Water News Archive

When we plant a garden or flower bed, we think about sunlight preferences, color and bloom times most often, but there are other factors to think about including water requirements for the plants. All plants need water to survive, but they differ greatly in how much they need. Some plants are best planted along a pond edge or other very wet location because they like swampy, over irrigated locations. Where other plants require dry, well-drained soil. There are even some great plants used in rain gardens and similar areas that actually do well in both wet locations as well as dry conditions to overcome the changing environment when water collects during rain events and dries out between rains.

This UNL research study provides insights on the rotation of annual crops with alfalfa as a highly effective means of reducing nitrate-nitrogen contamination in groundwater.

Several areas of Nebraska had a one- to two-category improvement in drought conditions throughout the winter season, which has been the fifth wettest winter on record for the state.

For producers planning corn-on-corn this growing season, there may be a substantial opportunity to reduce nitrogen fertilizer applications, as drought and reduced yields likely left higher-than-normal residual N in many fields.

Cattle manure is a valuable resource for farmers, as it contains an abundance of macro and micronutrients that are essential for plant growth and development. The nutrients present in manure, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other minerals are essential for soil fertility. One of the most significant advantages of using cattle manure as a fertilizer is that it can enhance the soil organic matter (SOM) content. Soil organic matter plays a crucial role in improving soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability. Moreover, cattle manure can also increase the changeable fractions of carbon (C) & nitrogen (N) and enhance soil microbial activity, which is crucial for the decomposition and stabilization of soil organic carbon (SOC). The Knorr Holden plot, located at the Panhandle Research, Extension, and Education Center, Scottsbluff, Nebraska presents a unique opportunity for studying the impact of long-term manure (more than 77 years) applications on soil health and crop productivity.

Many farmers and ranchers make inquiries to Nebraska Extension about prevailing rates paid for various kinds of custom farm services. In addition to the regular biennial custom rates survey, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability has launched a new survey designed to provide market rate information for the Nebraska livestock industry. Producers and operators that perform and provide custom services for others, or that utilize custom services and pay others, are invited to participate in the survey.

The nearly 70 on-farm research studies conducted by Nebraska farmers in 2022 addressed fertility and soil management, cover crops, crop protection, equipment and non-traditional products, including biologicals.

Results from 2022 variety trial research conducted on numerous cover crop species at five UNL research stations across Nebraska.

Tree health is often a reflection root health. Good practices to improve root health include properly applied organic mulch, good water management to avoid overwatering but providing water as needed during dry periods, and avoiding root damage from construction or changes in soil grade. The Image shows thin white fungal mycorrhizae on the roots of a slash pine by Paul A. Mistretta, USDAForest Service, Bugwood.org

Nebraska Extension Educator Laura Thompson and Lexington farmer Don Batie discuss research studies conducted by the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network and their impact on farming in Nebraska.

TAPS is expanding its competition in 2023 with a new irrigated popcorn competition, a cover crops option for sprinkler corn, and a new location for the sorghum competition. The expansion also includes a new TAPS competition in Colorado.

Nebraska NRCS has announced ACT Now Signup 2 for initiatives and EQIP programs. An ACT Now signup process will be utilized for the Bazile, Big Sandy and Turkey Creek NWQIs and EQIP CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs. Applications that may have been received for these initiatives after the November 18, 2022 EQIP application cutoff but prior to the December 19,2022 Signup 2 announcement, are eligible as well.

Zoom training sessions will focus on pesticides for corn and soybean on March 8 and April 4, and for pastures on March 21.

A new Nebraska Extension NebGuide clarifies the concept of consumptive use of water with regard to irrigated crop production and provides guidelines for determining the efficiency of new irrigation technology.

As I walk around my yard with my dog, I wonder about the impacts it has on my turf for the spring. Walking on frozen turf can have detrimental effects. During the spring and summer, we can walk on our lawns and turf fields with no damage. During the growing season, turf plants can recover from traffic through active regrowth. However, during the winter the turf is dormant and cannot recover from the damage until the spring.

In 2023, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB1014.  This bill took 4 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and allocated it to treating nitrate issues in Nebraska.  1.2 million dollars of that has been dedicated to a Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program that is directed at private well owners. The general idea of the program is that any individual private drinking water well owner can test their water AND if the nitrate concentration comes back above 10 ppm, they might be eligible for UP TO $4,000 support to get a reverse osmosis system to treat their nitrate.

Nebraska farmers and agronomists are set to present results of their 2022 on-farm research studies on cover crops, variable rate seeding, starter fertilizer, biological products, seed treatments, variable rate nitrogen management and more.

According to study from Department of Natural Resources researchers, irrigation pivots stained with rust may indicate the absence of nitrate in the groundwater supplying the pivots. This information can potentially be used to help screen for areas for the potential absence of nitrate and, in an ideal world, could indicate areas at higher- or lower-risk for nitrate contamination before it becomes a problem.

In this two-day course, NU experts will be discussing the latest research on soil fertility, precision ag for nitrogen management, cover crop effects on soil, soil carbon sequestration and more.

New for 2023, certain county extension offices will host computer kiosks that private applicators can use to complete the program, and extension educators will be hosting Zoom training sessions.