/ppe1111
Extractions: Soil moisture management becomes a big issue on farms suffering a prolonged drought. Some of the methods include leaving stubble or creating trap strips to catch snow over the winter for use by the crops in the spring. Leaving crop residue on field s will help to increase organic matter, and decrease evaporation from the soil surface. Direct seeding reduces the amount of tillage and keeps the soil moist and less prone to erosion. There are many long-term advantages to zero-till, especially in a drought situation. Reduced tillage is a relatively new approach for many farmers. The Alberta Reduced Tillage Initiative (ARTI) provides information on management methods and costs under the new system. When making the switch to reduced tillage or direct seeding, it is important to consider your methods for crop residue management, especially if there are any changes required to your machinery. Long-term Water Conservation and Riparian Management Have I considered all reasonable options for long-term water conservation and riparian management?
Extractions: National Science Programs Scientists Industry Media ... Centres Additive effect Sum of the individual effects of two or more substances being added to a system (e.g., chemicals added to water). Aggregate Sand, silt, and clay particles in soil bound together mainly by organic matter to form a small clump or clod. Agricultural drought Type of drought that occurs when low soil moisture and scarce water supplies stunt crop growth, reduce crop yields, and endanger livestock. Agrotourism Tourism related to the enjoyment of agricultural land; a type of ecotourism Aquaculture Captive rearing of fish, shellfish, and other economically important aquatic organisms under managed conditions. Aquifer Geological bed or stratum that is far reaching and porous enough to readily yield a supply of groundwater to one or more wells or springs. Available water Water held in the soil that can be used by plants; between field capacity and the permanent wilting point Baresoil day Day or day equivalent (e.g., two half-days) when soil is not covered by crop canopy, residue, or snow and is thus exposed to the elements. Baseflow Flow rate for a particular stream at a time of the year when there is no rainfall or snowmelt; usually the amount of groundwater discharged to a watercourse.
Drought Library - State And Organization Publications Arkansas River Minimum Stream Flow Report by the soil and water EdwardsUnderground water District drought management Plan, draft, March 1988 http://www.drought.unl.edu/plan/statepubs.htm
Drought Strategies - BC Ministry Of Agricultuer And Lands Securing Livestock water During drought by PFRA (Agriculture and AgriFood soil - soil Erosion. Residual management for Erosion Control by North Dakota http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/drought/
Extractions: Food Safety and Quality Environmental Sustainability and Resource Development Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Risk Management ... About the Agriculture Industry FAQ's Agriculture Fisheries Related Links Agriculture Fisheries Statistics Agriculture Fisheries Site Home Agriculture is a major water user in this province. The following are areas where water can be utilized more efficiently. Click on the following sections to find out more information. Any of these links for agencies outside of BC will open in a separate browser (so you can easily come back to this page) and the BC government makes no claims for the accuracy of its information or the applicability of the information to British Columbians. The following factsheets will be of help during a drought.
NYSDEC Drought Fact Sheet drought management Task Force uses those factors as well as water use, New York also uses the Palmer drought Index, a measure of soil moisture http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/droughtfacts.html
Extractions: More information from this division: Division of Water Drought Information Summary of Current Conditions New York State Drought Region Map What You Can Do To Save Water Other Links of Interest... New York is rich with water resources. Our celebrated streams, lakes, and coasts are fed by an average annual precipitation that ranges from 60 inches in the Catskills to 28 inches in the Lake Champlain Valley. But even here, in our "temperate moist" climate, normal fluctuations in regional weather patterns can lead to periods of dry weather. Occasional drought is a normal, recurrent feature of virtually every climate in the United States. The last severe droughts in New York occurred in the mid-1960s, and again in the early and mid-1980s. Meteorologists and hydrologists have their own precise definitions of drought. Meteorologists compare deficiencies in precipitation to normal levels when they speak of drought. Hydrologists consider stream flow and water levels in aquifers, lakes, and reservoirs along with precipitation. New York uses elements of both disciplines to determine when a drought is occurring. The State Drought Index compares five parameters to historic or "normal" values to evaluate drought conditions: stream flows, precipitation, lake and reservoir storage levels, and groundwater levels. New York's Drought Management Task Force uses those factors as well as water use, duration of the dry period, and season to assess drought in different parts of the state.
IALC on water conservation, drought mitigation, and watershed management In arid regions, prudent management of land, soil and water resources is vital http://ag.arizona.edu/OALS/IALC/news-releases/pr1.html
Extractions: International Arid Lands Consortium conducts research and education projects on water conservation, drought mitigation, and watershed management As parts of the United States and the Middle East face the devastating effects of drought, projects conducted by the International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) become increasingly relevant to decision-makers in arid regions of the world. June 28, 2000 (Tucson, AZ) On June 23rd, four states in the U.S. were declared agricultural disaster areas as a result of a severe drought. This week, Israel plans to limit water use and is negotiating with Turkey to buy water. Jordan is spending JD 10 million (approximately U.S. $7.1 million) to provide loans to farmers who have no income from crops due to drought. As conditions around the world highlight the importance of knowledge and practical application of sensible water management, the work of the International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) becomes increasingly relevant to decision-makers. IALC funds projects that demonstrate a clear link between ecological research and practical solutions to critical natural resource issues in the Middle East and other arid regions. One major research focus is water and watershed management, as demonstrated by completed and ongoing projects.
WSU Educators Outline Implications Of Drought Center at Prosser, has 20 years of experience in soil water management. Some growers may have to choose which crop they will water, if drought http://cahenews.wsu.edu/RELEASES/2005/05009.htm
Extractions: dfleenor@wsu.edu 206/632-4399 (Home) WSU Educators Outline Implications of Drought PULLMAN, Wash. Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire declared a drought emergency in the state today. What does that mean for Washington farmers, foresters, home owners and gardeners? The following experts from the WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resources and WSU Extension can answer your questions about the implications of the drought and ways to mitigate its affects. Overview What constitutes an "official" drought and what are the benefits of a formal declaration of drought? Rich Koenig, a soils specialist at WSU's Pullman campus, who has served on the Washington State Executive Water Emergency Committee also referred to as the Drought Response Team - has facts, figures and history about today's declaration. Koenig can be contacted at 509.335.2726, richk@wsu.edu
