Common menu bar links

This file contains the Forage Aridity Index (Shields and Sly, 1984) for four soil water holding capacities. It also contains the start and end of the growing season, and the Accumulated Growing Degree-days (AGDD) > 5 degrees C to selected dates. The file contains data for each year for the 1965- 1985 period. The soil textures and corresponding Available Water Holding Capacity (AWHC) are as follows:

     TEXTURE             AWHC (mm)
        
     SAND, SANDY LOAM    100
     LOAM                150
     CLAY LOAM           200
     CLAY                250

If the soil is Solonized Solonetz or Organic, then the AWHC is not applicable. For the aridity index, water holding capacity of the soil = field capacity - permanent wilting point.

Reference: De Jong et al. (1991a).

One record per ARA per year.

ITEM NAME      DESCRIPTION                                      REPORTING UNITS

ARANO          ARA Number
PROV           Province
YEAR           Year
ARID1          Aridity Index (AWHC 100mm)                             mm
ARID2          Aridity Index (AWHC 150mm)                             mm
ARID3          Aridity Index (AWHC 200mm)                             mm
ARID4          Aridity Index (AWHC 250mm)                             mm
GROWS          Start of Growing Season                             Julian day #
                  -Day when 5 day weighted* mean air
                   temperature > 5.5 degrees C and stays above
GROWE          End of Growing Season                               Julian day #
                  -Day when 5 day weighted* mean air      
                   temperature goes below 5.5 degrees C
MAY1           AGDD from GROWS to May 10
MAY15          AGDD from GROWS to May 15
JUN1           AGDD from GROWS to June 1
JUN15          AGDD from GROWS to June 15
AUG1           AGDD from GROWS to August 1
AUG15          AGDD from GROWS to August 15
SEP1           AGDD from GROWS to September 1
SEP15          AGDD from GROWS to September 15
OCT1           AGDD from GROWS to October 1
OCT15          AGDD from GROWS to October 15
NOV1           AGDD from GROWS to November 1
GROWSTTL       AGDD from GROWS to GROWE

N.B. All AGDD are reported to the nearest whole number.