PROGRAM INFORMATION

EQIP-GSWC: We are cleaning up the 2007 funds.  Should additional funds become available, we will continue to move down the application list for approvals.  Applications for 2008 funds can be taken anytime at your local NRCS office.

NSWCP: Applications for cost-share assistance can be taken at your local NRCS office.  The next approval date for irrigation practice applications will be Sept. 11, 2007.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 28: Memorial Day (government offices closed)
June 1: CNPPID Board of Directors meeting, 9 AM
June 12: TBNRD Board of Directors meeting, 7:30 PM
June 26: CNPPID's 4-week delivery schedule begins
* Times are tentative

When to Irrigate with a Current Full Soil Moisture Profile

With all the moisture received in 2007 and corn at about the 3-leaf stage, most of the Tri-Basin NRD has a full soil moisture profile.  To determine how much moisture is in a full soil profile, you must first know the soil type for your field.  You can then determine how much moisture your soil profile can hold.  Your local NRCS office can help you with this information.  For example, a Holdrege silt loam soil will hold 2.3 inches per foot.  Figuring a 3-foot soil profile, Holdrege silt loam will hold 6.9 inches of moisture.  If you plan to irrigate at 40% depletion, you know you have 2.76 inches of soil moisture that can be utilized prior to irrigating the corn (6.9 inches x 40% = 2.76 inches).  Right now corn is using about 0.03 inches per day.  (See ET information sites at the bottom of this page.)  In keeping track of corn water use (ET) each day, you can add the daily totals until they reach near 2.76 inches.  You should then be at 40% depletion provided no rain has occurred in this time frame.  If rain does occur, you can replenish the soil with the amount of rain determined to have infiltrated into the soil profile.

Another way to do this is to calculate 60% full moisture (6.9 inches x 60% = 4.14 inches).  Here you would subtract the daily ET from the starting point of 6.9 inches until you reached 4.14 inches.  This is when you would irrigate.  Again, you need to account for rainfall.

This method of scheduling irrigations is called the checkbook method.  In most years you need to check the soil moisture levels with a probe or texture/feel method to determine your beginning year starting point.  2007 is unique in that we know we are basically at full profile based on moisture received.  In using this method, it is always recommended to regularly check the soil moisture throughout the year and to make adjustments as necessary.  Kind of like your monthly bank statement.

If you have any questions or would like some assistance in scheduling irrigations, contact Curtis Scheele at 308-995-6121, ext. 3.

ACROSS THE TRI-BASIN NRD

NRCS Nebraska No-Till Specialist:

Dan Gillespie was introduced this past winter as the NRCS Nebraska No-Till Specialist located in the Battle Creek Field Office in northeast Nebraska.  He has been promoting no-till in the state since 2005.  A 15-year-plus no-tiller himself, his rotation is mostly a corn-soybean rotation on both pivots and dryland.  His own no-till farming experiences make him well versed in the no-till arena, especially in the Tri-Basin NRD where corn and soybeans on pivots and dryland are much the culture.

This summer there are four scheduled No-Till Field Days across the state.  They are as follows:

• June 5 at Harrisburg.  For more information, contact Kathy Buttle at 308-436-7194, ext. 3.
• July 18 at Pender.  For more information, contact Dan Gillespie at 402-675-2745, ext. 3.
• August 7 at Alliance.  For more information, contact Stephanie King at 308-327-2489, ext. 3.
• August 22 at Bladen.  For more information, contact Dan Gillespie at 402-675-2745, ext. 3.

If you have any questions about no-till, whether it be getting started or to fine tune your system, you can contact Dan at 402-675-2745, ext. 3 or you can e-mail him at daniel.gillespie@ne.usda.gov.

Stage of Growth:

Crust with tillage

Crust with no-till

Corn (emergence to 4-leaf stage): Hail, wind or frost that damages the exposed leaves at the 3-leaf stage have little or no effect on yield due to the below ground growing point.

Soybeans (not planted to emergence stage): Still some soybeans to be planted.

Irrigation:

There have been pivots applying 0.25 to 0.50 inches of water to soften the crusts the last couple weeks.  (See adjacent photos.)  I have heard of some fields where corn has been replanted due to poor stands.  Some pivots are running to incorporate herbicides.

Lake McConaughy is at 38.7% capacity versus 41.4% a year ago. Flows on the North Platte River at Lewellen are at 276 cfs versus 273 cfs a year ago. Flows on the South Platte River at Roscoe are at 354 cfs versus 33 cfs a year ago.   You can track these flows on Central's web site.

Rainfall:
Rainfall amounts come from NeRAIN which can be found at http://dnrdata.dnr.ne.gov/NeRAIN/index.asp?&.

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ET) and GROWING DEGREE DAYS (GDD) INFORMATION

Additional ET Information Sites:

KRVN radio broadcasts
KRVN.com
Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
Water Use Hotline: 1-800-993-2507

Check out these web sites:

"A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water." - Anonymous

If you would like to receive this newsletter via e-mail, or have any questions, comments or ideas, feel free to contact Curtis Scheele at the NRCS office in Holdrege or your local NRCS office at the addresses or phone numbers listed below.

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