Applied Research

* A Watershed and Cedar Management Applied Research project is being conducted in Hays County to evaluate water runoff, water utilization by cedar, forming filter strips to reduce water and sediment loss, and methods of improving revegetation following cedar removal. This project is in cooperation with Southwest Texas State University on the University's Freeman Research Ranch. The project leadership team includes faculty from Hays, Comal, Caldwell, Blanco, Guadalupe, and Kendall Counties.

* A Watershed Management Applied Research project is being conducted in Kerr County at the Kerr Wildlife Area to evaluate water runoff, utilization of cedar and to evaluate methods to improve revegetation following cedar removal.

* An applied research project is being initiated in Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal, and Hays Counties to study Evaporation and Interception Water Loss from Juniper Communities on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Area. The leadership for this project is being provided by the District 10 Water/Brush Management Response Team which includes County Extension faculty from Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal and Hays Counties, specialists from the Texas Agricultural Extension Service and Researchers from the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. The objective of the project is to determine the impact of Ash juniper (cedar) on local water budgets, quantify precipitation water loss to canopy and litter interception, quantify transpiration losses on a periodic basis, and develop broad applicability by covering the gradient from 24 inches to 34 inches of average annual precipitation.

* A Watershed Management Applied Research project is being initiated in Kinney and Edwards Counties to evaluate runoff and infiltration on three types of sites which include a winter burn site, a summer burn site and commercial tree dozing.

* Beginning in May 1999, ET (Evapo-Transpiration) replacement recommendations have been printed in the San Antonio Express News and will continue to be updated daily in 2000. This provides citizens in Bexar County recommendations to more efficiently irrigate their lawns. The KABB Television Station in San Antonio also reported the ET replacement recommendations on the 6 o'clock news from May to October and will continue to provide this information beginning in May 2000. This information is provided by the County Extension faculty and is based on a long-term study conducted by the Extension faculty, in cooperation with San Antonio Water System, to determine turf grass evapo-transpiration rate, which is influenced by weather conditions and turf grass variety, eliminating over-irrigation of turf grass.

* A three-year field study was conducted in Travis and Bastrop Counties to evaluate the impacts of soil fertility and conservation tillage practices on water quality. Soil testing campaigns during the project generated over 700 soil samples which reduced nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer usage by an estimated 525,000 pounds and resulted in over $203,000 in savings for area agricultural producers. In addition, the study indicated that effective management of agricultural production systems can maintain and enhance the water quality of local streams. This study was conducted in cooperation with the Lower Colorado River Authority, Texas Soil & Water Conservation Districts and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

* A Conservation Tillage Applied Research project is being conducted in at the Luling Foundation in Caldwell County to address water conservation, nutrient management, and agricultural profitability issues. This is a multi-county in-depth applied research project under the leadership of Extension Faculty.

* Extension Faculty are working with Agricultural Producers in Wilson, Gillespie, Uvalde and Medina Counties regarding conservation tillage practices.

* An Irrigation Management Applied Research project was established in Uvalde County to monitor water use on corn using various moisture sensing devices and water scheduling strategies to determine irrigation application.

* A Crop Fertility Applied Research project was established in Uvalde County to monitor soil fertility and nitrate movement in the soil to prevent groundwater contamination.

* An Irrigation Management Applied Research project was established in Uvalde County to demonstrate the use of drip irrigation on warm season grasses.

* Two Rainwater Runoff Applied Research plots were established in January at the Southwest Texas State University's Freeman Research Ranch in Hays County. The project leadership team conducting this project includes County Extension faculty from Hays, Comal, Blanco, Guadalupe and Kendall Counties.

* An Applied Research project was initiated in Gonzales County to evaluate a poultry waste and litter management in-vessel composting system to address water quality issues associated with the Gonzales County poultry industry.

For additional information on these and other programs, contact your local County Extension Office.