Soil and Water Management

Soil and Water Management Topics

Soil and water are two critical components of crop production. Agronomic crops depend on soil for physical support and to provide the water and nutrients necessary for optimum performance. The characteristics of Ohio soils can vary tremendously from location to location, even within the same field, and as soil characteristics change, management practices may have to be modified for optimum production and environmental protection. Producers should know how soil properties influence production and which management practices are best suited to the particular soil series found on their farms. Characteristics of the soils series found in Ohio can be found in the Soil Survey bulletins usually available from local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Ohio State University Extension or Natural Resources Conservation Service offices. Information for individual soil series is also available online at casoilresource.lawr.ucdavis.edu/see.

Efficient water management is one of the most important aspects of crop production. Crop yields are affected adversely by the presence of too much or too little water, and unfortunately, many Ohio producers are faced with both problems in the same year. In a typical year, precipitation exceeds crop water use in winter, spring, and autumn. During the spring, excess soil water may interfere with field operations and early crop development. During summer months, however, crop needs often exceed precipitation, and the crop must rely on water stored in the soil from previous rains. Therefore, an ideal water management system permits maximum intake and storage of water in the soil profile but also provides a means of draining any excess water quickly from the soil.

Additional Online Resources

• Fertility Factsheets, Bulletins, and Tools
• Soil Health - Assessment, Management & Other Resources
• The Dirt on Soil Health: 2021 webinar series recordings
• Cover Crops - Management and Selection Resources
• Midwest Cover Crop Council Selector Tool
• Agricultural Best Water Quality Management Practices
• OSU Extension Water Quality Team
• Field Application Resource Monitor
• Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training
• Manure Management
• Tile and Drainage