Education Commons^™

Nf05-631 Understanding Watersheds, Thomas G. Franti, Steven R. Tonn

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Watersheds are dynamic and unique places. They are complex webs of natural resources, — soil, water, air, plants and animals. Together land and water make a watershed a whole system.

This NebFacts covers what a watershed is, how it works, its functions, how human activities can alter watershed functions, and its management.

G05-1579 Using Modified Atmometers (EtGage®) For Irrigation Management, Suat Irmak, Jose O, Payero, Derrel L. Martin

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes the atmometer (evapotranspiration gage) and explains how it can be used for irrigation scheduling. Examlpes are provided to show how information collected with an atmometer can be used to estimate crop water use for corn and soybean.

Nf05-632 Protecting Your Watershed, Thomas G. Franti, Steven R. Tonn

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Everyone lives in a watershed. A watershed is the land area that contributes water to a location, usually a stream, pond, lake or river. Everything we do on the suface of our watershed impacts the water quality of our streams, wetlands, ponds, lakes and rivers. Like organs in a body, every part of the watershed is essential. What happens in one part affects other downstream parts. This NebFacts discusses the threat of pollutions in our watersheds, common runoff pollutants, and best management practices for protecting the watershed.

G05-1551 Multiple-Year Droughts In Nebraska, Michael Hayes, Cody Knutson, Q. Steven Hu

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide discusses the history and impact of drought in Nebraska.

Most people understand that droughts have had a major impact on Nebraska in the past. Yet, many Nebraskans continue to be surprised when drought occurs. It is important to remember that droughts, including multiple-year droughts, are a normal part of Nebraska’s climate. This NebGuide discusses the history of drought in Nebraska, and aims to help Nebraskans better understand the range of climatic variability when they plan for drought.

Ec05-705 Precision Agriculture: Site-Specific Of Soil Ph (Faq), Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Jerry Mulliken

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Site-specific management of soil pH is a precision agriculture practice that can provide positive economic and environmental impacts on modern crop production. This publication addresses several frequently asked questions related to the meaning of soil pH, lime requirement, and quality of data used to prescribe site-specific management of soil pH. What is soil pH? The term “pH” is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion activity, and values range from 1 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic).

G04-1536 Drinking Water: Storing An Emergency Supply, Sharon Skipton, Bruce I. Dvorak, Julie A. Albrecht

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Taking a little time now to store an emergency water supply can prepare for all types of disasters. If your water supply is disrupted, you will be able to provide for your entire family and possibly others. Effective methods of preparing water for storage include disinfection with chlorine and storing at room temperature, disinfection with chlorine and freezing, or canning.

Cc03-431 Make Every Drop Count In Your Home

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

There are four ways to reduce water in your home ...

1. Maintain -- Fix leaks and dripping faucets. Leaks can account for 14 to 25 percent of all indoor water use.

2. Change -- Change the way water is used in the home.

3. Equipment -- Purchase water-reducing equipment and appliances.

4. Think -- Develop creative water conserving practices that are safe and sanitary.

Start wtih the largest water users. The toilet, shower/bath, and clothes washer account for two-thirds of the water used in an average household.

Cc03-432 Make Every Drop Count In Your Home On Your Yard

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Did You Know...

Weather adjustments to an automatic irrigation system can conserve A LOT of water.

A system applying 1 inch of water to an average size lawn (approximately 5,000 square feet) that has already received sufficient rain wastes over 3,000 gallons of water -- a year's supply of drinking water for 17 people.

Ec02-459 Heating And Cooling Systems: Saving Energy And Keeping Safe (Home*A*Syst Worksheet 1), Shirley Niemeyer, Sharon Skipton

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Your house should be a safe, comfortable place that is affordable and durable. A house is affordable only when costs for heating and cooling are reasonable. Energy bills are lowest if a home is tightly air-sealed and pr0perly insulated and if all mechanical systems are operating efficiently.

This worksheet will help you assess the environment of your home. It will take you step-by-step through current home energy management practices and conditions. Evaluate activities and conditions according to how they might affect energy use and human health. Provide easy to understand "risk level scores" that will help the you analyze the …

Nf02-505 Drinking Water: Chloramines Waters Disinfection In Omaha Metropolitan Utilities District, Sharon Skipton, Bruce I. Dvorak

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Bacteria and other disease-causing organisms in drinking water can cause intestinal infections, dysentery, and a variety of other illnesses. Water disinfection reduces disease-causing organisms and prevents the transmission of disease. This publication discusses the disinfection process used by Metropolitan Utilities District and how it will change in 2002.

Nf02-507 Manure Testing: What To Request?, Charles A. Shapiro, Charles S. Wortmann, Richard Deloughery

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Manure testing is necessary to make optimum use of manure while protecting water resources. The tests most frequently needed to optimize nutrient management are total and ammonium nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, soluble salts, sodium, and dry matter content. This NebFact is a guide to providing information on a Manure Sample Sub­mission Form for reliable interpretation of results.

Ec01-158 Integrating Management Objectives And Grazing Strategies On Semi-Arid Rangeland, Patrick E. Reece, Jerry D. Volesky, Walter H. Schacht

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Rangelands account for about half of Nebraska's total land area or about 24 million acres. Much of these expansive natural resource areas are in the semi-arid climatic region of Nebraska where grazing management decisions have a profound effect on ranch survival.

The educational object of this circular is to explain management practices that optimize the sustainability of rangeland-based enterprises. Additionally a decision-support tool is provided for selecting grazing systems best suited to livestock production and natural resource management objectives.

Ec01-797 Filtration And Maintenance: Considerations For Subsurface Drip Irrigation (Sdi), Brian Benham, Jose O. Payero

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

When using Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) systems, it is important to prevent clogging problems before they occur. The best prevention plan includes an effective filtration and water treatment strategy. Depending on the water source and its quality, various combinations of sand separation, filtration and chemical treatments may be required and are discussed here in this extension circular.

G01-1418 Turf In The Landscape (Revised April 2003), Anne Streich, Steven Rodie, Roch E. Gaussoin

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

To many people, landscape design means choosing the right tree, shrub or flower for a particular place. An important aspect of the landscape often overlooked, however, is the use of turf. Turf often becomes the leftover areas in the landscape rather than an integral design element.

Turf is a significant part of successful landscaping. This NebGuide explores the benefits and uses of turf in the landscape.

Ec00-105 Nebraska Corn Hybrid Tests 2000, Lenis Alton Nelson, Robert N. Klein, Roger Wesley Elmore, David D. Baltensperger, Charles A. Shapiro, Stevan Z. Knezevic, James Krall

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This circular is a progress report of corn hybrid performance tests conducted by the Agronomy Department and the Northeast, South Central, West Central and Panhandle Research and Extension Centers of Nebraska and University of Wyoming at Torrington. Conduct of experiments and publication of results is a joint effort of the Agricultural Research Division and the Cooperative Extension Service.

Ec00-106 Nebraska Grain Sorghum Hybrid Tests 2000, Robert N. Klein, Roger Wesley Elmore, Lenis Alton Nelson, David D. Baltensperger

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This circular is a progress report of grain sorghum trials conducted to obtain yield and other information for some of the hybrids being marketed. The 2000 season was the 43rd year that private hybrids were included in these trials.

Ec98-746 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska's System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk: Introduction, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Groundwater provides nearly all the water for domestic use in rural Nebraska. It’s essential that the quality of our groundwater, along with that of our surface water resources, be protected. It is especially important to protect the drinking water supply on any homesites where a private domestic well is used. The risk to water quality of various activities at homesites and on surrounding lands varies. Identifying high-risk activities can help determine where to use limited financial and management resources. By increasing knowledge and using careful management, you can greatly reduce the risk of water contamination, often with little or no …

Ec98-787 Glossary Of Ecosystem Terms, Thomas G. Franti, R. Herpel, G.R. Lingle

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This extension circular contains ecosystem definitions from abiotic to wildlife refuge.

G98-1360 Drinking Water: Copper, Sharon Skipton, Delynn Hay

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Too much copper in the human body can cause stomach and intestinal distress such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. This NebGuide discusses how to determine if copper is in a domestic water supply and options that can be taken to reduce the copper in water. Copper rarely occurs naturally in water. Most copper contamination in drinking water happens in the water delivery system, as a result of corrosion of the copper pipes or fittings. Copper piping and fittings are widely used in household plumbing.

Ec98-753 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Fact Sheet 7: Improving Hazardous Materials And Waste Management, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Waste is inevitable. Things which have been outgrown, broken, replaced, or are just no longer needed add to the waste produced at homes, acreages and around farms. Most of the waste accumulated around the farm, acreage and home is solid waste. Solid waste includes all discarded materials — newspapers, empty paint cans, liquids, gases, pickle jars, orange peelings, leftover food, worn out shoes, junk mail — this list is endless. Some of these solid wastes contain potentially hazardous materials.

Ec98-771 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Fact Sheet 8: Improving Household Wastewater Treatment, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

A properly installed and maintained system for treating and disposing of household wastewater will minimize the impact of that system on groundwater and surfacewater. State and local codes specify how wastewater systems must be designed, installed, and maintained. For example, Title 124 regulates the design, operation, and maintenance of septic tank systems in Nebraska. In addition, federal and state regulations guide the stabilization and land application of wastewater septage.

Ec98-792 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Fact Sheet 16: Improving Crop Pesticide Application Management, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Though pesticides are especially harmful to the target pest, they are also potentially harmful to most living and breathing creatures and non-target plant life. Proper handling and application management of pesticides are important to protect you and to protect surface and groundwater from contamination. Pesticides were first found in groundwater in the 1970s. Prior to that, the general belief was that pesticides did not leach into the groundwater with normal use.

G98-1356 Polyacrylamide – A Method To Reduce Soil Erosion, C. Dean Yonts, Brian Benham

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

This NebGuide describes polyacrylamide, what it is, how it can be used to reduce soil erosion due to, irrigation and what water management changes must be considered.

Topsoil loss can mean a long-term reduction in soil productivity, crop yield and the life expectancy of downstream storage reservoirs. In the short term, producers are faced with reuse pits to clean or a buildup of soil at the lower ends of fields which must be redistributed. Measures must be taken to reduce or eliminate soil erosion and sustain Nebraska's soil resource.

Ec98-750 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Worksheet 12: Silage Storage, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why should I be concerned? Silage is an important feed for livestock-based agriculture. When properly harvested and stored, silage poses little or no pollution threat, but improper handling can lead to a significant flow of silage juices (or leachate) from the silo. Leachate is an organic liquid that results from pressure in the silo or from extra water entering the silo. It is usually a problem only when silage is fresh, or just after storage. This loss of leachate represents a loss of nutrient value from the silage.

Ec98-748 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Worksheet 2: Site Evaluation, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why is the site evaluation important? The effect of farm, ranch or homesite practices on groundwater depends in part on the physical characteristics of your site: soil type, subsurface characteristics and depth to groundwater. That’s why evaluating the soils and geologic characteristics of your site is such an important step in protecting the groundwater you drink. This evaluation focuses primarily on the farmstead or homesite and risk to groundwater, but, to a limited extent, also addresses surface water. The worksheet can be applied to land beyond the farmstead or homesite, but the variation in soils and geologic materials would have …

Ec98-754 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Worksheet 7: Hazardous Materials And Waste Management, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why should I be concerned? Consider the variety of products commonly used in households, on acreages and on farms: paints, solvents, oils, cleaners, wood preservatives, batteries, adhesives, and pesticides. Also consider the amount of these products which goes unused or is thrown away. Some common disposal practices can create an unsafe environment around the home and may contaminate groundwater. Additionally, many of these common disposal practices violate Nebraska law.

Ec98-752 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Worksheet 9: Livestock Manure Storage, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why should I be concerned? Accumulating manure in storage incurs certain risks to the environment and to human and animal health unless appropriate precautions are taken.Manure can contribute nutrients and disease-causing organisms to both surface water and groundwater.

Ec98-758 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Worksheet 11: Land Application Of Manure, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why should I be concerned? Stewardship of soil and water resources should be a goal of every livestock producer. Management decisions made relative to land application of livestock manure will influence the ability to attain that goal.

Ec98-757 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Risk Fact Sheet 11: Improving Land Application Of Manure, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Resource or waste? Stewardship of soil and water resources should be a goal of every livestock producer. Management decisions made relative to land application of livestock manure will influence the ability to attain that goal. An evaluation of your land application practices should focus on the following question: Is manure a waste or are source?

Ec98-766 Farm*A*Syst Nebraska’S System For Assessing Water Contamination Worksheet 3: Drinking Water Well Condition, Robert Grisso, Delynn Hay, Paul J. Jasa, Richard K. Koelsch, Sharon Skipton, Wayne Woldt

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Why should I be concerned? Essentially all of Nebraska’s rural residents use groundwater to supply their drinking water and farm needs. Wells should provide clean water. If wells are improperly constructed or maintained, however, they can allow bacteria, pesticides, fertilizer, oil products, or other pollutants to contaminate groundwater. These contaminants can put family, pets and livestock health at risk.