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Soil Moisture Monitoring
This document discusses soil moisture monitoring for irrigation water management. It outlines different options for monitoring soil moisture, including gypsum blocks, tensiometers, and the feel method. It explains how to place sensors in the field, focusing on the active root zone. The document also discusses using the data collected, such as graphing it over time and using a checkbook method to determine irrigation needs based on the soil's water holding capacity.
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Soil Moisture Monitoring
- 1. Soil moisture monitoring For irrigationwater management Caleb M. Carter U.W. Extension Educator Goshen County 2014 SE Wyoming Beef Production Convention Torrington, WY November 18, 2014
- 2. Outline • Why… • How… •What for… • Soils • Options • Placement • Data
- 3. “And we cansave 700 lira by not taking soil samples!” Importance of soil sampling!
- 4. Web soil survey http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/HomePage.htm Canbe a good, quick way to learn more about your soils
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- 6. Water holding capacity • Texture/rocks • Organicmatter • Bulk density • Structure • Rooting depth • Past management
- 7. Water holding capacity SaturationField Capacity Permanent Wilting Point • Field capacity (FC) • Wilting point (WP)
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- 9. Management allowable depletion (MAD) Takehalf, leave half… …works for water too
- 10. • Accuracy notas important • Irrigation system limitations • Crops and soils • Time investment • Be realistic Considerations
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- 12. Feel method • Ifit makes a ball and falls apart when you bounce it in your hand, needs irrigation
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- 14. Tensiometers • Cost dependson length: • 6 – 48”/$45 to $80 • Read 0 to 80 centibars
- 15. Electrical resistance blocks Gypsum Granularmatrix sensors • 1 to 2 years • $5 to $15 apiece • Best in fine soils • More sensitive to freezing • 5 to 7 years • $25 to $30 apiece • Wider range of soil moisture
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- 17. Watermark block install Installinga WATERMARK Sensor on PVC in Hard or Rocky Soil IRROMETER Company, Inc.
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- 20. Soil variation Use soil withthe smallest water holding capacity, if 30 to 50% of the field
- 21. Active root zone Depthof root zone determines depth of monitoring
- 22. • 1/3 and2/3 of the active root zone
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- 26. Checkbook method What goesin… …must come out
- 28. Checkbook method Starting thecheckbook • soil texture • crop type, rooting depth and water use • available water-holding capacity of the soil • minimum allowable balance • estimate of current soil water balance.
- 29. Considerations… • You knowyour fields, crops and irrigation systems best • Adjust, adapt or reject suggestions • Not a substitute for personal observations
- 30. Trial and error Implementingnew recommendations
- 31. Questions? Caleb M. Carter UWExtension Educator [email protected]
Editor's Notes
- #12 Tensionmeters: 0 to 80 centibars Electrical resistance blocks: 0 to ~200 centibars
- #14 Centibar = 1/100th of a bar 1 bar ~ 1 atmosphere Measures the force a plant must exert to remove water from the soil
- #15 Require heavy maintenance Not good for fine textured soils
- #16 Soil contact imperative!
- #19 Hand held meters: $150 to $600 Data loggers: $60 to $500
- #23 If active root zone is more than 3 ft, use 3 sensors
- #24 Avoid inner pivot circle, more moist