Partners in Sustainability
SWS faculty partner with Anheuser-Busch on research.
Small Farm Production
CALS student gains experience as an intern with the Soil Stewards Student Farm.
Addressing Climate Change
Undergrad Project Focuses on Nitrous Oxide Emissions
Scavengers and Soil
SWS faculty lead research efforts on effects of scavengers on soil communities.
Beneath the Surface
SWS grad studies soil microbial communities
An Agriculture Movement
Assisting Idaho farmers with regenerative farming
Learning to Fly
Middle School Students Discover Higher Learning
Largest Grant in U of I History
Grant will help farmers and ranchers combat climate change.
From Sea to Soil
SWS grad explores soil resilience
Department of Soil and Water Systems
The Department of Soil and Water Systems combines faculty in soil science, agronomy, hydrology, sediment transport, irrigation engineering, waste management and precision agriculture to address resource issues related to soil, water quality and quantity and sustainable food, energy and waste systems.
We offer four undergraduate degrees, four minors designed to complement a variety of majors and a certificate in precision agriculture. We also offer a master’s and doctorate program in soil and land resources. Students in these programs work with professors who actively conduct research on a variety of topics and customize their programs based on research interests.
The range of expertise among Soil and Water Systems faculty provides students with a diverse experience. Specialty areas include hydrology, precision agriculture, erosion, remote sensing, watershed management, value-added products from waste, agricultural mechanics, ecosystem sustainability, biogeochemistry, plant and soil microbe interactions, water quality and quantity, drought monitoring and forecasting, nutrient and livestock waste management, environmental soil chemistry and microbial ecology.
Faculty support Idaho’s producers through a variety of Extension programs, events and publications. Research is conducted on the Moscow campus and at U of I Research and Extension Centers in Idaho Falls, Parma, Kimberly, Twin Falls and Aberdeen and affiliate centers in Sandpoint and Rupert.