Water News Archive

Separate Turf and Ornamentals

Do you have trees growing right in the middle of your lawn? Do you swear under your breath every time you mow, having to trim around them and practice some fancy footwork trying to maneuver the mower around the trunk? If so, perhaps it's time to redesign your landscape, separating the grass and all of the other plants. If you are building a new home, or moving to one with little or no landscaping, you can avoid this maintenance nightmare by simply thinking of turf as a part of the landscape unto itself.

Chemical & Physical Characteristics of Pesticides

Understanding the chemical and physical characteristics of a pesticide allows the applicator to make better decisions about which pesticide active ingredient and/or formulation to use for a particular situation. Two chemical characteristics of interest are water solubility and volatility. The more water soluble a pesticide is, the greater the potential for runoff and leaching. The more volatile a pesticide is, the greater the potential for drift.

Publications on Watersheds & Watershed Management

Sediment, nutrient, and pesticide losses in runoff are major pollutants of surface waters in the Midwest. Targeting of Watershed Management Practices for Water Quality Protection addresses best management practices in watersheds or landscapes to maximize the impact of investments in water quality protection. This full-color, 23-page document is intended as a resource for those who advise on or practice land and water management.

Water Quality Protection Practices

Nonpoint source or runoff pollution is harmful to the water quality of our lakes, ponds, and streams. Many of our daily activities contribute to runoff pollution leaving our property and harming our lakes, ponds, and streams. Water quality protection practices help to reduce runoff pollution and protect our water resources.

Small AFO VTS Demonstrations

The Animal Feeding Operation, also called the Livestock Producer Environmental Assistance Project (LPEAP), provides financial and technical assistance to small livestock producers who are concerned about protecting water quality and preserving the environment, but are exempt from current regulatory requirements. The project purpose is to construct on-farm demonstration sites that minimize environmental risk using new concepts and alternative technologies. All demonstration projects are available for viewing by all producers.

Building Soils

Water should never be applied at a rate faster than it can be absorbed by the soil. Soil properties that govern water infiltration (movement of water into the soil) are texture and structure.

Graywater Use in Nebraska

With the forecast of another dry year, more people are inquiring about reusing their graywater to water their plants or lawn with. It is not legal in Nebraska to discharge untreated graywater. Wastewater in Nebraska is comprised of graywater and blackwater. Graywater is defined in Nebraska Onsite Wastewater Regulations as water that has been used for bathing, laundering clothes, and sink waste that is not kitchen sink waste. Blackwater is water that carries off waste from toilets, urinals, and kitchen sinks.

Irrigation Scheduling

G1579, Using Modified Atmometers (ETgage) for Irrigation Management Describes the atmometer (evapotranspiration gage) and explains how it can be used for irrigation scheduling. Examples are provided to show how information collected with an atmometer can be used to estimate crop water use for corn and soybean. PDF version (975 KB; 4 pages)

Regulations & Policies

Nebraska water resources play a major role in the state's heritage and economy. Beginning with the state constitution, Nebraska surface waters have been governed by the Appropriative First-in-Time, First-in-Right Rule which allows diversion of water from the surface waters of the state based upon the date the water right was obtained. Surface water rights entitle land owners or organizations to remove a set amount of water from a specific location.

Environmental Planning

Large animal feeding operations (AFO's) must follow regulations to protect water quality and preserve the environment. Smaller operations can help the environment as well. Livestock Producer Environmental Assistance Project (LPEAP) works with small farms to implement appropriate technologies and best management practices designed to protect water resources and our environment.

Design Videos for Small AFOs

Screenshot from one of the Design Videos

Watch this series of six videos for information on planning a Vegetative Treatment System on a small AFO.

Phosphorous Dynamics

Animal manures contain both organic and inorganic forms of phosphorus. When manure mineralizes, organic phosphorus becomes inorganic phosphorus in solution and is available to plants. Some organic phosphorus is transformed to inorganic form shortly after application but other phosphorus will remain in organic form

CropWater App for Irrigation Management

The CropWater App is one of the earliest irrigation management apps developed many years ago and its functions are based on the research conducted by Dr. Suat Irmak. It is a product of our efforts in the NAWMN to enhance technology implementation in agricultural production.

Cover Crops

Crops including grasses, legumes or forbs used for seasonal cover and other conservation purposes. SARE Publications 2007, Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd Edition. Beltsville, MD: Sustainable Agriculture Network, 244 pgs. $19 for book; PDF version available.

Economics & Costs

The University of Nebraska's Bureau of Business Research conducted a study in 2003 to determine the impact of irrigated agriculture on Nebraska 's economy. The net total economic impact was computed by comparing impacts with irrigation to what would have resulted without irrigation. The research examined actual 2003 impacts and what would have occurred if average precipitation had occurred. For normal precipitation the total impact of irrigation would have been just over $3.6 billion per year. Since 2003 was a drought year, the actual economic impact was more than $4.5 billion.

Estimating Manure P App Rates

Manure phosphorus application rates should be estimated. These estimates should be based upon the most recently available information for manure nutrient concentration (manure sample) and the estimate of crop nutrient needs. Since this information is not typically available at the time of a permit application, estimating manure phosphorus application rates as part of a permit is, at best, an educated guess made without essential information.

Feed Management Practices that Affect Animal Manures

Excess nutrients in livestock feed all end up in manure because animals cannot utilize them. What you feed your livestock makes a big difference in the composition of the manure output. Feed management practices that not only meet animal requirements but minimize the amount of excess nutrients in manure help reduce risk of water contamination problems. Knowing the requirements of the animal you are feeding can improve your ability to feed the animal the correct amount of nutrients.

Pathogens and Organic Matter

Pathogens, typically microbes (e.g., bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi) or parasitic worms, are organisms capable of causing infection or disease in other organisms, including humans, wild and domestic animals, and plants. Several pathogens naturally occur in livestock and poultry manure and under certain circumstances may pose a risk to human health.

Other Systems

Some areas in Nebraska are not appropriate for a conventional septic tank/drainfield system or a residential lagoon. We consider these environmentally vulnerable areas.

Center Pivots

Application Uniformity of In-Canopy Sprinklers, G1712PDF version Use of in-canopy sprinklers can reduce application uniformity and increase runoff. Learn how to evaluate the efficiency of in-canopy sprinklers.