Friday, 19 July 2024

The importance of good water management

Machines and solutions for conscious and efficient maintenance

At a time when the climate is becoming increasingly unpredictable and far removed from the seasonal trends we are used to, alternating between periods of drought and sudden heavy rainfall, the correct management of water resources for crops is crucial.

Done correctly, with the right equipment and techniques for the soil and crop, it is essential to improve soil productivity and reduce the damage caused by critical climatic events. In addition to implementing water management and disposal systems, it is also important to ensure that proper maintenance is carried out.

Digging a good ditch or drainage channel is a functional operation, but if the channel is not maintained in perfect condition it loses its effectiveness; all it takes is a sudden rain to saturate the soil.

After the harvest is the right time to redo the ditches for drainage and maintenance. As with the initial digging, this can be made easier and more effective by using machines designed specifically for the task, such as the Cosmeco ditch diggers.

How is water management changing?

As argued recently in the February issue of AGRIParts magazine, "special attention must be paid to water management, which is in sharp decline [...]. In Europe, this process, together with the lengthening of the growing season for many crops, is leading to a migration of many crops from southern to northern regions".

As we have said, and we are all noticing it, long periods of drought alternate with periods of very wet weather, or what are now commonly known as 'water bombs'. When drought, particularly in southern regions, causes some crops to migrate north, where average temperatures are rising, the need to invest in machinery and systems to optimise available water resources becomes even more urgent. Excess water must be disposed of during the wettest periods and possibly stored for the driest. As the article states, "Today, thanks to the possibilities offered by technological solutions based on sensors and electrification, it is possible to implement proper water resource management".

Technology can help us manage the water we have, reducing waste and inefficiency at a time when these are more damaging than ever. We are talking about precision irrigation tools, tillage, crop types, techniques such as sprinklers or micro-irrigation.

And then there are machines such as trenchers that allow excess water to be removed for disposal or recovery.

The importance of maintaining drainage ditches

Drainage ditching serves all types of agricultural land. It is one of the simplest, cheapest and most effective systems: it consists of digging ditches that carry excess water to a drainage ditch or swale - or a catchment basin, if one exists. These ditches are particularly useful in flat areas where it is difficult to create the necessary slope for the water to 'fall' or drain away with underground pipes.

For ditches and drains to work effectively, they need to be reworked periodically. Proper maintenance must therefore be carried out. After the harvest, and generally during the drier summer season, is the best time to maintain ditches and culverts.

Cosmeco ditchers

Cosmeco's ditchers are used for digging new canals and drains as well as for maintaining and cleaning ditches, collectors and drains. They are also a valuable aid in sub-irrigation, i.e. the efficient distribution of water under the ground. Digging is extremely precise, so less work is required in subsequent stages. They can be used in open fields as well as in greenhouses or other applications such as orchards and vineyards.

They are a valuable aid in carrying out the operations necessary to manage the available water in the best possible way. To ensure the best results for each specific crop, Cosmeco has developed a complete range of trenchers:

• Single-wheel ditchers suitable for all types of terrain and attachable to both tractors and tracked vehicles. They are used for digging and maintaining ditches, drains and small canals, or for tamping sheeting at the base of tunnels or greenhouses.
• Single-double wheel ditchers, ideal for maintaining irrigation networks, ditches and culverts. They ensure clean, compact and uniform channels.
• Double-wheel ditchers, ideal for reaching great depths with maximum efficiency, even in the most demanding work;
• Vertical ditchers, with minimum invasiveness, for digging ditches and vertical trenches both in open fields, before plowing, and in orchards or vineyards.

If you are looking for an efficient solution to maintain your ditches and drainage channels to ensure perfect water management at all times, Cosmeco's wide range of ditchers has the solution for you. And if you need more information, please contact us by filling in the form in the contact section. We will get back to you as soon as possible!