Oregon is a great place for owning big spaces of land, growing plants and crops, and having access to all types of water sources for ponds you may be designing.
In Oregon, natural resources are of value; these resources provide farmers and agriculturalists with all the tools necessary to maintain healthy conditioned land.
When designing ponds (specifically garden ponds, koi ponds, waterfalls, and recreational ponds), it is smart to think about what types of plants and flowers you may want to grow in or around it. Nurseries in Oregon are a great place to start—being one of the best in the United States. This means that there will basically be an unlimited supply of trees, flowers, and shrubs to grow and choose from. Farmers take great care to create a very controlled environment for their crops, including humidity, light, and temperature.
Droughts
Droughts, like other conditions in nature, are cyclical. They strip the shoreline bare and reduce overall pond volume. Oregon has had wet and dry spells in different regions, both of which have caused floods and droughts. There are many misconceptions about how it only rains in Oregon, yet there has been an acute drought in the state’s eastern and southern regions for an entire decade. This does not only affect water quality and other water resources, but it also impacts air quality, agriculture production, and soil nutrition. If these environmental disruptions keep occurring, climate change and global warming are more likely to worsen. Water shortages, streamflow reduction, crop failure, and an ecosystem imbalance all work together to create a vicious cycle of drought. In Oregon, water supplies are becoming scarce, which can lead to a whole host of problems if you need these resources to build your pond. A lack of water can be damaging to ecosystems, which can be harmful to the fish that live in them and increase the prevalence of disease in wildlife.
Dealing with drought can be tiresome—as it is just about unavoidable and the only solution is to adopt newer irrigation technology. The ability to stay connected with your fields, crop data, and weather conditions can help you identify early warning signs of drought damage. Early investment in preventative measures against a drought can save a farm before it is too late.
Irrigation
Irrigation helps to promote the quality and health of crops, by supplying water that seeps through soil into tubes and pumps. Dry and drought-stricken areas in central and eastern regions of Oregon generally use irrigation systems more than other parts of the state. The irrigation system protects crops and soil from becoming too dry; however, it is crucial to keep these systems clean and repair broken parts, in case of a water shortage.
Types of Irrigation Systems
Northwest Oregon has long, arid summers, making irrigation a necessity. It is important to determine what type will best suit the needs of your plants and landscape. This process can be difficult–as with any purchase, you want your plants to thrive and for your landscape or farm to look as healthy as can be.
Surface irrigation is a commonly used irrigation method because it can be installed quickly, without making large-scale changes to the land. The system works by spraying water at the end of fields and letting it slide down to the other end. This is done using gravity and since Oregon soil is based mostly on clay, the water is more successful seeping through the high content clay soil.
There are a few different types of surface irrigation systems that you can use for your fields to give it even water distribution, such as basin, furrow, and border irrigation.
Irrigation systems have been used since the earliest days of farming. Basin irrigation is the most popular technique that uses earth banks to stop erosion, which can be implemented on flat surfaces with shallow soils that are prone to water loss. The entire basin needs to be filled with water before it is drained using gravity flow techniques or sprinkler systems. In order to achieve its goal, basin irrigation applies water to one bay and then transfers water into another bay as it is filled.
Furrow irrigation is a system of irrigation used for farmers who need more flexibility when planting row crops. Therefore, this type of system works best for row crop usage, however it is quite outdated. Unlike basin irrigation, Furrow irrigation can be difficult when distributing water evenly into fields; because of this flaw, the furrow system is inexpensive.
Border irrigation systems are best used on massive farms with lengthy fields. The reason this system is bordered is because of the water that is transferred at the surface of the boundary and flows through the upper end of the boundary. It runs off at an angle. The stream is stopped once enough volume has reached the border, which can happen before it reaches the border’s final point. However, there may be a problem with this plan. Farmers may not have enough water to finish the irrigation at the very end of the border if they halt their flow too soon. Water loss may occur if it is uncontrolled and be completely wasted if it falls into drainage systems instead of your plants and crops.
Livestock
To keep animals nice and healthy, they need water and plenty of food. If there is not enough water for them to survive on, or if there is not enough grass for them to eat, the animals will die. For the meat to be considered edible and suitable for markets, the animals need to be taken care of by being fed with clean water and plenty of fodder. If this is not properly managed, both livestock and the livestock industry will take a major loss. In order to avoid overgrazing, help prevent erosion, and make certain crops to be grown on erodible and steep slopes, farmers need to locate water sources throughout their pastures. It is important to be aware of what type of water and the quality of the water that is being used in ponds. Different types of livestock need different sizes and amounts of water, therefore, it is good to keep a count of what kinds of animals drink out of your pond everyday. Usually cattle, and horses feed from ponds most (and drink the most), due to their size, which means they are also the most important livestock to keep watch over in regards to their marketable factors.
