An Evaluation of Range Floodwater Spreaders

Review of Water-Harvesting Techniques to Benefit Forage Growth and Livestock on Arid and Semiarid Rangelands

“…A variety of surface structures have been used in the past, but use of earthen dikes, berms or dams has been most popular because of simplicity, effectiveness, and relative low cost of both installation and subsequent maintenance. The concept of water ponding is to use a dike or berm to hold the water in such a manner so that it cannot flow off the surface of the soil unless the capacity of the dike is exceeded (Miller et al, 1969). When a pond forms behind the dike, the infiltration process has an extended time period to operate and replenish the soil moisture reservoir.…”

“…Water spreaders used on rangeland usually cover larger areas than water ponding dikes and are generally of two kinds. The first is designed as a system of dikes or berms constructed to automatically divert storm flows in gullies and spread them over the adjacent rangeland to promote the growth of forage (Miller et al, 1969). Such water spreading systems can also be used effectively with irrigated agriculture.…”

“…The type of soils where dikes are constructed needs to be considered because of the differential amounts of overland flow that can be generated by different soils. Fine to medium texture soils generally produce significant surface runoff from intense rainfall that can be intercepted by water ponding dikes (Miller et al, 1969). Sandy soils allow higher rates of infiltration, generate too little surface flow, and are, therefore, unsuitable for producing enough water for installation of dikes.…”

“…Aerial photograph of a farm unit near Shivta in the Negev Desert. A terraced wadi and stone conduits leading runoff from hillsides to terraces are visible (after Evenari et al, 1982) www.intechopen.com Another study (Miller et al, 1969) of water spreader effectiveness found that the response of forage vegetation was dependent on rainfall characteristics, runoff production, and drainage of water detained in ponds behind dikes. If a site received less than 200 mm annual precipitation or less than 100-130 mm during the growing season, it would typically not produce enough runoff to justify installation of a water spreader (Bennett, 1939).…”

“…If a site received less than 200 mm annual precipitation or less than 100-130 mm during the growing season, it would typically not produce enough runoff to justify installation of a water spreader (Bennett, 1939). Results produced by Valentine (1947), Hubbell & Gardner (1950), Hubbard & Smoliak (1953), Branson (1956), Houston (1960), and Hadley & McQueen (1961) showed increases in yield of forage grasses from small to large amounts (Miller et al, 1969). Forage production occurred only on those sites that received a minimum of at least one flooding event per year.…”