Tucson's new USDA lab tackles water and soil challenges for farmers
Tucson's new USDA lab tackles water and soil challenges for farmers.
The 15,650-square-foot research complex features laboratories, collaborative workspaces and research infrastructure designed for ARS and University of Arizona researchers.
Their work will advance understanding of weather patterns, water movement and soil erosion in semi-arid regions.
The facility will help develop tools producers can use to manage their land and water resources.
Research will support field-level studies at the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed and Santa Rita Experimental Range research sites.
Scientists have created rainfall simulators, drought studies and remote sensing technologies, including drones, to measure runoff and erosion.
The technologies also evaluate how plants respond to limited water and help better understand how water moves through the landscape.