Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a new index called the Agricultural Reference Index for Drought or ARID. ARID is a simple and reliable index to monitor and predict agricultural drought. It is based on a reference crop (grass) and takes into account the soil-plant-atmosphere relationships.
This 5-page fact sheet describes the nuts and bolts of ARID and how to monitor the index on Agroclimate.org. Written by Clyde W. Fraisse, Eduardo M. Gelcer, and Prem Woli, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae469
Category: Water
Drought Decision-Support Tools: Introducing the Lawn and Garden Moisture Index — LGMI (AE470)
Recently, researchers at the University of Alabama developed an index called the Lawn and Garden Moisture Index or LGMI, which monitors the capacity of current soil moisture to sustain healthy lawns and gardens. This 4-page fact sheet explains the nuts and bolds of the LGMI and how to monitor and forecast the index on agroclimate.org. Written by Clyde W. Fraisse, Prem Woli, and Keith T. Ingram, and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae470
Drought Decision-Support Tools: Introducing the Keetch Byram Drought Index — KBDI (AE471)
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is generally used to determine potential wildfire hazards across the southeastern United States and is calculated daily by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry. KBDI is a continuous reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers. Forest managers have identified several uses for the KBDI in wildfire management. This 5-page fact sheet explains the nuts and bolds of the KBDI and how forecast the index on agroclimate.org. Written by Clyde W. Fraisse, Norman E. Breuer, and David Zierden and published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae471
Evolution of water quality regulations in the United States and Florida (AE431)
Water is essential to sustain life. Not only do we all need a certain quantity of water each day, but the quality of the available water is also critical. Water quality protection in the United States evolved from initially ensuring navigability of waterways to protecting our natural ecosystems. This 5-page fact sheet provides a background for understanding water quality and how it is evaluated and regulated in the U.S. with particular focus on the state of Florida. Written by Kati W. Migliaccio, Yuncong Li, and Thomas A. Obreza. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae431
SL333/SS539 An Indicator for Risk of Phosphorus Loss from Sandy Soils
SL333, a 3-page illustrated fact sheet by Vimala D. Nair, Willie G. Harris, and Debolina Chakraborty, describes a practical means of determining when a soil has reached a level of P loading that constitutes an environmental risk. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, October 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss539
FE851 Use, Perceptions, and Barriers to Water Conservation Strategies for Florida Water Utilities
FE851, an 18-page illustrated report by Shirish Rajbhanary, Tatiana Borisova, Damian Adams, Dwayne Haynes, and Chris Boyer, presents the results of a 2009–2010 survey of representatives of Florida’s drinking water systems to examine the relative use of conservation strategies by Florida water utilities. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, September 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe851
FE841 Public Attitudes about Water Issues in Florida
FE841, a 7-page illustrated report by Tatiana Borisova, John Brett, and Cassel Gardner, summarizes the results of a public survey about importance of water-resource issues in Florida. Published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, October 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe841
FOR232/FR294 Wildland-Urban Interface Case Study: Land Conservation along the Suwannee River
FOR232, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Lauren McDonell and Martha C. Monroe, discusses how the Suwannee River Water Management District successfully used conservation easements to restrict development, protect natural resources, and improve ecology around the Suwannee. Includes references. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, February 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr294
AE465 Seepage Meters for Measuring Groundwater–Surface Water Exchange
AE465, a 5-page illustrated fact sheet by Christopher J. Martinez, aids those who are engaged in surface water–groundwater exchange studies in cost-effective construction, installation, and use of seepage meters. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae465
SL324/SS536 Key Physical and Chemical Properties of Tampa’s Urban Soils
SL324, a 5-page illustrated fact sheet by Donald Hagan, Francisco Escobedo, Gurpal Toor, Cynnamon Dobbs, and Michael Andreu, maps and provides an overview of four key soil properties: bulk density, organic matter, phosphorus, and lead. It explains how these properties vary across different land uses in Tampa using geostatistics and geographical information systems. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, July 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss536
SL320/SS532 South Florida Conceptual Model
SL320, a 7-page illustrated fact sheet by H. Carl Fitz, describes this model that explores the fundamental linkages among the Everglades landscape and the human dimension of the South Florida region — societal valuation, urban and agricultural development, water management, and everglades dynamics. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, June 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss532
FA171 Teach Aquaculture Curriculum: Chlorine–Friend or Foe?
FA171, a 5-page activity by Carlos V. Martinez, Cortney L. Ohs, Brian E. Myers, Elisa J. Livengood, Craig S. Kasper, Amber L. Garr, R. Leroy Creswell, and Frank A. Chapman, is activity 18 of the Teach Aquaculture Curriculum. In this activity for grades 5-12, students determine the amount of chlorine present in tap water and use two methods to remove chlorine from water. Includes student performance standards. Published by the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, May 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa171
WEC281/UW326 Conservation Subdivision: Design Phase: Wetland Considerations
WEC281, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Mark Hostetler, discusses issues surrounding on-site protection of wetlands and strategies to create wetlands that conserve biodiversity when land is subdivided. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, March 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw326
AE453 Gray Water Reuse in Florida
AE453, a 5-page illustrated fact sheet by Christopher J. Martinez, provides an overview of the recycling of gray water, the ways that gray water can potentially be used, and the regulations and guidelines for gray water reuse in Florida, as well as discussion of some of the potential barriers to gray water reuse in Florida and elsewhere. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae453
SGEB65/SG100 Understanding the Ecology of Artificial Reefs: No Simple Answers
SGEB65, a 4-page illustrated article by Bill Lindberg and Mark Schrope, discusses the ecological impacts of artificial reefs and implications for conservation in interview format. Published by the UF Florida Sea Grant Program, March 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg100
AE456 Evapotranspiration-Based Irrigation for Agriculture: Crop Coefficients of Some Commercial Crops in Florida
AE456, a 4-page fact sheet by Isaya Kisekka, Kati W. Migliaccio, Michael D. Dukes, Jonathan H. Crane, and Bruce Schaffer, identifies typical Kc values for some of the crops commonly grown in Florida. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AE456
SL313/SS525 Water Quality Notes: Dissolved Oxygen
SL313, an 8-page illustrated fact sheet by P. Chris Wilson, provides an overview of dissolved oxygen (DO) from a chemical, physical, and ecological perspective and summarizes common analytical methods for measuring DO, state regulations, and management options. Includes glossary and references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss525
AE457 Evapotranspiration-Based Irrigation Scheduling for Agriculture
AE457, a 6-page fact sheet by Isaya Kisekka, Kati W. Migliaccio, Michael D. Dukes, Jonathan H. Crane, and Bruce Schaffer, focuses on the main concepts related to ET-based irrigation scheduling and reviews the use of "smart" irrigation scheduling controllers for agricultural applications. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AE457
AE458 Evapotranspiration-Based Irrigation for Agriculture: Implementing Evapotranspiration-Based Irrigation Scheduling for Agriculture
AE458, a 4-page fact sheet by Isaya Kisekka, Kati W. Migliaccio, Michael D. Dukes, Jonathan H. Crane, and Bruce Schaffer, outlines step-by-step procedures to follow when implementing a "smart" evapotranspiration (ET)-based irrigation schedule and a do-it-yourself irrigation schedule. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AE458
AE455 Evapotranspiration-Based Irrigation for Agriculture: Sources of Evapotranspiration Data for Irrigation Scheduling in Florida
AE455, a 4-page fact sheet by Isaya Kisekka, Kati W. Migliaccio, Michael D. Dukes, Bruce Schaffer, Jonathan H. Crane, and Kelly Morgan, lists some of the public sources of ETo data for irrigation scheduling in Florida. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, January 2010.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AE455