Historic Temple
An illustrated history of the city of Temple, Texas, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the city great.
An illustrated history of the city of Temple, Texas, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the city great.
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Grassland, Soil and Water Research<br />
Laboratory (GSWRL) is located near the center<br />
of the 12.5 million acre Texas Blackland Prairie.<br />
GSWRL was established by the USDA<br />
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) after it<br />
began conducting agricultural research in the<br />
<strong>Temple</strong> area in 1927.<br />
The prairie’s clay soils have possessed unique<br />
crop production and hydrologic characteristics<br />
that have informed research regarding soil<br />
erosion, soil and crop management, fertility and<br />
plant nutrient management, hydrology and<br />
water management, water quality, rangeland<br />
brush and weed control, rangeland revegetation,<br />
and agricultural systems analysis and modeling.<br />
Nearly a century of research has now been<br />
conducted in partnership with the TexasAgriLife<br />
Research, Blackland Research and Extension<br />
Center (BREC). The USDA Natural Resources<br />
Conservation Service (NRSC) has assigned<br />
personnel to the GSWRL to integrate research<br />
findings of the BRC and GSWRL into practice<br />
for conserving and managing the nation’s<br />
natural resources.<br />
The mission of the GSWRL is to develop new<br />
technology for maximizing forage and crop<br />
production; reducing uncertainty regarding the<br />
effects of global change on agriculture,<br />
controlling invasive brush and weeds on<br />
rangelands; and solving problems related to<br />
efficient use of soil and water, crop production,<br />
soil fertility, erosion, hydrology, and water quality.<br />
The mission is achieved through laboratory<br />
and field experimental research and simulation<br />
modeling by a multidisciplinary staff of scientists,<br />
engineers, and technical support personnel.<br />
GSWRL research is organized into two<br />
units—the Natural Resources System Research<br />
Unit (NRSRU) and the Grassland Protection<br />
Research Unit (GPRU).<br />
The group’s research is conducted on a 550-<br />
acre tract of land in southeast <strong>Temple</strong> and<br />
includes a 25,000-square-foot office/laboratory<br />
building and other research support buildings.<br />
The land also includes facilities for conducting a<br />
variety of field experiments. An additional 840<br />
acres of land near Riesel, Texas, is used for a<br />
watershed research program.<br />
❖<br />
USDA, Agricultural Research Service<br />
Grassland, Soil and Water Research<br />
Laboratory, 1975 to present.<br />
Sharing the Heritage ✦ 107
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