Author
 |
Truman, Clinton |
|
Rowland, Diane |
|
Submitted to: Georgia Water Resources Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2005 Publication Date: 4/25/2005 Citation: Truman, C.C., Rowland, D. 2005. Conservation tillage to manage water and supplemental irrigation in Georgia. In: Georgia Water Resources Conference, 4/25-27/2005, Athens, Georgia. Interpretive Summary: Production of most commodities in Georgia tends to be water limiting. Because of urban, industrial, and agricultural demands for water, producers face increasingly stringent water management regulations. Georgia producers use supplemental irrigation to maintain competitive yields. Adverse climatic and soil conditions and potential policies restricting irrigation water use reveal a major dilemma facing Georgia producers: Finding ways to maximize crop yields, maintaining responsible water-use efficiency, and limit soil and water quality concerns. In Georgia, conservation tillage systems have significant potential as a water management tool for agricultural producers. Conservation tillage systems, coupled with residue managment and paratilling, increase infiltration, soil water, soil water holding capacity, and plant available water, thus conserving soil and water resources by reducing runoff, soil loss, and irrigation costs and demands. In Georgia, placing more land under conservation tillage systems will improve producer profit margins, reduce environmental risks, and conserve water resources. Technical Abstract: Production of most commodities in Georgia tends to be water limiting due to climatic and soil characteristics; and because of urban, industrial, and agricultural demands for water, producers face increasingly stringent water management regulations. Georgia producers are dependent on supplemtal irrigation to maintain competitive yields. Soils in Georgia are relatively sandy, tend to be drought-prone, and susceptible to compaction and erosion, thus present water management challenges. Adverse climatic and soil conditions and potential policies restricting irrigation water use reveal a major dilemma facing Georgia producers: Finding ways to maximize crop yields, maintaining responsible water-use efficiency, and limit soil and water quality concerns. In Georgia conservation tillage systems have significant potential as a water management tool for agricultural producers. Conservation tillage systems, coupled with residue management and paratilling, increase infiltration, soil water, soil water holding capacity, and plant available water, thus conserving soil and water resources by reducing runoff, sediment delivery, off-site contamination, and the demand for irrigation. In Georgia, placing more land under conservation tillage systems will improve producer profit margins, reduce environmental risks, and conserve water resources. |