Extension Publications

Better Water Practices: Water Conservation Tips

Water is a valuable resource that sustains everyday life. Take a moment to think about how frequently you use water in your daily routine. Whether you are washing clothes or watering your garden, challenge yourself to find ways to reduce your monthly water consumption. The following ideas can be used to set sustainability goals for water conservation.

Louisiana Salinity Field Reference for Agriculture

The salinity of groundwater and surface water across Louisiana remains an area of interest for agricultural commodities. Both horizontal (sea level rise and storm surges) and lateral (over-pumping and increased use of aquifers) saltwater intrusion have created a growing concern for tolerance of quintessential Louisiana crops.

Rainwater Harvesting for Small Nurseries and Home Gardens

Harvesting rainwater is a conservation technique to combat increased water demand, water quality issues and scarcity of water resources. Harvested rainwater can be used for nonpotable purposes, such as irrigation, washing or flushing, and is especially useful under drought conditions. The primary components of planning and implementing harvest designs include rainfall-capturing systems, vessels for water storage and dedicated end-use for the water.

Small-Scale Solar Distillation for Gardeners

Solar distillation uses energy from the sun to separate contaminants and ions (like salts) from water. Untreated, impure water absorbs heat to slowly increase the temperature causing evaporation. Evaporated water is condensed and collected as purified water to be used for irrigation purposes. Solar stills can be designed based on available space and water volume needs.

Dissolved Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen, often referred to as DO, is the oxygen in water that is available to support aquatic organisms like fish and algae. The oxygen in the water can be directly dissolved from the air or produced by aquatic plants during photosynthesis. Many different environmental conditions can affect the amount of DO in the water, which is why DO indicates other pollution and environmental issues.

Fecal Coliform/Enterococcus

Fecal coliform and Enterococci are types of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, such as humans and cows. In water, their presence is an indicator of fecal contamination, which can include harmful, disease-causing bacteria. These indicators can have impacts on public recreational (swimming and kayaking) and residential areas where there is a risk of exposure to people.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a key nutrient in water systems and is essential for plant and animal life. Though nitrogen is needed for an ecosystem to thrive, anything in excess can cause impairments. The common forms of nitrogen are nitrate (NO3-), nitrite (NO2-) and ammonium (NH4+). These different forms are present in many types of fertilizers or natural organic matter.

Pesticides

Pesticides are chemicals used to control pests and include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and rodenticides. Each different pesticide has a unique chemical formula and degradation residuals that can persist in waterways after the compound is broken down. Current market pesticides have active ingredients to reduce the risk to the environment, but exposure and increased concentration may impact ecosystems.

pH

Potential hydrogen (or pH) is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration in water. This indicates how acidic or basic aqueous solutions are on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Less than 7 on the pH scale is acidic conditions, while above 7 indicates basic conditions. This can be a good indicator of water impairments and environmental hazards.

Salinity

Salinity is the measurement of all dissolved salts in water, which includes mostly chloride, sodium, sulfate, magnesium, calcium and potassium. For water, the most common measurement is for sodium chloride (NaCl). Salinity is reported in concentration at the parts-per-thousand (ppt) level and can be seen in various sources of water including well water, rivers, streams and canals.

Temperature

Temperature is the thermal energy concentrated in a water source. This energy has a warming or cooling effect on the water. The overall temperature of a water body will influence the metabolic rates and behavior of aquatic organisms playing a critical role in the environmental ecosystems.