A functioning water cycle can move a grazing operation to be much less vulnerable during an ongoing drought, to the point that what many will call a severe drought might be considered only a ‘dry spell’ that will work itself out over time by those managers that have put the planning, initiation and observation (Management) into developing an effective grazing program.

A sound grazing program that encourages a solid turf of healthy deep-rooted grasses and forbs is the beginning of storing the limited rain and snow fall for use of the plants and placing the remaining water in storage for future use. When that healthy well covered rangeland is in place, even small rain events of as little as .25” can make a difference in maintaining grazing for livestock and health of the rangeland. (Some have observed that heavy dew can be a positive moisture event.) Bare ground is not an option as limited rainfall will be quickly lost to evaporation, sunlight and wind will take its toll in short order. Not to mention the tragic loss of topsoil from erosion that is a valuable part of making the water cycle work as it should.  Healthy soil can absorb heavy rain much faster than can be imagined, thus reducing runoff and storing the water in the soil for use of the plants well after the rain event. Water in healthy soils having a vibrant population of microbiomes-insects-nematodes-earthworms and valued humus provided by the plant growth, can move within soil, not just to lower elevations but laterally even uphill through let’s call it osmosis or capillary motion. If the absorbed water becomes too great to be retained in the soil structure, then it can begin to move down into the aquifer restoring the much-needed water for the pumping of our many needs for use. This untechnical description of the water cycle may sound too good to be true, but it works as many managers have personally witnessed and it just might be the only way future generations can enjoy the opportunity to live on the land and have something to drink and maintain a happy healthy lifestyle.

The recent extremely heavy rainfall across much of the West Texas area was an awesome event that refilled many of the reservoirs of the area but in large was not the utilization of an effective water cycle. It was merely a flood event that provided little long-term benefit to the rangeland or the aquifers beneath our feet.

The recent rains provided the first water for these two pictured tanks in 6 years. With the beginnings of reestablishing an effective water cycle, note that the water is clear looking like spring water which it is not. Runoff water only, but no dirt-soil as the solid turf allowed no erosion. Granted with the dense cover it takes a considerably larger rainfall event to produce running water. An effective water cycle is for the long term, but well worth the wait.

Patience is an essential virtue when creating and adapting to an effective grazing program. Achieving meaningful results requires time and consistent effort, especially when implementing a dedicated graze-rest strategy designed to enhance the health of rangelands and the soils that sustain these ecosystems.

Transitioning from Continuous Grazing Practices

It is important to acknowledge that moving away from the continuous grazing practices of the past and into a planned-adaptive graze-rest program will not yield immediate results. The journey toward improved rangeland health and soil recovery is a long-term process, often taking years to reach the intended goals. This gradual approach allows the land to recover and thrive under the guidance of a well-structured grazing plan.

Continuous Improvement and Realistic Goals

As progress is made, the process can become more challenging when initial goals are met and new, higher objectives emerge. The question arises: Where is the ultimate point of ranchland recovery? It is becoming clear that there may not be a definitive endpoint. Instead, reaching a level of recovery and productivity that the producer can justify for themselves and their family’s needs and desires is a worthy and sufficient accomplishment. In a self-determining society, having the freedom to set and pursue individual goals is a valuable aspect of managing rangeland resources.

This enhanced grazing area features Indian grass, Little Blue, Side Oats, and KR Bluestem, with Big Blue nearby. The turf is dense and free of bare spots. After a severe four-year drought that almost led to livestock removal, rains in April reversed the situation. Though rain totals were modest, recovery in six months exceeded pre-drought conditions—an outcome not seen under traditional continuous grazing.

The Better it gets, the faster it gets better

Spring green up is struggling to proceed as the Texas Winter Grass, Canada Wildrye, Western Wheat, Engleman Daisy and the annual Rescue Grass is beginning to lose some of its green luster. Without a rain shower soon, the potential ‘good’ spring will be lost over this area. Where good ground cover including grass, forb and litter are present along with healthy root systems the potential is still possible. Without that cover the spring is all but lost for those that have not utilized a sound grazing management program.

The below photo shows Engleman Daisy, Texas Filary, Rescue grass, Globe Mallow and several other forbs and annuals moving into the survival mode that nature has designed into its program. This survival mode is to produce seed at all costs, as the very low growth of leaf surface is obvious. (The pocketknife is of the 3 ¾” variety for visual comparison) This survival mode is also heavy on the mind of livestock producers in the area, as all ranchmen are faced with critical and possibly very expensive resolutions to the continued drought conditions.