As the effects of climate change intensify, water management has become essential to the success of producers such as Picabo Livestock Company in Picabo, Idaho. With the help of a SARE grant, the company adopted a low-elevation spray application system (LESA) with cover crops, no-till and managed intensive grazing, all of which have had positive impacts on the company’s water conservation and crop productivity. SARE’s newly revised Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch discusses how Picabo Livestock Company and other producers are using innovative methods to improve water-use management.
Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch is available for free in print and for download; it is particularly useful to farmers and educators considering innovative approaches to agricultural water use.
Incorporating water management techniques is crucial to the success of agricultural production. Producers can maximize production efficiency, regenerate their soil and conserve water by using techniques such as crop rotation, drip irrigation and conservation tillage.
Part one of Smart Water Use examines how soil management strategies, such as cover cropping, adding organic matter and conservation tillage, can build soil health, improve soil structure and boost the waterholding capacity of soil. Part two discusses plant selection, crop rotation and livestock management strategies. Part three highlights how irrigation and drainage systems can be used to better manage water use in cropping systems.
Download or order your free print copy of Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch at www.sare.org/resources/smart-water-use-on-your-farm-or-ranch/ or by calling (301) 779-1007. Smart Water Use on Your Farm or Ranch is available in quantity for free to educators for use in educational workshops, classes or tours.