Water retention on agricultural fields as a drought mitigation measure: hydrological effect of Keyline systems

To address the projected increase in the frequency of droughts and more intense rainfall events, the agricultural sector is seeking management practices that retain water during periods of excess precipitation and store it for times of scarcity. In this project, we aim to evaluate the water retention effectiveness of one such measure, called Keyline design. A multi-year field study is planned on an agricultural plot, using multi-sensor soil moisture monitoring. The goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of Keyline systems under drought conditions.

This summer, we already carried out initial soil moisture measurements using drone-based remote sensing and in-situ sensor systems on agricultural fields in the Jurapark Aargau and in Uitikon. 

In the current issue of the ETH Zurich ‘Globe’ magazine, you can find an article about our project and the collaboration with the Reallabor Jurapark Aargau. Fricktal.info and the Neue Fricktaler Zeitung also recently reported on an event held in Wölflinswil as part of the Realexperiment «Vom Regen zur Ressource Wasser».