Author
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Skidmore, Edward |
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Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/24/2006 Publication Date: 2/25/2006 Citation: Skidmore, E.L. 2006. Research and programs that lessen likelihood of dust bowl reoccurrence. Meeting Abstract. Interpretive Summary: Abstract only. Technical Abstract: Wind erosion is a serious problem in many parts of the world especially in arid and semiarid regions. It physically removes from the field the most fertile portion of soil. Soil from damaged land enters suspension and becomes part of the atmospheric dust load. Dust obscures visibility and pollutes the air, causes automobile accident, fouls machinery, and imperial animal and human health. Aeolian sediments also pollute water bodies and cause associated problems. Following the disastrous “Dust Bowl” in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture started an intensive research program on wind erosion in cooperation with Kansas State University. Their stated mission is to increase understanding of wind erosion processes, develop reliable predictive tools, develop control practices, and transfer technology for sustaining agriculture, protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. The predictive tools of the Wind Erosion Equation and Wind Erosion Prediction System have been used to help identify highly erodible lands and planning of conservation practices on those lands. Programs and practices that have been effective for reducing wind erosion include: Shelterbelt Project, Conservation Reserve Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Security Program, National Grasslands, and No-till on the Plains. Research, implemented conservation programs, and improved farming practices have greatly lessoned the likelihood and severity of a “Dust Bowl” reoccurrence. |
