{"id":7946,"date":"2025-04-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cog.ca\/?post_type=content_library&#038;p=7946"},"modified":"2026-01-13T14:07:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T19:07:03","slug":"learning-series-navigating-drought","status":"publish","type":"content_library","link":"https:\/\/cog.ca\/fr\/content_library\/learning-series-navigating-drought\/","title":{"rendered":"ROO Learning Series: Navigating Drought"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Join Scott Gillespie as he discusses the ins and outs of farm water management in a Southern Alberta context. Water is the greatest limiting factor on the Prairies, and uncovering the ultimate methods of water conservation and effective utilization are key to maximizing yields and building healthy soils. This resource is derived from a session from the 2025 Regenerative Organic Oats (ROO) Virtual Learning Series, which is a winter webinar series for ROO participants to gain expert knowledge about regenerative organic practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This resource package contains the video, audio, slide deck, and curated notes for the session on \u00ab\u00a0Navigating Drought\u00a0\u00bb with Scott Gillespie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-eup-blocks-accordion\"><div class=\"eup-folded-content accordion\" data-aria-accordion=\"\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-eup-blocks-fold-item eup-fold-toggle\" data-fold-toggle=\"\">Navigating Drought: Video <\/div><div class=\"eup-fold-panel\" data-fold-content=\"\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch \u00ab\u00a0Navigating Drought\u00a0\u00bb with Scott Gillespie here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Learning Series: Navigating Drought with Scott Gillespie\" width=\"1778\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nf7B6NeiL0g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-eup-blocks-fold-item eup-fold-toggle\" data-fold-toggle=\"\">Navigating Drought: Audio<\/div><div class=\"eup-fold-panel\" data-fold-content=\"\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is an audio version of \u00ab\u00a0Navigating Drought\u00a0\u00bb for listening on the go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/cog.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/EXT_COG_Navigating-Drought_Regenerative-Organic-Hub-1.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">click here to listen to the audio<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-eup-blocks-fold-item eup-fold-toggle\" data-fold-toggle=\"\">Navigating Drought: Slide Deck<\/div><div class=\"eup-fold-panel\" data-fold-content=\"\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is the slide deck used by Scott Gillespie in his presentation, \u00ab\u00a0Navigating Drought\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/cog.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/COG_Navigating-Drought_Slide-Deck_Regenerative-Organic-Hub.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here to view the slide deck<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-eup-blocks-fold-item eup-fold-toggle\" data-fold-toggle=\"\">Navigating Drought: Curated Notes<\/div><div class=\"eup-fold-panel\" data-fold-content=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-h6\">Understanding Water Movement in Soil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Soil water is influenced by various forces, including gravity, soil texture, organic matter, plant roots,<br>and evaporation. Saturation occurs when all soil pores are filled with water, typically after heavy<br>rainfall or irrigation. Field capacity is reached when water stops draining due to gravity and<br>becomes available to plants. The permanent wilting point is the minimum amount of water in the<br>soil that plants require to prevent wilting. When soil water drops below this level, the plant can no<br>longer extract moisture from the soil, which leads to wilting and an inability to recover even with<br>the addition of water to the soil.<br><br>Different soil textures have varying abilities to retain and release water to plants. Clay soils hold<br>more water but release it more slowly, whereas sandy soils drain quickly and struggle to retain<br>moisture. The interaction between organic matter and soil particles enhances water-holding<br>capacity by creating more surface area for water to cling to. Soils with higher organic matter<br>content hold more water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Soil Texture and Water Holding Capacity (Southern Alberta Soils)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sandy loam soils drain quickly and hold less water (~1.7 inches of available water per foot of soil<br>depth). Loam soils provide a balanced water-holding capacity (~2.2 inches of water per foot of soil<br>depth). Clay loam soils retain the most moisture (~2.4 inches of water per foot of soil depth), but a<br>significant portion of it is unavailable to plants due to tight soil structure. Organic matter increases<br>water retention and buffering capacity but takes years to build up significantly.<br><br>The bulk density of soils impacts water infiltration; looser soils (low bulk density) allow water to<br>penetrate more effectively (there are more pore spaces in soils that have lower bulk density<br>because they are less compacted). High-clay soils may experience crusting issues, reducing<br>infiltration and leading to runoff rather than water absorption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rooting Depth and Water Uptake<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plants extract water at different soil depths based on their root system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shallow-rooted crops (0-1 ft): Wheat, barley.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Medium-rooted crops (1-3 ft): Corn, sunflowers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deep-rooted crops (3+ ft): Alfalfa, trees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Encouraging deeper root systems improves drought resilience. Irrigation practices should prioritize<br>deeper watering to prevent shallow root dependency. This is especially important when plants are<br>young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Organic Matter and Soil Water Retention<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clay soils, due to their particle size (lots of small particles with large surface areas) have many<br>areas for water to hold on to. This also allows them to hold on to more carbon\/organic matter.<br>Organic matter holds even more water, making clay soils better at retaining moisture. Particulate<br>organic matter is made up of bits that are still recognizable (e.g., piece of leaf). This form of soil<br>carbon is cycled between microbes, plants and the atmosphere. Mineral-associated organic matter<br>has particles that are no longer recognizable and binds to soil particles. This is the most stable<br>form of soil carbon.<br><br>Every 1% increase in organic matter can hold up to 25,000 gallons of water per acre, making it a<br>key factor in drought resilience and soil health. Increasing organic matter is a long-term process,<br>not an overnight fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Irrigation and Drought Mitigation Strategies<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deep watering early in the season encourages deeper root growth and greater resilience to dry<br>conditions. Avoid shallow, frequent watering, which promotes shallow root systems that are<br>vulnerable to drought stress.<br><br>A Dutch Auger is a recommended tool for assessing soil moisture at different depths. Plants<br>uptake water at varying depths depending on their growth stage and root penetration ability. On<br>average, 40% of water is absorbed from the top 25 cm (1 foot), with another 30% from deeper<br>layers if roots can reach them. Under irrigation, maintaining soil moisture at 85% of field capacity<br>ensures plants can access water efficiently.<br><br>Irrigated crops need strategic timing: holding off on irrigation at the right moments can encourage<br>roots to extend deeper, making crops more drought-resistant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cover Cropping and Roller Crimping<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cover crops can improve soil health and protect against erosion, but they can also compete for<br>water, making them risky in dryland systems. Winter-killed cover crops may lead to nutrient runoff<br>if the soil cannot absorb melting snow efficiently. Roller crimping is effective for weed suppression<br>and moisture retention but requires precise timing. In regions with limited rainfall, cover cropping<br>should be approached carefully\u2014water conservation may be more beneficial than biomass<br>production. However, if no other cover is available, cover crops can protect soil from erosion and<br>environmental elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tillage vs. No-Till: Weighing the Tradeoffs<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tillage speeds up moisture loss but may be necessary for certain cropping systems. In dryland<br>farming, maintaining soil cover is more critical than complete no-till strategies. Stripper headers<br>can help soil retain moisture by leaving tall stubble, which reduces evaporation and traps snow.<br>Managing tillage practices requires conscious decision-making, as tillage increases water loss and<br>breaks up soil structure. Studies show that while no-till helps retain surface moisture, it may not<br>significantly improve deep moisture retention in all soil types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/cog.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/COG_Navigating-Drought_Curated-Notes_Regenerative-Organic-Hub-2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">click here to access the \u00ab\u00a0easy print\u00a0\u00bb version<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join Scott Gillespie as he discusses the ins and outs of farm water management in a Southern Alberta context.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","library_category":[84],"library_language":[85],"library_tag":[86],"library_type":[175,106,105,87],"sample_type":[],"test_location":[],"test_type":[],"class_list":["post-7946","content_library","type-content_library","status-publish","hentry","library_category-water-cycle","library_language-english","library_tag-resource-library","library_type-audio","library_type-presentation","library_type-printable-document","library_type-video"],"better_featured_image":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.2 - 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