Water News Archive

Antimicrobial resistant infections have been recognized worldwide as a significant threat to public health in recent years. As new research continues to help us understand and characterize AMR populations and potential risks associated with them, developing a nationwide capacity for conducting effective scientific outreach and education on this topic has become critical. In summer 2018, a nationwide team of research and extension professionals was assembled to design and deliver extension programming on AMR.

A Conservation Activity Plan or CAP is a plan developed for producers to identify conservation practices to address a specific natural resource need. Applications are taken on a continuous basis with cut-off dates established to rank eligible applications. Eligible producers may apply at their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office.

An undesirable combination of precipitation events and freeze/thaw cycles has contributed to some very muddy feedlot surfaces in the winter and spring of 2019 in Nebraska. Preventative design and management options exist for minimizing the occurrence and extent of muddy open feedlot conditions, but very few ‘fixes’ exist for addressing muddy conditions once they are in place. Additional information on your options follows...

Author: M. Benjamin Samuelson, Agronomy graduate student, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Water is essential to life and has no substitute; hence, water-wise practices that conserve and protect water resources are something we all need to use.  During the growing season, it is estimated 40 percent or more of water use is for landscape irrigation. In many cases, the water used for this purpose is water that has been treated to drinking water standards. Plants do not need drinking quality water like we do.

Growth in Nebraska’s livestock and poultry industries is greatly influenced by county zoning and local decision-making. Variation in policies among counties and in decisions made by county officials creates significant challenges for current and prospective livestock operations and for rural communities looking to remain vibrant and create new revenue to support local resources. The Nebraska Livestock Siting Assessment Matrix is approved for use and recently updated for continued dissemination by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

Manure application improves your soil's health and productivity. This article introduces those benefits for soils' physical, chemical, and biological characteristics.

Nebraska’s first On-Farm Generator is powered by methane that comes from swine manure through an anaerobic digester. The farm is operated by Danny and Josie Kluthe of Dodge, NE and the alternative enterprise is called Olean Energy.

In sugar beet production, most farmers do not have an option of manure as an alternative N source since N availability from manure can occur too late in the season and affect sugar quality. Composted cattle manure as different as it is from fresh manure might be a viable alternative N source for sugar beet production.

Please welcome Jeremy Milander to Nebraska Extension. Jeremy will assume his new role as an Assistant Extension Educator in mid-April and will have specific responsibilities in the Bazile Water Management Area in northeast Nebraska. He will work with four Natural Resources Districts to develop an educational program aimed at stabilizing the nitrate concentration in ground water. Jeremy will also work with a stakeholder group to implement field demonstrations funded by a Nebraska Environmental Trust grant.

Floods cause damage to trees in two main ways – physical and physiological. The severity of damage is determined by many different factors, including the tree species, beginning health of the tree, length of flooding event, depth of the water, amount of soil removed or deposited over the tree’s root system and time of year flooding occurs. Generally, broadleaved trees tolerate flooding better than conifers, such as pine, spruce and fir.

Have you ever wondered why groundwater nitrate maps show so much variation across Nebraska? Or why wells near to your own tested well have such different nitrate levels? The answer has three parts. Nitrate in groundwater varies from place to place because of differences in:

During the lawn fertilization season, use responsible practices to help keep nutrients out of streams, rivers ponds, and lakes. For those who live in town, it is important to know that most curbs and storm sewer systems drain directly into surface water. As rainwater flows over surfaces like pavement and bare soil, it collects materials such as soil, plant and animal waste and fertilizers, which contribute nutrients to surface waters.

Nitrogen (N) budgeting, where accounting principles are applied to measured quantities of individual N sources, is one tool for understanding how long-term fertilizer-N use and irrigation contributes to nitrogen leaching. Here, we explore this tool by going through commonly-used conversions and calculations for N supply and nitrate-N leaching to account for changes in aquifer nitrogen contamination.

Flood-soaked grain or hay is almost certain to be contaminated, making it unfit for use as food or feed.  This summary describes regulatory considerations and recommended actions for management of agricultural grains and forages deemed unusable for food or feed following flooding.

Many areas of Nebraska have experienced higher than normal precipitation events recently, with some areas receiving rainfall that far exceeded a 25-year, 24-hour storm event. This abnormally wet weather pattern has caused drainage and flooding issues in some parts of the state. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and Nebraska Extension would like to remind producers and landowners to be vigilant in monitoring lagoon and runoff holding pond levels.

Five methods are approved for the routine disposal of livestock carcasses in Nebraska: composting, burial, incineration, rendering and land-filling. In an emergency situation – such as when livestock losses occur due to extreme weather or another non-disease related event – these five options still exist, but may not be suitable in all situations. The feasibility of carcass disposal via incineration, rendering or land-filling will depend on existing infrastructure or resources and, therefore, will not be discussed here. Acceptable processes for emergency composting and burial of livestock carcasses are described here.

Here in the dead of winter, a valuable service to hire to maintain a residential property is a snow removal company.  No more aching back, slipping and falling and shivering in the cold.  Of course all of that comes at a price, so you have to determine if it’s worth it.  As well, as their employees clean off the snow, there’s a chance that your mailbox or landscaping might be harmed, so that may be a factor in the decision.

If you are an owner or employee on a permitted animal feeding operation, you know very well that maintaining complete and accurate manure management records is necessary to comply with your nutrient management plan (NMP). While you may have enough land within your operation to utilize all manure nutrients produced, it is quite common for manure to be transported from a livestock operation where it was produced to a neighboring crop farm for land application.

The Nebraska Lakes Association (NLA) is an organization which brings lake owners, managers and experts together to address the issues private lake management. The mission of the (NLA) is to provide a forum for information and resources to educate members so their lake experience is safe, healthy and enjoyable.