Three years experience with an on-farm macro-catchment water harvesting system in Botswana

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Abstract

An on-farm macro-catchment water harvesting system was evaluated over three distinctly different seasons in eastern Botswana. Water harvesting improved sorghum grain yield two- to threefold during seasons with low or poorly distributed rainfall. Greater yields were associated with higher pre-planting soil moisture, higher profile soil moisture, higher water use, and a larger and deeper root system. Storms with a minimum of 20 mm day−1 rainfall were associated with runoff volume exceeding 1000 m3. The probability of receiving such a storm annually during pre-planting, heading and flowering, and grain fill periods exceeded 80%. The catchment/cultivated area ratio was between 17:1 and 50:1.

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Published as Contribution No. 90-282-J, Kansas Agricultural Experimentation Station

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