Earth Sciences Commons^™

High-Volume Oil Discovery In Clinton County, Kentucky, Terence Hamilton-Smith, Brandon C. Nuttall, Patrick J. Gooding, Dan Walker, James A. Drahovzal

Information Circular--KGS

The Syndicated Options Limited of Austria No. 9372 Ferguson Brothers well, located in southern Clinton County, Kentucky, has recently produced oil at reported initial rates of 400 to 130 barrels per hour. Cumulative production for the first 8 weeks of flow following discovery on September 25, 1990, is reported to be nearly 150,000 barrels. The well is the result of deepening a previously abandoned well. Production is from the Middle Ordovician High Bridge Group (equivalent to the Stones River Group of Tennessee) at a depth of 1,008 feet. The reservoir is apparently a fractured carbonate rock, and the fracturing is …

Use Of Limestone, Lime, And Dolomite For So2 Emission Control In Kentucky, Garland R. Dever Jr.

Information Circular--KGS

Flue-gas desulfurization and atmospheric fluidized-bed combustion systems for sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission control have been installed at 13 coal- and gas-fired plants and one research laboratory in Kentucky. Limestone, lime, and dolomite are the principal SO₂ sorbents used in these systems.

Nine coal-fired, electricity-generating plants in the State have installed wet-scrubbing systems for flue-gas desulfurization. Lime-based scrubbers are using Thiosorbic® lime, produced from the Camp Nelson Limestone (Ordovician) of north-central Kentucky, and carbide lime, a byproduct from the manufacture of acetylene in Louisville. Limestone-based scrubbing systems at three of the plants have used stone from the Warsaw, …

Regionalization Of Flood Data Using Probability Distributions And Their Parameters, Nageshwar Rao Bhaskar, Carol Alf O'Connor, Harold Andrew Myers, William Paul Puckett

KWRRI Research Reports

The U. S. Geological survey recently used the method of residuals to delineate seven flood regions for the State of Kentucky. As an alternative approach, the FASTCLUS clustering procedure of the Statistical Analysis system (SAS) is used in this study to delineate five to six cluster regions in conjunction with statistical properties of the AMF series, like the coefficient of variation as estimated using method of L-moments, LCV, the parameters of the EVl and GEV flood frequency distributions, and the specific mean annual flood, QSP. For both cluster and USGS flood regions, regionalized flood frequency growth curves are developed and …

What Happened With No-Till In 1988, Morris J. Bitzer, Robert L. Blevins, Wilbur Frye

Soil Science News and Views

No-till (NT) received some bad publicity in 1988 in Kentucky and throughout the Midwest,especially during the early part of last summer's drought. Some farmers found that corn yields were lower with NT than with conventional tillage (CT). However, others observed that the NT corn recovered faster and grew better than CT corn following the rains. Data from Kentucky and Nebraska tend to support this latter observation.

Putting A Top Quality Forage Program Together On Your Farm, Richard Brown Phillips

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

You know most of us here, and I am including myself, really don't have a super talent for predicting the future with a great deal of consistency, however, our interest doesn't have to be in predicting, but rather, just primarily in considering potentials and opportunities in the future. What do you say, let's take a little time to look at some of the opportunities in the forage industry. The nation's No. 1 cash crop.

Sampling And Testing For Quality, Buddy Sims

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is preparing to implement a unique and far-reaching program to provide forage producers with a detailed analysis of the quality of hay.

This program was mandated by the Kentucky legislature in 1988 as a means to enhance the marketing of Kentucky hay. A statewide hay testing and marketing program was recommended by a special legislative task force report issued in 1987 and has the endorsement of a number of agricultural organizations, including the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and Kentucky Farm Bureau.

Marketing Kentucky Hay — A Reality, J. Kenneth Evans

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

As I write this in early December, Kentucky does not yet have a system for marketing hay. The above title reflects an attitude which positively expects a marketing system to be in place by the 1989 season. Many details of such a system have been discussed, some decisions have already been made and more will be made by the time you read this. Literally hundreds of decisions need to be made before hay is marketed in 1989. since these decisions will be made by a group of people (a producer Board of Directors and the KY Department of Agriculture personnel) …

Equipment And Chemical Advances In Harvesting And Storing Quality Hay, Michael Collins

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In some areas of the country, many producers have gone to silage or haylage for storage of a portion of their forage. However, hay remains the most popular storage method for forage. Hay stores well for long periods and is better suited to cash sale and transportation over substantial distances than silage. Mechanical conditioning, which gained acceptance during the 1950's is probably still the greatest single change in hay harvesting and storage technology during this century. However, a number of other noteworthy changes and innovations have occurred in recent years which have helped to reduce the extent of losses during …

Alfalfa Hay: Quality Makes The Difference, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa "Queen of the Forage Crops" is one of t.he most important forage legumes grown in the U.S. It can be grown over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions, it has the highest yield potential and the highest feeding values of all adapted perennial forage legumes. Alfalfa is a versatile crop which can be used for pasture, hay, silage, green-chop, soil improvements and human consumption (sprouts, etc.).

Foreword [1989], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Fertilizer Value Of Cattle Dunghills In A Pasture Field, Kenneth L. Wells, Steve D. Davis

Soil Science News and Views

There were nearly 2.5 million cattle and calves in Kentucky in 1988. Most of these were maintained under pastureland conditions. Nutrients taken up by pasture plants, consumed by cattle, and re-cycled back onto fields by fecal and urine excretions can be a major source of nutrients for maintaining pastureland productivity. In order to estimate the value of this under grazing conditions, observations were made on a pasture field in Casey County, Kentucky, following stocking of the field with cattle.

New Opportunities For Science Students In Agronomy, Wilbur Frye

Soil Science News and Views

High school students interested in science and looking for a field of study that will prepare them for a rewarding career will like the proposed new agronomy programs. The Agronomy Department at the University of Kentucky is preparing to offer undergraduate students three future-oriented options--Plant and Soil Management, Plant Science, and Soil Science. In designing these options, we tried to determine what agronomy students need to be prepared to do in a rapidly changing and highly competitive world of the 1990s.

Foliar Fertilization Of Burley Tobacco At Topping, Kenneth L. Wells, Kim D. Strohmeier

Soil Science News and Views

Many burley growers follow the practice of applying 1-2 gallons/A of liquid fertilizer to their tobacco crop by mixing it with their sucker control chemical and spraying the combined mixture on the crop soon after topping. This practice is thought to improve yields. However, previously reported testing of this practice by the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture indicated that it did not improve yields.

Effectiveness Of Tile Drainage On Karnak Silty Clay Soil, Gerald R. Haszler

Soil Science News and Views

Artificial drainage of agricultural lands has been practiced for centuries. Earlier techniques devised were open ditches to drain the excess water. The widescale development of subsurface tile drains began with the production and availability of clay tiles. Today, corrugated plastic pipe is the most popular and efficient way to install subsurface drainage lines. The objective of agricultural soil drainage is the removal and disposal of excess water from the rooting zone in order to improve soil productivity. The 1971 Soil Conservation Service (SCS) handbook estimated that 130 million acres or about one-third of all crop land in the United States …

Guide To Interpretation Of Structural Features Associated With The Kentucky River Fault System Along U.S. Highway 27 Near Camp Nelson, Kentucky, J. A. Gilreath, Paul E. Potter, George Losonsky

Map and Chart--KGS

The spectacular, near- vertical roadcuts in the High Bridge Group (Middle Ordovician) in central Kentucky (Fig. 1) along U.S. Highway 27 just south of the Kentucky River (Fig. 2) afford an excellent opportunity to examine a major fault zone and study its complexity (Figs, 3, 4). These roadcuts are located in Garrard County approximately 12 miles south of Lexington and contain the oldest rocks exposed in Kentucky.

Tests With A Product Having Alleged Value For Increasing Plant Available Water In Soil, Gale Dunn

Soil Science News and Views

Currently, there are a number of products being marketed for agricultural and horticultural use that have tremendous water absorbing properties. Some of these products are polyacrylamides which are synthetic compounds with chemical and physical properties which allow them to absorb large amounts of water relative to their dry weights. The implied advantage for use of such materials is that they can absorb more water than the soil itself, and acting like a sponge, hold more plant available water in the root zone.

Handling Leftover Spray Mixtures And Rinsates, James Martin, Monroe Rasnake, Doug Johnson

Soil Science News and Views

Pesticide applicators are faced with the issue of what to do with leftover spray mixtures and rinsewater from cleaning sprayers or other equipment involved with the mixing and application of pesticides. There is increasing concern that releasing these diluted pesticides around such places as the workshop and loading or mixing areas could be a potential risk to human health and the environment.

Control Of Nitrate Leaching With Winter Annual Cover Crops, Daniel Mccracken

Soil Science News and Views

Public attention and Federal legislation have focused recently on the contamination of groundwater by nitrate. Seeking to establish standards for safe drinking water, the Federal Government has set the maximum concentration for nitrate (as nitrogen) at 10 parts per million. In large areas of the Great Plains, this value is now commonly exceeded in well water. The limited data from Kentucky appear to indicate that excessive nitrate concentrations are not as widespread in Kentucky water supplies as they are in the water of states more heavily involved in grain production and more dependent on shallow wells for supply. One of …

Will Liming Acid Soils Now Be Adequate For Spring Needs?, Kenneth L. Wells, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Each spring many farmers are faced with seeding forages, corn, and soybeans, and transplanting tobacco into acid soils. The choices are either to go ahead with planting and do nothing, don't plant, or to try some liming practice and hope that it works. The results from planting without doing anything may be disastrous or result in limited crop performance. While not planting is a viable option for some producers, most cannot afford this choice. The question most often faced is, "Will liming now do any good for this year's crop?"

Managing Soils For Optimum Crop Production, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

The major resources which must be manipulated to develop a farm operation are LAND, LABOR, CAPITAL, and MANAGEMENT. Of these four broad categories of resources, LAND is the one which imposes constraints which ultimately determine the productive capacity of the individual farming system developed. This is because land is a fixed resource from the standpoint of the nature and amount of it available for developing a specific farming system. In this regard, the allocation of LABOR, CAPITAL, and MANAGEMENT should be directly linked to LAND productive capability in order to economically optimize the farming system developed. In other words, the …

Index To Oil And Gas Fields Of Kentucky, Brandon C. Nuttall

Information Circular--KGS

These data have been collected by the Kentucky Geological Survey as part of an ongoing project, and this report is subject to updating and revision as additional data become available. Where information is not available for a certain category, the entry is left blank.

Data are listed in order by county and field name. Producing formations generally are listed in approximate stratigraphic sequence from youngest to oldest. The date shown is the year of completion of the discovery well in the field. The Carter coordinate location pertains only to the discovery well of the field and in some cases may …

Safe Disposal Of Pesticide Containers And Residue, Doug Johnson, Monroe Rasnake, James Martin

Soil Science News and Views

The use of pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.) has been an important factor in improving productivity of American agriculture to the point that quantity and quality of food and fiber produced by American farmers is unequalled in the world. However, in recent years, increased concern is being expressed regarding potential harmful effects of pesticide use on the environment. Most farmers want to know how to safely handle pesticides and dispose of waste materials, and the pesticide industry is working hard to develop better systems for handling pesticides. However, poor disposal practices are still too common.

How Much Fertilizer Ls Needed For Corn?, Kenneth L. Wells, Keenan Turner

Soil Science News and Views

Corn producers are faced each year with the decision of how much money to invest in fertilizer for use on their crop. Differing philosophies used by those who make fertilizer recommendations often leave the grower bewildered as to what is best to do. It is not unusual for a producer to be told by his agricultural extension agent that he doesn't need any phosphate and potash on fields which test high in these nutrients while other sources may recommend fertilizer use. The philosophy behind the zero P-K recommendation made by extension agents in such cases is based on University of …

The Real Value Of Agricultural Limestone, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

There are big differences in quality of agricultural lime sold in Kentucky. According to the most recent test results, the Relative Neutralizing Value (RNV) of Kentucky aglime ranged from a low of 50 to a high of 89. Actually, some were below the RNV of 50, but these did not meet state lime law regulations and could not legally be sold as ground agricultural limestone.

Contending With Soil Compaction, Kenneth L. Wells, Lloyd W. Murdock

Soil Science News and Views

Most compaction results from use of machinery on soil which is too wet to work well, or from overworking soil and destroying natural structure. The resultant pressure from tires and tillage tools compresses more soil into a given volume. Regardless of reason, the proportion of solid soil material relative to total volume of soil increases. In the process, natural soil aggregates are broken down and large pores become smaller, generally resulting in soil more difficult for plant roots to penetrate.

Potential Of Surface Water Contamination From Three Triazine Herbicides, William W. Witt, Kip W. Sander

KWRRI Research Reports

The movement of atrazine, cyanazine, and simazine from the site of application was monitored under conventional, reduced, and no-tillage conditions. Less water and soil was lost from the no-tillage and reduced tillage conditions. Conventional tillage conditions had about 66,000 L/ha runoff in 1986-87 and about 123,000 L/ha runoff in 1987-88. Seasonal rainfall was 885 mm in 1986-87 and 397 mm in 1987-88. The rainfall intensity was greater during the first two events in 1987 than the corresponding events in 1986. The first rainfall event in 1986 accounted for 91, 89, and 78% of the total seasonal loss of atrazine, cyanazine, …

Canola: A New Cash Crop For Kentucky, James H. Herbek, Lloyd W. Murdock, Dan Kirkland, T. Gray

Soil Science News and Views

For the past few years, Kentucky farmers have become more interested in "alternative" cash crops for their farming operations. One such crop that is starting to receive attention is Canola. Classified as an oil crop, Canola is a type of oilseed rape. Rape is a member of the mustard family and is closely related to turnip. cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and mustards. It is a cool-season annual and an important oilseed crop in many parts of the world that is used for both human consumption and industrial purposes. Major rapeseed production areas are in Europe and Canada. The seed contains approximately …

Update On Ridge-Tillage In Kentucky, David C. Ditsch, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

Grain crop producers in Kentucky are constantly evaluating various tillage systems that will best fit their particular cropping environment. One such tillage system that has shown some promise primarily in the mid-west is a system referred to as ridge-tillage. Ridge-till is basically a system by which a grain producer plants his crop on an elevated row that is maintained each year during cultivation for week control. The same ridge is re-used year after year thereby developing a controlled traffic pattern. Since the cultivation procedure is also recommended for maintaining the ridge, many ridge-till farmers have reduced their herbicide cost by …

Effect Of Crop Rotation On Corn And Soybean Yields, James H. Herbek, Lloyd W. Murdock, T. Gray

Soil Science News and Views

Yield of both corn and soybeans has been shown to increase when grown in a rotation as compared to continuous cropping of either of the two crops. These yield improvements are commonly associated with fewer disease, insect and weed problems; better soil tilth; and in the case of corn, a nitrogen contribution from the preceding soybean crop. One or a combination of these factors are believed to have an effect. In the past few decades the yield benefits of rotations were often overlooked as fertilizers and pesticides were used as a substitute for crop rotation. However, research has shown that …

Carryover Effect Of New Soybean Herbicides On Corn, William W. Witt, J. A. Mills, G. L. Schmitz

Soil Science News and Views

Scepter, Canopy, Gemini, Classic, and Command are new soybean herbicides which were introduced in 1986 and are being used in Kentucky. These herbicides have gained widespread popularity because of their excellent control of cocklebur, pigweeds, morningglories, and velvetleaf. In addition, they can be applied in a variety of ways which makes them attractive to the soybean producer. However, these herbicides do have potential shortcomings in that they can persist in the soil for several months and cause injury to rotational crops such as corn or wheat. Since greater than 60% of the soybeans grown in Kentucky are rotated to corn, …