Between 1992 and 1996, during a time of drought, the water level lowered by about 1.3 feet per year.
The Ogallala Aquifer illustrates one example of how the need to produce food can conflict with the ability of our environment to support that need.
What Can a Farmer Do?
It is not surprising that water is a limiting factor in the productivity of a farm. Readily available water at reasonable cost can make or break a modern operation. However, not all water is available when you want it, and this can lead to difficult management decisions, particularly when the decisions made now can affect you months in the future.
A farmer must utilize all available sources of water as part of an overall water management strategy. It is not enough anymore to just hope for rain.
Crop farmers have the ability to improve their odds of surviving a drought by applying some simple techniques that result in conserving available water. The best defence is to keep all the water you can in the soil that is available to your plants. If you succeed in keeping that extra moisture it can translate into several more pounds of product per acre. Techniques to do this include minimizing tillage operations by utilizing reduced or no-till plantings to disturb the soil less. Increasing the organic matter and residue on the fields will help to reduce erosion, evaporation and runoff. Organic matter also improves soil structure and increases the water absorption ability of the soil. Leaving plant material (stubble) in the field to catch the snow will also allow the spring melts to add to your soil. Moldboard plowing in the fall will leave virtually no stubble. No-till leaves virtually all. Finally, the farmer should carefully select crops for their drought tolerance and overall suitability for the situation.
Livestock farmers are not immune during a drought. Water consumption goes up considerably during the warm months, with few options for the farmer. Water consumption for livestock can be considerable: dairy cattle, 100 litres/day; beef cattle, 50; horses, 40; swine, 15; and chickens, 0.4. Not only do animals drink more but also water is often used to mist or spray the animals to cool them.
In addition to water, quality livestock feed can become harder to find. Pastures produce less and recover slower. Field crops like hay, corn and wheat are also less productive. Providing supplemental feed may be required. Non-grazing livestock such as swine and poultry will also be affected by these drought-related feed shortages.
The Ogallala Aquifer illustrates one example of how the need to produce food can conflict with the ability of our environment to support that need.
What Can a Farmer Do?
It is not surprising that water is a limiting factor in the productivity of a farm. Readily available water at reasonable cost can make or break a modern operation. However, not all water is available when you want it, and this can lead to difficult management decisions, particularly when the decisions made now can affect you months in the future.
A farmer must utilize all available sources of water as part of an overall water management strategy. It is not enough anymore to just hope for rain.
Crop farmers have the ability to improve their odds of surviving a drought by applying some simple techniques that result in conserving available water. The best defence is to keep all the water you can in the soil that is available to your plants. If you succeed in keeping that extra moisture it can translate into several more pounds of product per acre. Techniques to do this include minimizing tillage operations by utilizing reduced or no-till plantings to disturb the soil less. Increasing the organic matter and residue on the fields will help to reduce erosion, evaporation and runoff. Organic matter also improves soil structure and increases the water absorption ability of the soil. Leaving plant material (stubble) in the field to catch the snow will also allow the spring melts to add to your soil. Moldboard plowing in the fall will leave virtually no stubble. No-till leaves virtually all. Finally, the farmer should carefully select crops for their drought tolerance and overall suitability for the situation.
Livestock farmers are not immune during a drought. Water consumption goes up considerably during the warm months, with few options for the farmer. Water consumption for livestock can be considerable: dairy cattle, 100 litres/day; beef cattle, 50; horses, 40; swine, 15; and chickens, 0.4. Not only do animals drink more but also water is often used to mist or spray the animals to cool them.
In addition to water, quality livestock feed can become harder to find. Pastures produce less and recover slower. Field crops like hay, corn and wheat are also less productive. Providing supplemental feed may be required. Non-grazing livestock such as swine and poultry will also be affected by these drought-related feed shortages.
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