Reservoirs or basins should be in place throughout the entire irrigation season. Two basic methods commonly are used to construct reservoirs. The tool trips at preset intervals, creating small dams in the furrows. Soil dams or dikes are prone to washing away, especially on steep slopes. University of Idaho studies show that proper reservoir or basin tillage can practically eliminate runoff on slopes up to 7 percent and drastically reduce it on steeper slopes with silt loam and coarser textured soils.
Surfactants are most effective on nonwettable soils or soils that repel water.
Such soils may have highly dehydrated organic matter such as grass thatch, field-burning ash, or be poorly drained with an organic fraction containing high fatty acid content. This offers the potential for a reduction in the amount of water required to be pumped and, in turn, reduced pumping energy costs. You may order up to six no-charge publications without charge. If you request seven or more no-charge publications, include 25 cents for each publication beyond six. We offer discounts on orders of 100 or more copies of a single title.