INTEGRATING SOIL MOISTURE MONITORING IN THE ARID REGIONS OF SOUTHERN UTAH WITH THE LOCAL COUNTY EXTENSION WEBSITES
Teaching & Educational Technologies
Trent Wilde
Extension Associate Professor
Utah State University Extension
Junction
Abstract
INTEGRATING SOIL MOISTURE MONITORING IN THE ARID REGIONS OF SOUTHERN UTAH WITH THE LOCAL COUNTY EXTENSION WEBSITES\r\n\r\nWilde,* T.W.1, Heaton, K.2\r\n\r\n1. Extension Agent, Utah State University Cooperative Extension, Millard County, Delta, Utah 84624 \r\n2. Extension Agent, Utah State University Cooperative Extension, Kane/Garfield Counties, Panguitch, Utah 84759\r\n\r\n Southern Utah is an arid region where water availability is consistently a concern. Water conservation is a vital part of utilization plans in the area. Soil moisture monitoring is one technique which provides producers with data necessary to make more informed water application decisions. This project established sixteen soil moisture monitoring sites in Utah’s Kane and Garfield Counties. Each site was equipped with three granular matrix sensors and a data logger. The sensors were placed at one, two and four foot depths. The data logger recorded the soil moisture level at each depth every eight hours. The data from the most recent reading was available to producers on site via a small digital display on the data logger. All readings were stored in the data logger memory. The stored data could be accessed by connecting a portable computer to the data logger. This long term information was imported into an Excel spreadsheet and plotted on a graph. The graph was uploaded to the local Extension website where producers could access the data using a personalized identification code. The information was downloaded and updated on the website twice a month. This process provided producers with increased knowledge of their water application requirements in a convenient online format. It also improved producer involvement with the local county Extension websites and encouraged utilization of other information on the site.
Authors: Wilde, T.
-
Wilde, T. Agricultural Extension Agent, Utah State University, Utah, 84624