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Research Project: IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND NEW WATER MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO SUSTAIN RURAL ECONOMIES

Location: Soil and Water Management Research

Title: Soil water sensors:Problems, advances and potential for irrigation scheduling

Authors

Research conducted cooperatively with:
item

Submitted to: Scientific and Technical Review
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: March 14, 2012
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Irrigation water management has to do with the appropriate application of water to soils, in terms of amounts, rates, and timing to satisfy crop water demands, while protecting the soil and water resources from degradation. In this regard, sensors can be used to monitor the soil water status; and some can be used to calculate irrigation amounts and to decide when to optimally irrigate. This presentation consists of two parts: (1) a review and comparison of different electromagnetic (EM) soil water sensor technologies (capacitance or frequency domain and time domain) with attention to accuracy and usefulness for irrigation scheduling, and (2) results of a research project funded by the Ogallala Aquifer Program that focuses on development and testing of a novel waveguide-on-access-tube (WOAT) approach to deep soil profile sensing of water content and bulk electrical conductivity. The frequency domain (capacitance) soil water sensors were found to be too inaccurate and variable for use in irrigation scheduling. The time domain sensors were found to be accurate, though too expensive for routine use and difficult to install deeply, which motivated the research on a lower-cost deep profiling soil water content sensor based on a low-cost TDR circuit.

   

 
Project Team
Brauer, David - Dave
Colaizzi, Paul
Gowda, Prasanna
Lascano, Robert
Acosta-Martinez, Veronica
Baker, Jeff
Tolk, Judy
Evett, Steven - Steve
Howell, Terry
Baumhardt, Roland - Louis
Schwartz, Robert
 
Publications
   Publications
 
Related National Programs
  Water Availability and Water Management (211)
  Climate Change, Soils, and Emissions (212)
 
Related Projects
   WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION - KSU
   WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION - TAMU
   CROP EVAPOTRANSPIRATION DETERMINATION USING EDDY COVARIANCE FLUXES, HIGH RESOLUTION REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY & A SURFACE TEMPERATURE APPROACH
   WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION - TTU
   WATER CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION - WTAMU
   ESTIMATING PERCENT COVER WITH HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY IN THE TEXAS HIGH PLAINS
   IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND NEW WATER MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO SUSTAIN RURAL ECONOMIES-KSU
   IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND NEW WATER MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO SUSTAIN RURAL ECONOMIES-TAMU
   IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND NEW WATER MANAGEMENT TECNOLOGIES TO SUSTAIN RURAL ECONOMIES-TTU
   IMPROVING WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND NEW WATER MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES TO SUSTAIN RURAL ECONOMIES-WTAMU
 
 
Last Modified: 05/20/2013
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