Weathering Tough Times Together February 20 2003 Colorado Agricultural Outlook Forum

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ry conditions are not unusual for Colorado. However, 2002 was undeni- ably different and the conditions have ,ted more people than ever before. )rtunately, the trend does not seem to be iding. According to the Natural Resources nervation Service's (NRCS) Snow Survey Water Forecasting Division, we need some percent of the normal precipitation during season to have decent runoff, but that Id still only partially restore our basins. So t can farmers and ranchers do? Where can go to get assistance? 1 Irrigation Water r'Vlan(ggetnent 2. Ayland Treatment Lange acrd Pastureland ,'t tanagrenient W sim- [y means effectively using irrigation water to feet crop and/or rangeland needs to reduce :aching and runoff. o Make Every Count, You Should: Consider your irrigation delivery system 0 Know your soils (water - holding capacity, intake rate) (� Know your crop water needs d Monitor your technique Consider Your Delivery System It is vital that you have an adequate irri- on water delivery system to the field. ically drip and sprinkler irrigation systems proven to be the most efficient forms for sating cropland. However, numerous !owners use flood irrigation systems. refore, it is highly recommended that those ems, including ditch- lined, gated pipe, and erground pipelines, be monitored regularly updated to improve efficiency levels, if versions from flood to drip or sprinklers is possible. Know Your Soils Dryland Treati end Using a county soil survey (obtained through the NRCS local field offices) will provide you with: •Texture and water - holding capacity, which helps to determine when to irrigate and how much water the soil can hold. ®Potential salinity, which has a bearing on when to irrigate (frequency and amount of water) and crop selection •Soil depth, which refers to crop water - holding capacity, root zone capacity, and rooting depth •Crop selection and potential yields Know your crop needs How much water does the crop require? For example, grain corn requires 25 inches, while dry edible beans require 19 inches. Monitoring techniques You must know how much water you are applying. There are ways to measure the water you are applying including well test, flumes, weirs, and flow meters. Water management techniques, from application to monitoring devices, will vary as agricultural operations are unique. Each pro- ducer will need to evaluate his /her own situation and irriga- tion system to determine the best management practice. Whatever you do, review your irrigation water management plan and if you don't have one, develop one. It will increase the efficiency and uniformity of irrigation water application and reduce potential contamination of water sources. Conservation Tillage and Residue Management The goal when working with limited water is to capture every possible source of water in the production system. These sources include rainfall, snowfall, and irrigation water. Residue management can have a significant impact upon increasing the availability of water. Producers in the Central Plains have long advocated no -till for dryland production. No -till increases the amount of water stored in the soil due to reduced evaporation from tillage operations and runoff and increased snow catch during winter snowstorms. Changes in tillage management have allowed producers to change, rotations from the conventional wheat - fallow rotation to more intensive rotations such as wheat- corn - fallow. The changes in tillage man- agement can be successfully used in irrigated production for moisture conservation. Surface residue during the growing sea- son can also have important impact upon water conservation. The reduction in evaporation amounted to nearly 2.5 inches for the growing season. After harvest, leaving the residue stand- ing can have a major impact upon snow catch. In most years, standing residue accounted for nearly 2 inches in increased soil moisture over flat residue. In one year, standing residue accounted for nearly 4 more inches of stored soil moisture. Runoff from precipitation is also reduced when surface residue is present. Residue acts as small dams that slow water movement and allow for more time for the water to infiltrate the soil. Residue also reduces' the impact of rainfall and irrigation upon sur- face sealing which increases infiltration rates. Residue protects the soil surface from the impact of rain droplets.