1987 - Volume #11, Issue #4, Page #35
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Diker Dammer Traps Water, Stops Erosion
A water-trapping machine that was introduced last year in Australia has already caught on fast there as an uncomplicated way to conserve moisture for dryland crops.Inventor Bruce Smallacombe says the chain-paddle design of his "Conserveration King" machine is the least complicated and most effective method he's found to keep moisture from running off fields.
He simply mounted heavy-gauge metal paddles on specially-designed 100-lb. chain links and strung them across the rear of a carrier frame that can be pulled alone or behind other equipment. The paddle-equipped chain rotates freely along the ground, digging 4-in. deep pockets, spaced 1 ft. apart in any direction. Each mini-dam holds 1¢ gal. of water.
"Once you work a field it'll take a 2-in. rain without any runoff," says Smallacombe, noting that on hillsides or terraces the machine can help put an end to erosion. It also provides a certain amount of tillage and helps incorporate residue.
Smallacombe is looking for a North American manufacturer for the machine.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bruce Smallacombe, Capella Sales & Engineering, P.O. Box 92, Capella, Queensland, Australia, 4702 (ph 079 84 9211).
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