Water + Energy Progress Awards identify and spotlight innovations in energy efficiency and water conservation on Kansas farms and ranches. We will continue to add resources with each new case study, so check back often!
Kansas Water Resources
Date Added: Jul 22, 2013Several organizations focus on water resources in Kansas. This list provides a brief description of each organization and a link to individual websites. Updated regularly.
PDF: WaterResourcesinKansas.pdf
>> Category: Water Resources
>> Case Study:
Book List from Fuller Field School
Date Added: Aug 01, 2013During the 2013 Field Day at Gail Fuller's Farm, presenters chose their favorite books to hand out as door prizes. This is a great reading list!
PDF: BOOKLISTfromGailFullerFieldDay2013.pdf
>> Category: Natural Resource and Conservation
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
Soil Organic Matter
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013“Aim to improve soil organic matter and soil function, rather than to implement a particular set of practices.”
LINK: http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_organic_matter/som_trends.html
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
Soil Quality and No-Till
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013No-till improves soil quality in both the short - (five years) and long-term (20 or more years). No-till with crop rotation allows soil forming processes to proceed. Benefits compound each year that the soil remains undisturbed. Crop rotation and diversity accelerate the rate of change. This chapter covers the improvements of soil quality. Soil qualities enhanced by no-till affect organic matter, water infiltration, structure, temperature, bulk density,
LINK: http://notill.okstate.edu/publications/notillcroppingsystemsoklahoma/chapter02.pdf
>> Category: Soil Health, No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
USDA NRCS, Soil Health Key Points
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013The NRCS campaign, “Unlock the Secrets of Soil,” focuses on the benefits and methods of improving soil health. Soil Health Key Points provides basic facts on soil health and provides a path to improving soil health and sustainability. A Soil Health Management plan is a great way to focus efforts. It saves energy by using less fuel and maximizing nutrient cycling. It saves water and increases drought tolerance through increased infiltration and water holding capacity. It improves income s
PDF: NRCSSoilHealthKeyPoints.pdf
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Gail Fuller Darrin Unruh
2012-2013 Cover Crop Survey
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013The 2012-2013 Cover Crop Survey reports on 759 farmers who used cover crops on about 218,000 acres in 2012. The report covers the adoption, benefits, challenges, and yield impacts of cover crops.
LINK: http://www.northcentralsare.org/Educational-Resources/From-the-Field/Cover-Crops-Survey-Analysis
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
NRCS Energy Estimator: Tillage
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013“The Energy Estimator for Tillage tool estimates diesel fuel use and costs in the production of key crops in your area and compares potential energy savings between conventional tillage and alternative tillage systems. The crops covered are limited to the most predominant crops in 74 Crop Management Zones (CMZ's). NRCS agronomists have identified these crops and estimated the fuel use associated with common tillage systems. The Energy Estimator gives you an idea of the magnitude of
LINK: http://ecat.sc.egov.usda.gov/
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
Conservation Practices that Save: Crop Residue Management: Save ENERGY, Save MONEY
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013“Conservation tillage systems have at least 30 percent of last year’s crop residue on the soil at planting. Residue adequately controls erosion by both wind and water, among other conservation benefits.
A producer can save at least 3.5 gallons of fuel per acre by going from conventional tillage methods to no-till. At November 2005 diesel prices, this amounts to $7.70 per acre in production cost savings. On a farm with 1,000 acres of cropland, these savings add up to 3,500 gallons of
LINK: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/wntsc/?cid=nrcs143_023637
>> Category: Cover Crops, No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
Plenty of Positives with No-Till System
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013No-till is a conservation system that provides environmental benefits without having to take the land out of production. Such benefits include increasing wildlife habitats, storing carbon, increasing soil organic matter, improving soil quality, preventing runoff and erosion, increasing infiltration, conserving soil water, and reducing fuel consumption.
from No-Till Farmer
LINK: http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/pages/News---Plenty-Of-Positives-With-No-Till-System.php
>> Category: No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
No-till can save water, pumping crops
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013Cover crops can save water and energy through reduced pumping costs for irrigators. “Irrigated crops grown in no-till may require three to five inches less water from rain or irrigation than those grown under conventional tillage”
LINK: http://www.hpj.com/archives/2009/aug09/aug3/0708UNLnotillsaveswaterko.cfm
>> Category: No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
Managing Cover Crops in Conservation Tillage Systems
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013
LINK: http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition/Text-Versio
>> Category: Cover Crops, No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
Cover Crops for Clean Water
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013Soil and Water Conservation Survey
LINK: http://www.swcs.org/en/publications/cover_crops_for_clean_water.cfm
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
Save Soil, Nutrients, Money with Cover Crops
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013References to SARE studies on the benefits of cover crops
LINK: http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/conservation/save-soil-nutrients-money-cover-crops
>> Category: Soil Health, Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller
Cocktail Blends provide fall grazing, soil health
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013Cocktail Blends provide fall grazing, soil health
Beef Magazine
LINK: http://beefmagazine.com/pasture-health/cocktail-blends-provide-fall-grazing-soil-health?page=2
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
USDA Cover Crop Fact sheet
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013USDA Cover Crop Fact sheet
LINK: http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/1209CoverCropsFactSheet.pdf
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
ARS Cover Crop Chart
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013ARS Cover Crop Chart
LINK: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=20323
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
RMA Cover Crop Fact sheet
Date Added: Sep 03, 2013RMA Cover Crop Fact sheet
LINK: http://www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/rme/covercrops.pdf
>> Category: Cover Crops
>> Case Study: Gail Fuller
Ted Alexander's Nationally Recognized Drought Plan
Date Added: Oct 01, 2013Ted Alexander's Drought Plan is featured on the National Drought Mitigation Center Website, along with many other drought plans.
PDF: AlexanderRanchDroughtPlan.pdf
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Ted Alexander
The Alexander Ranch - Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition Summary
Date Added: Oct 02, 2013A brief description of the Alexander Ranch created by the Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition.
PDF: AlexanderRanch090613.pdf
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Ted Alexander
Progress of Cedar Removal on Alexander Ranch
Date Added: Oct 02, 2013The Kansas Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, created this handout to demonstrate the impacts of Cedar Tree removal on the Alexander Ranch.
PDF: RedHillsHandout2.pdf
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Ted Alexander
Eastern Red-cedar: Positives, Negatives and Management
Date Added: Oct 02, 2013"This publication discusses the positives,
negatives and management of
eastern red-cedar. Eastern red-cedar
history, expansion, ecology, uses and
its effects on forage production, wildlife,
rainfall and wildfires are briefly
addressed. Management techniques
used to control eastern red-cedar and
technical guidance options available
to resource managers are reviewed" produced by the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
PDF: nfwf1101.pdf
>> Category: Natural Resource and Conservation
>> Case Study: Ted Alexander
Full Feature Map of the Sheridan 6 LEMA
Date Added: Nov 05, 2013The Kansas Geological Survey site hosts two interactive maps of the Sheridan 6 LEMA. This is the full-featured map of the area.
LINK: http://kansasgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/OnePane/basicviewer/index.html?appid=8c8fb7eaa86040609a1840f59b1d5285
>> Category: Water Resources
>> Case Study: Sheridan 6 LEMA
LEMA resources from Kansas Geological Survey
Date Added: Nov 05, 2013The Sheridan 6 LEMA page on the Kansas Geological Survey site includes maps, data on wells, and additional information.
LINK: http://www.kgs.ku.edu/HighPlains/lema/sd6.html
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Sheridan 6 LEMA
Groundwater Management District 4 Sheridan 6 High Priority Area
Date Added: Nov 05, 2013The Sheridan 6 High Priority Area page on the Groundwater Management District 4 page includes a wealth of resources on the area and the LEMA process.
LINK: http://gmd4.org/EnhancedMgt/SD6.htm
>> Category: Water Resources
>> Case Study: Sheridan 6 LEMA
Kansas Department of Agriculture LEMA page
Date Added: Nov 05, 2013This page includes information on the LEMA process and the Sheridan County 6 Lema.
LINK: http://agriculture.ks.gov/divisions-programs/dwr/managing-kansas-water-resources/local-enhanced-manag
>> Category: Irrigation, Water Resources
>> Case Study: Sheridan 6 LEMA
Kansas Irrigation Trends by Danny Rogers
Date Added: Nov 07, 2013
LINK: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/irrigate/OOW/P12/Rogers12Trends.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Richard Wenstrom Sheridan 6 LEMA Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Real Ag: Irrigation
Date Added: Nov 13, 2013Smoky Hills Public Television video about irrigation practices with commentary by K-State irrigation specialists.
LINK: http://www.smokyhillstv.org/index.php/component/content/article/442
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Richard Wenstrom Sheridan 6 LEMA Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Drip Irrigation Saves Water: Kansas grower installs huge subsurface system
Date Added: Nov 14, 2013Wendell Nicholas was featured in the February 1999 issue of Corn and Soybean Digest for his installation of Subsurface Drip Irrigation.
LINK: http://cornandsoybeandigest.com/drip-irrigation-saves-water-kansas-grower-installs-huge-subsu
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
SDI, the Basics of Successful Systems
Date Added: Nov 14, 2013
PDF: Lamm12SDIBasics.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Date Added: Nov 14, 2013
PDF: ec776.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Date Added: Nov 15, 2013
LINK: http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/ec776/build/ec776.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Estimating Farm Fuel Requirements
Date Added: Nov 15, 2013Colorado State University Extension Fact Sheet Estimating Farm Fuel Requirements
PDF: 05006.pdf
>> Category:
>> Case Study:
The grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.
Date Added: Nov 20, 2013
LINK: http://mdc.mo.gov/blogs/more-quail/grass-really-greener-other-side-fence
>> Category: Perennials
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler
Water Conservation in Irrigated Agriculture: Trends and Challenges in the Face of Emerging Demands
Date Added: Feb 05, 2014
PDF: WaterConservationinIrrigated.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Richard Wenstrom Sheridan 6 LEMA
2007 Census of Agriculture
Date Added: Feb 05, 2014
LINK: http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/index.php
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Richard Wenstrom Sheridan 6 LEMA Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Evaluating Energy Use for Pumping Irrigation Water
Date Added: Feb 05, 2014
PDF: Kranz11a.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Richard Wenstrom Sheridan 6 LEMA Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Years of Living Dangerously: Against the Wind
Date Added: Apr 01, 2014Pete Ferrell, WEP Award winner, will be featured in the May 2014 segment of "Years of Living Dangerously"
LINK: http://yearsoflivingdangerously.com/
>> Category: Energy
>> Case Study: Pete Ferrell
Elk River Farm money plan
Date Added: Apr 01, 2014
LINK: http://www.kansasenergy.org/News/news_elkriver_wind.htm#july3
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Pete Ferrell
Elk River Farm Fact Sheet
Date Added: Apr 01, 2014
LINK: http://iberdrolarenewables.us/pdf/Elk_River_fact_sheet.pdf
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Pete Ferrell
NRCS Rotational Grazing fact sheet
Date Added: Apr 01, 2014
LINK: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ky/newsroom/factsheets/?cid=stelprdb1101721
>> Category:
>> Case Study: Pete Ferrell
SDI, the basics of successful systems
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
PDF: Lamm12SDIBasics.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Mark Eitel Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
SDI for Corn Production - A Brief Review of 25 Years of KSU Research
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
PDF: Lamm14SDICorn.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Mark Eitel Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt
Iowa's NRCS: No-Till Will Preserve Soil Moisture For Next Year
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
LINK: http://www.no-tillfarmer.com/pages/News---Iowas-NRCS-No-Till-Will-Preserve-Soil-M
>> Category: No-Till
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darin and Nancy Williams Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller Lucinda Stuenkel Mark Eitel
Getting the Lowdown on Worms
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
LINK: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/may95/worms0595.htm?pf=1
>> Category: No-Till, Soil Health
>> Case Study: Dale Strickler Darin and Nancy Williams Darrin Unruh Gail Fuller Lucinda Stuenkel Mark Eitel
Irrigation Capital Requirements and Energy Cost
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
PDF: irrigationcosts.pdf
>> Category: Irrigation
>> Case Study: Mark Eitel
USDA Rural Energy for America Program
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
LINK: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_Reap.html
>> Category: Funding
>> Case Study: Wendell Nicholas & Eldon Schmidt Ted Alexander Sheridan 6 LEMA Shannon Creek Cattle and Quarter Horses Richard Wenstrom Pete Ferrell Mike Herrmann McCarty Dairy Mark Eitel Lucinda Stuenkel Living Acres Network Karen and John Pendleton John Bradley Jane Koger Gail Fuller Darrin Unruh Darin and Nancy Williams Dale Strickler Bill Sproul
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
LINK: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/
>> Category: Funding
>> Case Study: Mark Eitel
SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program
Date Added: Aug 28, 2014
LINK: http://www.northcentralsare.org/Grants/Our-Grant-Programs/Farmer-Rancher-Grant-Program
>> Category: Funding
>> Case Study:
South Kansas Residue Alliance
Date Added: Feb 26, 2015
LINK: www.sckra.org
>> Category: Soil Health
>> Case Study: Mike Herrmann
South Central Kansas Residue Alliance, "A Framework for Change" One Producer, One Farm at a Time
Date Added: Feb 26, 2015
LINK: http://mysare.sare.org/mySARE/ProjectReport.aspx?do=viewRept&pn=FNC10-808&y=2013&t=1
>> Category: Soil Health
>> Case Study: Mike Herrmann
Activating Soil Fertility in mulh-prepared small-plot commerical no-till
Date Added: Feb 26, 2015
LINK: http://mysare.sare.org/mySARE/ProjectReport.aspx?do=viewRept&pn=FNC13-934&y=2013&t=0
>> Category: Soil Health, No-Till
>> Case Study: Mike Herrmann
Soil Quality and No-till
Date Added: Feb 26, 2015>> Category: Soil Health, No-Till
>> Case Study: Mike Herrmann
Patch Burn Resources
Date Added: Jul 27, 2015
PDF: PatchBurnSupportResearch.pdf
>> Category: Patch Burn Grazing Management
>> Case Study: Bill Sproul Jane Koger
Patch Burn Grazing
Date Added: Jul 27, 2015
LINK: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_030997.pdf
>> Category: Patch Burn Grazing Management
>> Case Study: Bill Sproul Jane Koger
Patch Burning to Enhance Wildlife Habitat
Date Added: Jul 27, 2015
PDF: Patchburningtoenhancewildlifehabitat.pdf
>> Category: Patch Burn Grazing Management
>> Case Study: Bill Sproul Jane Koger
Patch-Burn Grazing Effects on Cattle Performance: Research Conducted in a Working Landscape
Date Added: Jul 27, 2015
LINK: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1455&context=natrespapers
>> Category: Patch Burn Grazing Management
>> Case Study: Bill Sproul Jane Koger