Spring Seeding Cover Crops to Help Recover Flood-Damaged Fields

Cover crops planted in late winter or very early spring can help barren, flood-damaged fields start to recover.  Plant roots will anchor the soil, helping prevent sandblasing and wind and water erosion.  The growing roots also will help feed the soil biological life, especially arbuscular mychorrhizae fungi.

Read more about using early-planted cover crops, including crop selection and seeding rates, seeding methods, and the importance of timely termination of the cover crop in a recent CropWatch article.

Farming after the Flood Webinar Dec. 14 — Farmer Experiences, Federal Resources

Learn about flood recovery resources and programs available through NRCS, FSA, RMA, and the Army Corps of Engineers in a multi-state webinar recorded December 14. Representatives of these federal agencies will join with university extension services to offer a 2 1/2-hour webinar for farmers and landowners affected by the 2011 Missouri River flood.  In addition to the agency representatives, two farmers (one from Nebraska and one from Iowa) will share their experiences in repairing the physical and biological properties of their fields.  

View the Webinar, which has broken down into segments.  Resources and fact sheets are available for each of the programs discussed during the webinar.   Also see these related resources which may be helpful in viewing the webinar.

• View Farming after the Flood Webinar Segments

• Program Agenda, Contact Information, and Speaker Websites

• Farmer Panel Presentation (Powerpoint)

• Presentations from State and Federal Offices (Powerpoint)

• Fact Sheet & Resources

New -How To Care For and Manage Flood Damaged Trees - Video by UNL Extension Educator John Fech and Forester Graham Herbst.
 

(October 3, 2011) John Fech, University of Nebaska-Lincoln Extension Educator and a certified arborist, said the goal is to help people avoid danger from damaged trees while preserving trees that can be saved.

Flood Recovery for Cropland Archived Webinar and Fact Sheets

Iowa State University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension have produced information resources on how best to recover crop land from extensive summer flooding.  While always difficult, this year's flood cause particular challenges due to how long some fields were (and still are) under water. See the Crops & Cropland section for links to individual segments of the Sept. 12 webinar, Flood Recovery for Cropland.  Also see these fact sheets on post-flooding issues

— Repairing Flood-Damaged Farm Fields
— Flooded Soil Syndrome
— Cover Crops for Soil Health
— Flood-Damaged Crops, Crop Insurance Payments, and Lease Contracts

Additional Resources

Free Legal Advice Available for Nebraska Flood Victims - FEMA (Aug. 26, 2011)
Call (800)742-3005 for legal assistance.

Scammer Alert for NE Flood Victims - FEMA (Aug 25, 2011)

Ask an Extension expert from Iowa State University or the University of Nebraska–Lincoln about recovering cropland from flooding.