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Soil water monitoring can help fine tune irrigation schedulingNebraska The most common method of irrigation scheduling today is soil moisture monitoring and more specifically the "hand feel" method, said a University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension educator. The hand feel method requires going to the field to collect soil samples, said Steve Melvin, extension educator focused on water issues. Experience, a lot of self-calibration, and weekly soil sampling are required to use this approach. Soil water monitoring equipment offers some advantages over the hand feel method, he said. UNL has tested some systems that provide consistent, measurable results. These systems allow producers to take readings down to three and four feet, a depth that is just not practical with the hand feel method. "We think it's very important to know the soil water level down to that depth , but it's a lot of work to get that with the hand feel method," Melvin said. The equipment allows producers to take readings in the same place throughout the season to learn whether the field is getting wetter or drier or staying about the same. The two systems UNL has tested retail at about $650 to $1400 per field, Melvin said. He advised putting one system in each field, placed to that it's easy to access and read-maybe along the pivot road. A good location allows the producer to stop and take a look at the readout when he drives by, without getting out of the pickup or off of the four-wheeler. Producers usually know where a good average spot is located in the field and that's where the probe should go, he said. It's a good idea to check several other parts of the field with the hand feel method to make sure the probe location is representative of the entire field. After two or three checks, thought, it usually becomes obvious that the chosen spot is representative. A wire is placed between the sensors out in the field and the readout, which allows the producer an easily- accessible place to look at the data.. Melvin said that producers with questions can call him at the Frontier County extension office, 308-367-4424. Some of the Natural Resources Districts will have some of this equipment, Melvin said, and they may have some cost share dollars for it as well. The Internet is also a good source for information. To learn more about moisture monitoring, most efficient use of Nebraska's water resources and irrigation management, be sure to sign up for the 4th Annual Great Plains Conference on Improving Crop Water Efficiency. For more information and to register, contact Linda Lehmann at 308-696-6727 and llehmann@unl.edu. 9/15/08 Date: 9/10/08 Advertisement
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