Drought Strategies

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Agriculture is a major water user in this province. The following are areas where water can be utilized more efficiently.

Click on the following sections to find out more information.

Irrigation Management
Crop Management
Soil Management
Livestock Management
Pasture and Range Management
Feed and Pasture availability
Drought Programs
Drought Links
Resource Management Publications (BC Agriculture)

Any of these links for agencies outside of BC will open in a separate browser (so you can easily come back to this page) and the BC government makes no claims for the accuracy of its information or the applicability of the information to British Columbians.

Irrigation Management

The following factsheets will be of help during a drought.

Irrigation Operation

Alternate forage crops when irrigation water is limited by BC Agriculture
Forage crops and irrigation management in drought conditions by BC Agriculture
Irrigation decisions with limited water by BC Agriculture.
Irrigation tips to conserve water on the farm by BC Agriculture.
Irrigation Water-Saving Tips by BC Agriculture.
Key drought management tips by BC Agriculture.
Managing irrigated forage Crops during drought - An introduction by BC Agriculture.
Soil Water Storage Capacity and Available Soil Moisture by BC Agriculture.

Irrigation Scheduling

Irrigation Scheduling Techniques by BC Agriculture.
Irrigation Scheduling with Tensiometers by BC Agriculture.
Sprinkler Irrigation Scheduling using a Water Budget Method by BC Agriculture.
Trickle Irrigation Scheduling using Evapotranspiration Data by BC Agriculture.
Crop Coefficients for use in Irrigation Scheduling by BC Agriculture.

Collecting Evapotranspiration Data

Factsheet Determining Evapotranspiration with Evaporation Pans by BC Agriculture.
Farmwest.com (BC Pacific Field Corn Assoc.) website has information used to calculate evapotranspiration.

Water Purveyors

This factsheet is useful to purveyors. WURLD -- Water Use reporting and Land use Database by BC Agriculture.

Irrigation links

Irrigation Industry of BC
Publications -- of Irrigation Industry of BC
Looking to Install Irrigation During a Drought? by North Dakota State University
Irrigation System Management for Better Water Management by University of Idaho
Surface Irrigation Systems by Washington State University

Crop Management

Useful links

Practices to Conserve Water by University of Idaho

Berries

Cereal
Useful links

Is Wheat the Best Crop to Grow in a Dry Year? by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Small Grain Diseases: Management of Those More Common and Severe in Dry Years by North Dakota State University
Irrigation Management of Barley by Alberta Agriculture

Forage
Useful links

Irrigated alfalfa management under drought conditions by BC Agriculture
Alternate forage crops when irrigation water is limited by BC Agriculture
Forage crops and irrigation manegement in drought conditions by BC Agriculture
Alfalfa Irrigation by University of Idaho
Alfalfa Irrigation Management by Washington State University

Corn

Oilseeds
Useful links

Oilseed Rape Keeps Irrigated Land Productive During a Drought by Washington State University

Field Vegetables
The BC Agriculture factsheet Field Vegetable Water-Saving Tips will be of help during a drought.

Useful links

Managing Row Crop Diseases in Drought Years by North Dakota State University

Grapes
Tree Fruits

Soil Management

Useful links

Drought impacts on soil fertility by BC Agriculture
Tillage, residule management and their effect on soil moisture by BC Agriculture

Livestock Management

The BC Agriculture factsheet Managing through Drought will be useful during a drought.

Useful links

Cattle Management During Drought by Montana State University
Drought Management Strategies for Beef Cattle by Montana and North Dakota State Universities
Managing Livestock During a Drought by North Dakota State University

Livestock Watering
The BC Agriculture factsheet Livestock Water-Saving Tips will be of help during a drought.

Useful links

Livestock Watering Publication list by BC Agriculture.
Livestock Watering Requirements by BC Agriculture.
Installing Summer Livestock Systems by BC Agriculture.
Securing Livestock Water During Drought by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Shallow Buried Pipelines for Summer Pasture Watering by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Water Hauling by foragebeef (Western Canada research)
Watch for Sulphates and Blue-Green Algae in Cattle Water Supplies by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Livestock and Water Requirements by North Dakota State University
Range and Water Management by Montana State University
Blue-Green Algae Poisoning by North Dakota State University
Farmers Urged to Choose Water Sources Carefully by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Dugouts Showing Effect of Drought by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Early Weaning

Useful links

Early Weaning Beef Calves by North Dakota State University

Marketing Strategies

Feeding Strategies

Useful links

Supplementing Cattle on Drought Affected Pastures and Ranges by Washington State University
Supplementing Cattle on Drought Affected Pastures and Ranges by North Dakota State University
Supplementing Cattle on Drought-Affected Pastures and Ranges by Montana State University
Supplementation During Drought by University of Arizona

Feeding and Managing Horses During Drought by Alberta Agriculture
Stretching Your Horse's Hay Supply During Drought by Colorado State University

Using Cereals to Feed During a Drought by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Don't Forget Annual Forages by North Dakota State University
Seed and Graze Annuals by Alberta Agriculture
Intergrading Field Crops into Beef Cow Diets May Help Producers in Drought by North Dakota State University
Alternate Feeds for Cattle During Drought by Colorado State University

Drought Options: Ration Options for Beef Cows by Alberta Agriculture
Drought Options: Cow Corn Rations by Alberta Agriculture
Emergency Rations for Wintering Beef Cows by Montana State University
Substituting Grain for Hay by Montana State University

Dairy Feeding During Drought by North Dakota State University
Limiting Forage Intake For Dairy Cows During Drought by North Dakota State University
Use Caution When Feeding Dairy Cattle High Levels of Concentrate by North Dakota State University
Drought and Feed Poisoning in Dairy Cattle by North Dakota State University

Nitrate Poisoning of Livestock by North Dakota State University

Pasture and Range Management

Pastures
The BC Agriculture factsheet "Managing your tame pasture through drought" will be of help for pastures.

Useful links.

Drought on Pastures and Rangelands by foragebeef (Western Canada research)
Range and Pasture Management When Dealing with Drought by Alberta Agriculture
Emergency Grazing Practices Will Have Costs Next Season by North Dakota State University
Grazing Management During and After Extended Drought by Montana State University
Ideas to Drought Proof Your Grazing Lands by Alberta Agriculture
Managing Small Acreage Pastures During and After Drought by Colorado State University
Salvaging Drought-Stressed Crops by North Dakota State University
Match Forage Supplies to Livestock Needs -- Calculator by Alberta Agriculture
Grazing and Feeding Restrictions by North Dakota State University
Managing Irrigated Pastures and Hay Land by Washington State University

Range
The BC Agriculture factsheet "Managing your Range through drought will be of help for ranges.

Useful links.

Rangeland Management During Drought by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Tips for Dealing With Drought on Range by University of Idaho
Drought Stressed Rangelands -- What to Expect for Forage by North Dakota State University
Community Pasture Drought Checklist by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Range and Pasture Management When Dealing with Drought by Alberta Agriculture

Feed and Pasture availability

Feed and Pasture is available through The BC Feed Exchange by BC Peace River Forage Assoc.

Feed and Pasture is also available through the Alberta Feed Exchange

Drought Programs

Programs which are available to offset drought.

Cattlemen's Livestock Management and Watershed Stewardship Program
This program will fund projects up to 25% up to $20,000.
Information for this program at this BC Cattlemen's Assoc. website.

Ducks Unlimited -- Livestock Watering Incentive Program
This DU program will fund up to 50% of new livestock watering installations, up to a maximum of $4,000. which control the access of livestock into wetlands and streams.

For more information 1-800-665-3825

National Agriculture Water Supply Expansion Program for BC
3 tiers of applications are available for Projects. Tier 1 - On-Farm Infrastuctures, Tier 2 - Multi User Infastructures, Tier 3 - Strategic Works.

NAWSEP website by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Resource Management Publications (BC Agriculture)

The following factsheets will be of help during a drought.

Factsheets by BC Agriculture

Drought Links

Link to agencies who devote some of their resources to drought strategies.

Drought Pages

Drought Information by (BC) Provincial Emergency Program
Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
USDA Drought Information Center by US Department of Agriculture
Drought Checklist by Alberta Agriculture
Coping with Drought by North Dakota State University
Prairie Drought Watch by PRFA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Water Resource Information by Ministry of Environment

General

Drought Preparedness and Response by University of Wisconsin
Ranch Management During Drought by North Dakota State University
Drought, Water, Forage and Cattle by Alberta Agriculture
Farm Water Conservation During Drought by PRFA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Climate

Farmwest.com by the Pacific Field Corn Assoc. of BC
Long term forecast by Environment Canada
BC River Forecast by BC Environment

Crops - Cropping Decisions

Cropping Decisions are tough in a year of Drought by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Alternate Crops During a Drought by North Dakota State University

Crops - Grasshoppers

Any of the following links outside of BC may refer to insecticides and rates for products which may not be registered for use in BC. If in doubt the chemical must be registered for use in BC and follow the directions on the label.

Grasshopper Control Methods by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Grasshopper Management Under Drought Conditions by North Dakota State University
Cultural Management Practices as Tools to Help Reduce Grasshopper Populations by North Dakota State University

Crops - Seedbed Preparation

Seedbed Preparation Requires Special Tactics, or Rain by North Dakota State University
Dry Spring Conditions, Considerations Before Deciding to Replant by North Dakota State University

Crops - Summer Fallow

Fallow Management by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Summer Fallow and Soil Conservation by Alberta Agriculture

Crops - Tillage

Tillage Practices for Water Management by University of Idaho
Tillage Technique that can save Water by North Dakota State University

Crops - Trapping Snow

Trapping Snow can Increase Yields by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Start Planning Now to Trap Snow Moisture Later by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
Trapping Snow to Increase the Water Supply of Dugouts by PFRA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Crops - Weeds

Any of the following links outside of BC may refer to insecticides and rates for products which may not be registered for use in BC. If in doubt the chemical must be registered for use in BC and follow the directions on the label.