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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #322502
Title: Agricultural water requirements for commercial production of cranberries

Author
item Kennedy, Casey
item JERANYAMA, PETER - University Of Massachusetts
item ALVERSON, NICKOLAS - University Of Massachusetts

Submitted to: Canadian Journal of Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2016
Publication Date: 2/10/2017
Citation: Kennedy, C.D., Jeranyama, P., Alverson, N. 2017. Agricultural water requirements for commercial production of cranberries. Canadian Journal of Soil Science. 97:38-45.

Interpretive Summary: Given increased water resource regulations, governmental agencies and cranberry growers alike are eager to develop accurate estimates of agricultural water use. USDA-ARS scientists conducted careful monitoring of irrigated water used in the cranberry system for frost protection, soil moisture management, and harvest and winter floods. Based on the two years of monitoring, we calculate a farm area threshold value of 1.73 ha (4.28 acre), over which a water withdrawal permit would be required under state water regulations.

Technical Abstract: Abundant water resources are essential for the commercial production of cranberries, which use irrigated water for frost protection, soil moisture management, and harvest and winter floods. Given water resource demands in southeastern Massachusetts, we sought to quantify the annual water requirement for the production of cranberries. Based on two years of monitoring (2013-2015) on five cranberry farms located in Massachusetts, the annual water requirement was 2276 ± 493 and 1712 ± 506 mm yr-1 for years 1 and 2, respectively (mean and standard deviation). Based on the 2-year mean, the farm area threshold was 1.73 ha (4.28 acre), over which a water withdrawal permit would be required under state water regulations. Annual variation in the water requirement was primarily related to differences in the harvest and winter floods, which together accounted for three-fourth of the annual water requirement. Water volumes of the winter flood exhibited the greatest temporal variation (up to 69%), whereas annual variation in harvest flood volumes were, on average, 13%. Environmental variation exerted a strong control on water requirements for the winter flood and seasonal irrigation and should be carefully considered in agricultural water use regulations.