New Diker Prevents Costly Water Runoff

New Diker Prevents Costly Water Runoff TILLAGE EUIPMENT Miscellaneous 8-3-29 Latest new development for preventing costly water erosion is the "Dammer Diker" which digs holes in the ground to trap and hold water. Ag Engineering and Development Co., Tri-Cities, Wash., says its new æreservoir tillage' system reduces water runoff and helps cut erosion losses on both dryland and irrigated ground. During its first year of use last year, the Dammer Diker was used primarily on potato and sugarbeet fields in the Northwest. However, it's also been successfully tested on other crops, including corn and wheat and the company is establishing a Midwest sales office. The concept of using dikes to reduce erosion has been around for many years but, a company spokesman points out, the Dammer Diker is the first machine that digs holes in the ground to trap water, rather than building small dams or dikes on top of the ground from loose dirt. The holes (6 in. in dia. about 5 in. deep and spaced 2 ft. apart) trap water and keep it from running into low spots and wheel tracks. The 3-pt. attaching Dammer Diker features a front toolbar with subsoiler shanks that rip a furrow up to 12 in. deep, loosening the soil for the 'spider' wheels. The 4¢ ft. dia., adjustable depth, ground-driven wheels, have a 7 in. wide blade on the end of each spoke. It acts like a shovel, rotating 60? while in the ground to dig each hole. The wheels are timed so the holes from one row to another are alternately spaced to prevent water flow across the rows. Besides the benefits of reduced runoff and erosion the company points out that the dikes hold water which helps in times of scarce rain-fall and helps cut irrigation costs. Also, since the soil is subsoiled the water percolates better and plant root growth is stimulated. A company spokesman explains that, on corn ground, you'd use the Darner Diker as your last cultivation pass. On solid seeded ground, you'd go through the field after sowing, and the crop would come up around the "implanted reservoir" holes. Harvesting doesn't present any problems since most wagon and combine tires are large enough so there isn't much bouncing. However, with smaller tires, the ride may be a little bumpy, the manufacturer points out. Dammer Dikers are available for 4 to 8 rows and require about 20 hp. per row. The 6-row model sells for right at $12,000. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ag Engineering and Development, Co., P.O. Box 2814, Tri-Cities, Wash. 99302 (ph 509 735-3596).

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