Mississippi's Traveling Soil Health Rainfall Stimulator

NRCS in Mississippi recently purchased a unique traveling visual educational tool known as a Rainfall Simulator. This rainfall simulator that can travel to all areas of the state for demonstrations will be used to exhibit beneficial effects of conservation practices such as no-till farming, cover crops, residue management, and prescribed grazing effects that improve soil health and water cycling on agricultural land.

“Mr. Readus expressed the need for Mississippi to acquire and use this unit for demonstrations and to learn about soil health throughout the state. It illustrates the spirit of the NRCS mission to educate, conserve and maintain our soil and water resources,” stated State Soil Scientist Delaney Johnson. “We are also optimistic, with this tool, our youth will create a lifetime interest in helping improve and maintain our natural resources and environment. Water management is vital to the sustainability of Soil Health.” The rainfall simulator simultaneously dispenses rain on up to five different land management systems. The runoff and infiltration from these different management scenarios are collected in clear jars; the results are strikingly visible. For example, the rainfall simulator can highlight how keeping various amounts of residue on the land can reduce sediment loss or the effectiveness of grass buffers to reduce sedimentation.

This new tool, contained in a trailer that can be pulled to most any location in the state, can be used in conservation field days, workshops, etc., to help educate and build a conservation culture that encourages the adoption of conservation practices that improve soil health and reduce nonpoint source pollution. Mississippi looks forward to putting this new tool to good use in the future!