Water Management - The Field
Table of Contents
- Nutrient Management
- Pest Management
- Irrigation Management
- Drainage Management
- Available in Published Version of Water Management
How you manage crops in the field directly affects water quantity and
quality. This section will help you develop a water management plan that:
- will help sustain ideal soil moisture levels
- keeps ground water impacts to a minimum
- reduces soil erosion, by managing overland runoff.
But first, back to basics: how water moves (or doesn't move) through
a field, and the influences of soil types, seasons, cropping practices,
and drainage on its movement. You need to be aware of these interrelationships
before you can develop an effective plan.
Throughout the next sections, we'll be referring you to other books in
the Best Management Practices series that address related topics - soil,
nutrient, crop, manure, and woodlot and wildlife habitat management. In
them are more background and best management practices to help you protect
your soil and water resources.
Nutrient Management
A sound nutrient management program will maintain or increase yields
while saving you money and protecting the environment. We urge you to
read Managing Crop Nutrients
and Nutrient Management Planning
for more details.
Figure 1. Over application of atrazine can reduce crop yields.
Pest Management
Adopting an Integrated Pest Management system for your operation will
help you use chemicals efficiently and effectively, while protecting your
water quality. The IPM program considers weed, insect, and disease control.
See the Best Management Practices books, Integrated
Pest Management and Pesticide
Storage, Handling and Application for more details on what's
involved, and see 'The Barn'
section in this book for more information about pesticide mixing, storage
and disposal.
Always remember to evaluate the types of soils on your property, and
assess the vulnerability of your water supplies.
Figure 2. Pest-control products, such as pesticides, are designed
to kill specific pests. They can also be toxic to people.
Irrigation Management
Some best management practices for irrigation include:
-
scheduling irrigation to maximize energy and water
conservation
- being conscious of water table levels, and your effect on them
- moisture-testing soil to ensure crops do need water
- if fertilizers are being applied, make sure the job is necessary and
done safely
-
installing an anti-backflow device, such as a check
valve.
Figure 3. Choose an irrigation system that gets as much water
back to the plant as is needed and minimizes water losses to evaporation
and/or runoff.
See the Best Management Practices book Irrigation
Management for further information.
Drainage Management
Drainage works are a large capital investment. Management of an artificial
drainage system requires effective:
- planning of the system prior to construction, and
- maintenance, i.e. inspection and repair.
This section looks at the overall picture, then specifically tile
outlets, surface inlets, tile lines, surface drainage systems, and
runoff management. For more information read OMAFRA Factsheet, Drain
Problems.
Figure 4. Red organic matter, "iron ochre", is occasionally
a problem in tile drains.
Available in Published Version of Water Management
-
Pathways of Water
- The Water Cycle Around Your Fields
- Ground Water and Your Soil
- Surface Water
- Chemical Movement
- Solubility, Persistence and Adsorption Potential of Crop Protection
Chemicals - Chart
- Subsurface Drainage
- Drainage Management
- Troubleshooting Tile Lines - Chart
- Cropping and Tillage Management - Chart
