There are many ways that farmers and ranchers take to decrease the loss of freshwater. The four that I found to be most effective is the drip irrigation, capturing and storing rain water, rotational grazing and planting drought tolerant crops. Each of these practices save a significant amount of water and helps decrease the loss of freshwater.
Drip Irrigation is used in by farmers so that the water is fed directly to the plants roots. This means that the water will get to the roots directly. By using the drip irrigation it saves on water by limiting the amount of water that is evaporated. The water will go way further with a drip system. Timers and in some cases valves are used so that the amount of water that is delivered is controlled.
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For crops there is a system that usually catches the water and can convey it to different crops that are being grown. Trees are one of the easiest to do this with; it is easier to direct the water exactly where it is needed. The ranchers use water holding reservoir that is dug and collects water when it rains. These can be plastic or metal tanks and can be above or below the ground and can be used for the cattle that need to have water.
Rotational Grazing is when one portion of pasture is grazed at a time. This gives other parts of the pasture time to rest and lets the forage plants to renew. By letting the forage plants renew their root systems go deeper and give them a longer life span. Pasture regrowth is important and the manure helps fertilize the pasture instead of running off into rivers and the local water sources.
Drought tolerant crops can survive with little or no water. The water they get is usually through what rains fall through the seasons. The plants have a deep root system that allows the plants to get water from deep in the soil. Some drought resistant trees have developed leaves that reduce the loss of water. Drought tolerant crops save water because they do not need a to be watered every day, which prevents the use of clean