TOFG-all

Irrigation—Principles & Practices

Unit 1.5 | Part 1 – 231

Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance.
USDA NRCS Program Aid Number 1619

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mt/

newsroom/?cid=nrcs144p2_056492

PDF available at: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/

moisture.pdf

This user-friendly guide describes how to use

the “feel and appearance” method to estimate

soil moisture. Includes photos of a range of

soils at various moisture levels and provides

useful guidelines for estimating soil moisture

conditions, e.g., by using the “squeeze test.”

Irrigation Scheduling: The Water Balance Approach.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/04707.html

Describes the water balance approach to

irrigation scheduling.

Measuring and Conserving Irrigation Water

attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.

php?pub=332

Describes how to find the net water application

rate for any irrigation system. Explains how to

calculate the number of hours the system should

be operated, describes several ways to measure

flowing water in an open channel or pipeline,

and offers suggestions for irrigating with limited

water supplies.

Methods of Determining When To Irrigate. Coop-
erative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences, The University of Arizona.

cals.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az1220/

Details a variety of techniques used to determine

irrigation scheduling, including the “feel

method,” tensiometers and other soil moisture

measuring devices, infrared thermometers that

measure the temperature of the plant canopy,

and computerized irrigation models.

UC Davis Small Farm Center, Family Farm Series
Publications: Vegetable Crop Production—Tips on
Irrigating Vegetables

http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/Pubs/Family_Farm_Series/

Veg/vegcrop.html

Information on pre-irrigation, timing, irrigation

system options, and other useful tips for

irrigating vegetable row crops.

UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

Institute for Water Resources, Water and Drought

Online Seminar Series

ciwr.ucanr.edu/California_Drought_Expertise/

Insights__Water_and_Drought_Online_Seminar_

Series/

This online seminar series from the University of

California, Agriculture and Natural Resources,

developed with support from the California

Department of Water Resources, brings timely,

relevant expertise on water and drought from

around the UC system and beyond directly

to interested communities. Topics include

using agroecological practices to enhance the

resilience of organic farms to drought, vineyard

irrigation with limited water, saving water in the

landscape, and much more.

UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

Irrigation

http://www.anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu

Publications and instructional materials on

irrigation.

The WATER Institute

http://www.oaecwater.org

The WATER Institute (Watershed Advocacy,

Training, Education, & Research), based at

the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center in

Occidental, California, promotes understanding

of the importance of healthy watersheds

to healthy communities. The Institute’s

website offers numerous resources and links

to important readings about water politics,

conservation, traditional practices, and water

history.

Resources