The drought monitor, as of Tuesday, Feb. 24, indicates a slight deterioration from last week in extreme Northwest Kansas and along the Oklahoma border with the most significant decrease (moderate drought with a touch of extreme) in extreme Southeast Kansas. Our area is in good shape. The six to 10 day forecast (March 3 to 7) indicates a 70 to 80% chance of likely above normal for temperatures and a 50 to 60% of likely above normal for precipitation. The eight to 14-day forecast indicates (March 5 to 11) indicates a 50 to 60% chance of likely above normal for temperatures and a 40 to 50% chance of leaning above normal for precipitation.
Conserving groundwater (water period) has become an increasing focus for agriculture in Kansas over the last several decades with declining aquifers and intense, more frequent drought conditions. In Topeka, the legislature has upped the original $20 million to $60 million. It’s a focus of state and local governments/agencies. We know we simply must use less water and sustainably manage our water resources while maintain crop and livestock production. Today, how can crop rotations and variety/hybrid selection help conserve water.
• A diverse crop rotation provides several major benefits. It helps manage and control pest pressure. Transitioning to reduced tillage and hopefully no-tillage or strip tillage can be a challenge when managing residue which is made easier when a rotation includes lower residue crops. You can more effectively mine soil nutrients when varying root systems. All of these benefits better utilize soil water. The challenge is that where aquifer decline is the most severe, is also where a diverse crop rotation (trying to include broadleaves for example) is hardest. As you move east from the Colorado border, rotational options increase provided you have ready markets.
• It would create water savings with center pivot irrigation to rotate more often with wheat, grain sorghum, and if soil conditions permit – soybeans. Producers know this, however, even with the significantly higher costs of production, corn is still the best option especially with the feedlot industry. Planting cream/white sorghums which make acceptable cattle feed would help and produce acceptable yields while using less water. It would take some effort for feedyards to use it but it’s not a big challenge. Wheat would also use less water and is acceptable feed. However, and intensive management units are formed, they have been quite successful in Northwest Kansas for some time, these become more viable options. Yields may be lower and prices lower, but input costs are also lower.
• Split pivots with crops having different peak water usage requirements.
• Finally, even under irrigation, selecting earlier maturing varieties would use less water with a shorter vegetative stage while producing acceptable yields. And, in conjunction with feedyards, use more silage from corn to various summer feed crops.
There is so much more but these are a few ideas.
Dr. Victor L. Martin is the agriculture instructor/coordinator for Barton Community College. He can be reached at 620-792-9207, ext. 207, or martinv@bartonccc.edu.
