Managed Allowable Depletion (MAD), also called the Refill Point, determines when irrigation is recommended based on Available Water Content (AWC).
By default, Semios uses a threshold of 70% AWC, meaning irrigation is recommended after approximately 30% of the available water has been depleted.
The 70% threshold is not a scientific recommendation for all crops and soils. It is a conservative default designed to help avoid water stress in most situations. As your irrigation management becomes more refined, you may choose to set a custom threshold based on soil conditions, soil moisture trends, plant stress measurements, or field observations.
Before You Begin
Custom MAD thresholds can currently only be configured in hub.semios.com.
Step 1: Navigate to the Soil Graphs
Log in to hub.semios.com.
Navigate to Water Management > Soil.
Select the zone you want to modify.
Step 2: Open MAD Settings
In the upper-right corner, click Graphs.
Select Settings.
Under Settings, select Refill Point (MAD) Date.
Step 3: Add a New Threshold
In the pop-up window, locate the block you want to update.
Click Add.
Step 4: Configure the Threshold
Select the date when the new threshold should take effect.
Enter the desired Available Water Content (AWC) percentage to use as the refill point.
For example, entering 60% means irrigation will be recommended after approximately 40% of the available water has been depleted.
Step 5: Save Your Changes
Click Save in the bottom-right corner of the window.
The new threshold will be applied to the:
Soil Moisture (AWC) graph
Infiltration Map
Seasonal Threshold Adjustments
You can use a single threshold throughout the season or create multiple thresholds for different crop stages.
Common times to adjust MAD thresholds include:
Hull split
Veraison
Harvest dry-down
Other crop-specific management periods
Using seasonal thresholds can help align irrigation recommendations with changing crop water requirements throughout the year.