https://damtoolbox.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Dudley.mcfadden%40smud.org 2026-04-11T10:17:25Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.40.0 https://damtoolbox.org/index.php?title=Irrigation&diff=8352 2026-03-02T22:00:58Z

<p>Dudley.mcfadden@smud.org: Expanded</p> <hr /> <div>__NOTOC__<br /> [[Category:Purposes]]<br /> ----<br /> <br /> {{Picture<br /> |image=<br /> &lt;!-- Add image file name --&gt;<br /> irrigation2.jpg<br /> <br /> |link=<br /> &lt;!--https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_farming--&gt;<br /> <br /> |caption=<br /> Irrigation from dams and related infrastructure has made desert agriculture feasible <br /> (Image Source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_farming Wikipedia])<br /> <br /> }}<br /> Ten percent of American cropland is irrigated using water stored behind dams. Dams can be used to both store water and divert it to where it is needed for crops or livestock. For example, in arid regions, adjacent watersheds generally experience higher [[precipitation]] in winter and spring than in the summer and fall. Water from [[snowmelt]] and rainfall can be stored during these wetter months then released during the drier months. This helps growers plan their crops, prolongs the growing season, and increases agricultural production. Growers supplied with such irrigation can rely less on pumping [[groundwater]] for irrigation, which consumes energy and can lead to groundwater overdraft and land subsidence.<br /> <br /> Some guidance for these [[Types of Dams|types of dams]] can be found at:<br /> <br /> USDA Irrigation Reservoir Code<br /> https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-09/Irrigation_Reservoir_436_CPS_9_2020.pdf<br /> <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- Revision history information --&gt;<br /> {{revhistinf}}</div>

Dudley.mcfadden@smud.org https://damtoolbox.org/index.php?title=Environment&diff=8351 2026-03-02T21:52:45Z

<p>Dudley.mcfadden@smud.org: Expanded, removed redundant sentence</p> <hr /> <div>__NOTOC__<br /> [[Category:Purposes]]<br /> ----<br /> <br /> {{Picture<br /> |image=<br /> &lt;!-- Add image file name --&gt;<br /> envirobirds.jpg<br /> <br /> |link=<br /> &lt;!--https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle--&gt;<br /> <br /> |caption=<br /> The bald eagle, a migratory bird, is known to nest near dams <br /> (Image Source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_eagle Wikipedia])<br /> }}<br /> <br /> [[Reservoirs]] and the dams that create them can greatly impact the natural environment. Still, the principal impact comes from the work needed to construct the dam and from the initial impoundment of water. Once that has taken place, reservoirs provide different [[environmental]] benefits. For example, reservoirs support aquatic plants and animals. Surrounding lands can support migratory birds which feed on fish. Proposed dams generally change streams both upstream and downstream from where they are constructed, and the lands inundated by the reservoir are no longer available for land plants and animals, as does the development of large expanses of land for cities and crops. Society must weigh the benefits provided by dams against these tradeoffs.<br /> <br /> Some guidance on how to design reservoirs to mitigate their impacts:<br /> <br /> [https://files.worldwildlife.org/wwfcmsprod/files/Publication/file/1sugf98ujw_Guidance_Note_on_Projects_Relating_to_Dams.pdf World Wildlife Foundation]<br /> <br /> [https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/chapter_4_dams_web.pdf United States Environmental Protection Administration]<br /> <br /> <br /> &lt;!-- Revision history information --&gt;<br /> {{revhistinf}}</div>

Dudley.mcfadden@smud.org