PROGRAM INFORMATION

EQIP, WHIP, WRP, CREP, CONTINUOUS CRP and SAFE:  Applications for funding assistance or annual payments can be taken at your local USDA Service Center.

NSWCP: New money comes July 1.  Applications for cost-share assistance can be taken anytime at your local NRCS office.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANT: Applications for cost-share assistance can be submitted by June 16 for sub-surface drip systems, pivots, underground pipe, well upgrades, motors, bridges, etc.  Contact Kelley Kinney with Rural Development at 308-237-3118, ext. 4.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June 10: TBNRD Board of Directors meeting, 7:30 PM
June 24: CNPPID's four 2-week delivery schedule begins
July 7: CNPPID Board of Directors meeting, 9:00 AM

Survival of Flooded Corn or Soybeans

Flooded crops and saturated soils.  How long can corn and soybeans survive?  Early spring flooding is a lot less harmful than late spring flooding because of less oxygen in warm water than cool water.  Below is some potential survival information for corn and soybeans at various flooding/saturated conditions.

-- Small soybeans not completely submerged can survive a long time in standing water.

-- Small soybeans completely submerged can survive up to a week when air temperatures are below 90 degrees F.

-- Small soybeans with saturated soils.  The development of diseases like phytophthora and pythium may occur.

-- Soybeans with 1 inch of water on surface at V4 and R2 for two, four, seven and 14 days (according to data from the University of Arkansas):  Variety differences evident (all were determinates); R2 flooding resulted in greater losses than at V4.  Yields reduced between 0.8 and 1.9 bu./acre per day of flooding at V4 and from 1.5 to 2.3 bu./acre per day of flooding at R2.

-- Germinating corn:  There are genetic differences in hybrids that exist for responses to flooding.

-- Corn prior to 6-leaf under six inches of water with air temperatures less than 77 degrees F will survive for four days.  Longer flooding results in lower yields especially with lower N levels.

-- Corn prior to 6-leaf under six inches of water with air temperatures greater than 77 degrees F may not survive more than 24 hours.

-- Corn prior to 6-leaf with saturated cold soils will get seed rot, seedling blight, various other pathogens, and crazy top.

(Information compiled by various sources and comes from a chart in the May 20, 2005 issue of UNL CropWatch.  You can see this chart along with replanting information at the CropWatch website.  You can also read more about flooding in a June 27, 2003 issue of UNL CropWatch.  Select the archives option to choose an issue date.  Curtis Scheele at (308) 995-6121, ext. 3 also can provide a copy of the report.

ACROSS THE TRI-BASIN NRD

NAWMDN Part 1: Introduction

The Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN) will be in operation for the second year across the Tri-Basin NRD.  Last year there were nine sites and this year there will be 14 (see map).

These sites are another tool producers can use in their irrigation water managment program when determining crop water use or ET (evapotranspiration).  These sites can do a wonderful job representing your fields and crops by being closer in proximity to your fields than weather stations and by being able to utilize your different crop stages for different fields.

In each issue of the Tri-Basin Irrigator, information from the prior two weeks will be provided for eight of the 14 sites across the Tri-Basin NRD.  This information will become available in the next issue along with an example.  You can also go to Central's website to gather weekly data from atmometer sites and weather stations across the TBNRD.

Knowing how much water your crop is using tells you how much water needs to be applied.  Your flow meter can be used when irrigating to tell you how much water you are applying.

If you have any questions about irrigation water management or need assistance getting started, call Curtis Scheele at 308-995-6121, ext. 3.

Stage of Growth:

Corn (3-leaf to 6-leaf stage): At 6 leaves, the nodal root system is the major system with sets of roots elongating from the 3-4 lowest stalk nodes.

Soybeans (Not Planted to V2 stage): At V2, lateral roots are proliferating rapidly between the rows in the top six inches.

Irrigation:

Rain.  Storm.  Storm or rain.  Storm?  Whatever the pattern, we know it's a wet one.  There are pivots down and other damage done from tornadoes and high winds across the TBNRD.  Hail damage has also been experienced by some.

There are still quite a few acres of soybeans to be planted.  Pivots have been running to soften crusts, get fertilizer incorporated and to empty pits as much as possible, while hoping to not drown out crops when the next storm comes.  With all the rains, early applied fertilizer has probably leached through the profile.  Others are waiting for the rains to stop so that they can get in the fields to side-dress their fertilizer.

Lake McConaughy is at 45.4% capacity versus 38.9% a year ago. Inflows to Lake McConaughy are 1,130 cfs compared with 262 cfs a year ago.  Flows in the South Platte River at North Platte are 163 cfs compared with 555 a year ago.  You can track these flows on Central's web site.

Rainfall:
The following rainfall amounts (inches) come from NeRAIN which can be found at NeRAIN.

Nebraska Water Management Demonstration Network (NAWMDN) Crop ET Information
Additional atmometer sites and Weather Station Data can be found on CNPPID's website

Inches of Crop Water Use (ET) = Evaporation x Kc

Crop Coefficients (Kc)

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:

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." - 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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