Is Snow Accumulation and Wind Redistribution Significant?
Any residue management practice that increases snow trapping can potentially increase overwinter soil water storage. Leaving cereal stubble standing overwinter is one of the most effective ways of trapping snow where wind redistributes the snow cover. Any tillage or residue management practice that reduces stubble height or uniformity reduces snow trapping potential. As snow depth increases in the stubble, the insulation effect also increases. Frost depth is reduced, if soils are frozen at all, allowing increased water infiltration during snowmelt and winter rains. Evaporative water loss is also reduced. Evaluate Individual Conditions No best choice can be made between standing stubble and fall chiseling for all situations. The decision must take into account the method of seeding the next crop; frequency and depth of frozen soils and associated runoff events; evaporative water loss potential; presence of compacted soil layers; importance of snow and snow drifting, and other variables.
