Figure 1. Watermark sensor reading from 3 ft deep on the data logger.
View crop water use from around the Nebraska at the Nebraska Ag Water Mgnt Network.
Location 1: 2 miles west of Hooper, rainfed no-till corn after soybeans on Moody Silty Clay Loam soil (about 2.2″ of available water per foot)
July 15 – July 22
Weekly Rainfall & Crop Water Use for July 15 – July 22:
Rainfall = 0.5″
ET Reference Reading = 1.2
Corn Water Use (R1 blister stage) = 1.32″
Soil Water Depleted at Depth (Sensor Reading) on July 22:
1 ft = 0.42″ (57)
2 ft = 0.45″ (59)
3 ft = 0.00″ (25)
Total water depleted = 0.87″
Total available soil water for use before crop stress (50% of soil water depleted in top three feet) occurs: 2.4″
Seasonal Summary (view previous weekly crop water use at NE Ag Water Mgnt Network):
June 10 – July 22 Rainfall: 9.2″
June 10 – July 22 Corn Water Use: 6.6″
Total June 10 – July 22 Surplus: 2.6″
Check out the Nebraska Drought Monitor Map too, new map release on Thursdays each week.
Location 2: 5 miles east of Winslow, irrigated soybeans after corn on Belfore Silty Clay Loam soil (about 2.0″ of available water per foot)
July 15 – July 22
Weekly Rainfall & Crop Water Use for July 15 – July 22:
Rainfall = 2.25″
Irrigation = 0.0″
ET Reference Reading = 1.4
Soybean Water Use (R2 full bloom stage) =1.4″
Soil Water Depleted at Depth (Sensor Reading) on July 22:
1 ft = 0.00″ (18)
2 ft = 0.05″ (23)
3 ft = 0.16″ (30)
Total water depleted = 0.22″
Total available soil water for use before irrigation should start (trigger point to start pivot is 35% of soil water depleted in the top three feet): 1.9″
Seasonal Summary:
June 23 – July 22 Rainfall: 5.2″
June 23 – July 22 Irrigation: 0.0″
June 23 – July 22 Soybean Water Use: 5.2″
Total June 23 – July 22 Deficit: 0.0″
Location 3: 2 miles north of Arlington, irrigated no-till corn after soybeans on Belfore Silty Clay Loam Terrace soil (about 2.0″ of available water per foot)
July 15 – July 22
Weekly Rainfall & Crop Water Use for July 15 – July 22:
Rainfall = 0.3″
Irrigation = 0.0″
ET Reference Reading = 1.7
Corn Water Use (R1 silking) = 1.87″
Soil Water Depleted at Depth (Sensor Reading) on July 22:
1 ft = 0.41″ (50)
2 ft = 0.56″ (65)
3 ft = 0.58″ (68)
Total water depleted = 1.55″
Total available soil water for use before irrigation should start (trigger point to start pivot is 35% of soil water depleted in the top three feet): 0.55″
Seasonal Summary:
July 1 – July 22 Rainfall: 2.6″
July 1 – July 22 Irrigation: 0.0″
July 1 – July 22 Corn Water Use: 4.6″
Total July 1 – July 22 Deficit: 2.0″
The week ahead:
Estimated 7-day precipitation totals.
