Thompson, Ray F.

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University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky UKnowledge International Grassland Congress Proceedings XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress Scalded? Try this! Waterponding Ray F. Thompson Bogan‐Central West Catchment Management Authority, Australia Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc  Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/21/14-1/12 The XXI International Grassland Congress / VIII International Rangeland Congress took place in Hohhot, China from June 29 through July 5, 2008. Proceedings edited by Organizing Committee of 2008 IGC/IRC Conference Published by Guangdong People's Publishing House This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Grassland Congress Proceedings by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu. 瞯 ]560　 瞯 　 Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World 　 Volume Ⅱ 　Grasslands/Rangelands Production Systems——— Seed Science and TechnologyScalded ?Try this !WaterpondingR . F . ThompsonCatchment O f f icer Bogan‐Central West Catchment Management A uthorityPO Box 121 Nyngan NSW 2825 A ustralia . E‐mail : Ray .Thompson＠ cma .nsw .gov .auKey words :survey ,construction ,seeding of banksAbstract Bare , scalded , semi‐arid areas of Australia are being transformed into productive grazing lands with theenvironmentally proven waterponding technique which is returning clear profit to landholders .The Nyngan Central West CMA District , since １９８５ has taken the waterpond method from a struggling reclamation techniqueto a scald rehabilitation technique that is being used world wide .Introduction Removal of native vegetation from the semi‐arid soil by drought and over utilisation , accelerated by wind and watererosion of the red duplex soil has left a bare environment called scalds or clay pans . A ３mm crust on top of the exposed claysubsoil prevents water penetration and lodgement of seed .Waterponding has worked better than any other method previouslytried .Waterponding is holding water on the scald in horse‐shoe shaped banks of about ０ .４ hectare each .Each pond has a bank ofapproximately ２４０ metres long and retains up to １０cm of water after rain .The ponded water leaches soluble salts from the scaldsurface . This improves the remaining soil structure , inducing surface‐cracking , better water penetration and entrapment ofwind‐blown seed .Increase in native pasture yield has made waterponding an economic method of raising production .Survey Waterponds are surveyed with a spectra‐physics laser leveller mounted on and within a dual cab ４WD vehicle . When thewaterpond position is being surveyed , it is marked on the scald by a vacuum tine marker which is attached to the back of thevehicle . This surveying and marking unit allows one person to survey and mark over one hundred waterponds in a day , readyfor the construction phase to begin . The equivalent to one day摧s survey is two day摧s construction .Construction Waterpond banks should be constructed to a height of ４５cm and basal width of １ .８ m to account for wave action ,stock trampling , tunnelling , flooding and settlement of bank .In most soil conditions , banks can be constructed by a road gradermaking three passes ; one pass on the inside and two passes on the outside . Blade position is a critical factor in building waterponds .Seeding of banks Waterponded areas normally take about five years to become productive . Reseeding the banks has the potentialto reduce this time to three years or less depending on seasonal conditions . Sowing of waterpond banks is carried outsimultaneously with construction . Seed is sown during the inside pass along the inside batter of the bank just above naturalground level .ReferencesSoil Conservation Service of NSW １９８７ . Journal o f Soil Conservation , New South W ales , Volume ４３ , Number ２ .R F Thompson . １９９１ . Earthmovers T raining Course , Unit ２０ . Special earthworks incorporating waterponding , beachreclamation and mining rehabilitation , ,７‐３９ .

Scalded? Try this! Waterponding

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Scalded? Try this! Waterponding

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