Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
There are many situations in semi-arid and arid rangelands where storm flows, normally running to waste or perhaps causing erosion or unwanted flooding further downslope, can be diverted to nearby relatively flat areas to augment soil moisture storage, making possible the growth of crops and pastures. The design, construction and general concept of spreader banks were tested under an incentive demonstration scheme in scrub-infested semi-arid rangelands of otherwise low productivity (1 sheep to 6-10 ha). Costs of development, including clearing of heavy timber, were recouped in 3-5 years, even though drought conditions prevailed for most of the time. The yield from cash grain crops grown on one artificial flooding and 100 mm of subsequent rain has netted sufficient monetary returns to cover the full developmental costs. Alternatively, green feed crops or sown pasture can run 7-10 sheep per ha for 4 to 3 months, while the stubble from harvested grain crops can support grazing levels. Spreading areas can also be used to provide hay or grain crops which can be stored for later drought or feed shortages. Such highly productive areas in country of otherwise low productivity are of enormous benefits to livestock management, providing small paddocks of high value forage for a range of purposes which are listed below. Although applied on areas of 100 to 200 ha, with catchments 5-10 times that size, the concept should be applicable to smaller areas and smaller catchments.
Citation
Condon, Richard W., "Water-Spreading for Sown Crops and Pastures in Semi-Arid Rangelands" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 15.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses15/15)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Water-Spreading for Sown Crops and Pastures in Semi-Arid Rangelands
Kyoto Japan
There are many situations in semi-arid and arid rangelands where storm flows, normally running to waste or perhaps causing erosion or unwanted flooding further downslope, can be diverted to nearby relatively flat areas to augment soil moisture storage, making possible the growth of crops and pastures. The design, construction and general concept of spreader banks were tested under an incentive demonstration scheme in scrub-infested semi-arid rangelands of otherwise low productivity (1 sheep to 6-10 ha). Costs of development, including clearing of heavy timber, were recouped in 3-5 years, even though drought conditions prevailed for most of the time. The yield from cash grain crops grown on one artificial flooding and 100 mm of subsequent rain has netted sufficient monetary returns to cover the full developmental costs. Alternatively, green feed crops or sown pasture can run 7-10 sheep per ha for 4 to 3 months, while the stubble from harvested grain crops can support grazing levels. Spreading areas can also be used to provide hay or grain crops which can be stored for later drought or feed shortages. Such highly productive areas in country of otherwise low productivity are of enormous benefits to livestock management, providing small paddocks of high value forage for a range of purposes which are listed below. Although applied on areas of 100 to 200 ha, with catchments 5-10 times that size, the concept should be applicable to smaller areas and smaller catchments.
