This document discusses the damages caused by drought in agriculture, the environment, and water supply. It analyzes how drought is evaluated in agriculture as a lack of water in soil, and the measures taken to regulate soil moisture through irrigation, drainage, and soil use practices. It notes that soil is an important water reservoir, and that maintaining the proper water balance in territories is important. However, water holding capacity is decreasing due to issues like soil compaction. Improving water retention in soil is needed, such as through subsoiling to drain water deeper into the soil profile. Taking these measures would benefit agriculture, the environment, villages, and national economies.

1. ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE
DROUGHT
IN AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND
WATER SUPPLY
Pavol Bielek
Slovak University of Agriculture
Nitra

2. DROUGHT
is dominantly related
presented
discussed
as parameter of soil
MAINLY IN AGRICULTURE IS DROUGHT EVALUATED AS
LACK OF WATER IN SOIL-simply-LOW WATER SUPPLY
FOR AGRICULTURAL PLANTS

3. THEREFORE
mainly in agriculture
are broadly implemented measures focused on
regulation of soil moisture
by
SOIL IRRIGATION (in Slovakia 310 th. ha)
SOIL DRAINAGE ( in Slovakia 450 th. ha)
SOIL USE PRACTICE (as many)
(total area of agricultural soil in Slovakia is about 2400 th. ha)

4. SOIL
is important reservoir of water in nature
MAINLY INSIDE OF RAIN FEED TERRITORIES
and is body protecting nature against flooding
MAINLY IN CASE OF HEAVY RAINFALLS
SOIL FUNCTIONS
„Recomendation of EU No.R(92)8“
1.SAFE OF WATER
2.PROTECTION AGAINST WATER

5. IMPORTANT IS
water balance in territory
for example in Slovakia
33,8 billions of m3
total annual rainfall is
from that 11 billions of m3 is kept in the soil

6. PROBLEM IS
Water holding (retention) capacity of soil
is decreasing !!!
Due to: soil compaction (in Slovakia 800 th.ha)
as result of no correct agricultural practices, heavy machines use
and soil sealing,
simply due to lower infiltration of water into the soil
RESULT IS
• Lower infiltration of water into the soil
• Lack of water supply for agriculture
• Lower yields
• Higher vulnerability of territory to flooding, etc.

7. NEW BROADER TERRITORIAL APPROACHES WE
NEED TO USE FOR THE FUTURE
HIGHER WATER RETENTION IN SOIL
WE NEED MAINLY
How to do it?
- Soil parameters improvement by agricultural practice
- Subsoiling by cultivation to higher dept (0.5-0.6 m)
(this measure brings into the Slovakian soil profile approximately about
100 millions of m3 water more)

8. WHO MUST DO IT
FARMERS
or special service for farmers
WHO MUST PAY IT
FARMERS
with help of agricultural subsidies
(every national ministry of agriculture in EU can support it from EU subsidies)

9. WHO WILL HAVE PROFIT FROM THAT
AGRICULTURE
ENVIRONMENT
WILLAGES
NATIONAL ECONOMIES
(seems to be that all people)

10. THANK YOU
for now
pavol.bielek@gmail.com