Southern Utah is currently facing a record-breaking drought. The dry season is making many farmers rely on their groundwater reserves. Research shows Cedar City was drawing water exceeding the aquifer’s capacity by more than 8,000 acre-feet in 2021. It is estimated that local leaders have to reduce water rights by 58% within the next 30 years, despite an upcoming 65% growth rate. The city will still lack sufficient water to sustain itself in 30 years, even if the population growth remains constant.
Apart from a clean drinking water supply, Utah needs water conservation measures by using innovative methods to save water. At Bactelife, we use revolutionary science and unique water-saving technology that works as a solution to water conservation. It was designed to help you save thousands of gallons on water usage and simultaneously improve the appearance of your lawn or crops.
Read on to learn more about effective methods of saving water consumption and how we can save water dramatically!
What Are The Water Conservation Methods?
By using water resources more efficiently, we are not only conserving a precious resource, but we can also increase the health of our crops using less water. We can conserve water by using these tips for agriculture.
1. Adopting Organic Farming Methods
A 30-year farm systems trial shows that organic fields produced 30 percent more corn than conventional ones under drought conditions. Organic farming prevents pesticides from entering the water supply, reduces water usage, and adds groundwater. The organic methods do not only protect our waterways from toxic pesticides, but they also help the soil retain moisture. Having rich microbial life and organic matter in the soil helps plants retain water. The trial further shows that organic fields replenish groundwater supplies by 20%.
2. Using Efficient Watering Systems
Unlike conventional irrigation systems, drip irrigation systems can help in water conservation by helping us save as much as 80 percent of the water. By delivering water directly to the roots of a plant, a drip irrigation system reduces evaporation compared to spray watering. We can use timers to water during cooler hours to further reduce water loss.
3. Water Capture And Storage
Water comes from municipal sources on some farms, while others collect and store rainwater in ponds throughout the year. We may consider water savings by building rain barrels for storing rainwater. When you save water in the rainy season, you help irrigate your crops when there are a drought and combat water shortages.
4. Planting Drought-Tolerant Plants
We need to grow crops that are ideal for our climate. The chances of plants surviving natural weather conditions, especially during droughts, will increase if they are native to our region. Try to plant crops adapted to periods that don’t require high water consumption, or choose crop varieties that require little water over time. By doing so, we can conserve water.
5. Using Mulch And Compost
In addition to improving soil structure, compost, or decomposed organic material, improves soil moisture. Covering the soil with mulch helps conserve water and increase soil moisture. The added water conservation ability of the soil is further increased once mulch made from organic materials, like straw and wood chips, decomposes into compost. In addition to suppressing weeds and reducing evaporation, farmers can also use black plastic mulch.
6. Planting Cover Crops
The purpose of cover crops is to protect soil from compaction and erosion while reducing weeds and improving organic matter and soil fertility. Cover crops improve the soil’s water conservation ability and allow it to penetrate easier. A survey of 750 farmers concluded that covered cropped fields during drought were 11-14% higher in productivity than non-cover cropped fields.
7. Water Conservation Through Recycling
We can save millions of gallons of water by reducing runoff during a growing season. Regardless of the cause, runoff is a natural consequence of irrigation, caused by high water flow that leads to overwatering, poor soil, or other factors. Recycling runoff helps preserve ecosystems by reducing water usage. Chemicals in agricultural runoff can contaminate surface water bodies and seep into groundwater.
Which Are The Best Water Conservation Methods?
Due to the water crisis in Utah, we need to increase conservation by re-evaluating how we farm. Thankfully, the different water conservation methods make a huge difference by increasing the yield per drop of water in these difficult times.
Why Organic Farming Is The Best Water Conservation System
It is proven that drought periods can be more difficult for conventional farms than organic ones. Furthermore, going organic helps water conservation and benefits the environment by reducing water pollution, increasing biodiversity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Streptomyces thermoautotrophicus bacterium has the potential to transform the agriculture sector. Microorganisms under our feet could provide many untapped tools for improving agriculture. Scientists hope to use these microbes to boost crop yields, as they make the soil fertile and helping plants grow.
According to researchers, microbes can boost crop yields by water conservation, controlling pests or diseases, increasing nutrient availability, and reducing nitrogen fertilizer usage. Farmers can also reduce water usage by adopting organic farming methods that avoid or reduce the use of chemicals. Organic farming may preserve the water footprint by improving the quality of water that would otherwise be negatively affected by water pollution. Hence, eliminating the costly water conservation step of recycling.
Choosing The Right Partner For Water Conservation
Many companies are looking for ways to harness the ability of microorganisms for water conservation. At Bactelife, we understand that bacteria is the engine of life, and microorganisms play an essential role in conserving water, improving soil, and supporting plant life.
Therefore, with our cutting-edge technology, we came up with Bactelife’s H2Organix, which produces active soil, improves plant nutrition, and reduces water usage. Our team has conducted pilot and case studies throughout the country. In some cases, we worked independently; in others, we collaborated with agricultural organizations and universities.
Bactelife comes at the perfect time in society when prices, inflation, and drought are on the rise. Our case studies demonstrate that we plant drought-resistant lawns that require less fertilizer. Within six weeks, we can reduce water wastage and the costs of maintaining a healthy property. Using Bactelilfe microbes in gardens improves plant growth and helps with water conservation.
Let’s Help You With Your Water Conservation Needs Today
When we properly manage our farms, they transform into powerhouses that promote water conservation and a way to give back to our environment. Contact us today to learn more about the best water conservation method for your farm by using our innovative products that save five to ten gallons of water.
