Agricultural Irrigation

Annual forages can help fill forage gaps in dry years, but irrigation timing matters — especially during stand establishment and early vegetative growth. Learn how to make limited water go further this season.

With water supplies under pressure in parts of Nebraska, a south-central Nebraska study found several irrigation scheduling tools delivered similar corn yields while recommending different amounts of water.

The 2026 North American Manure Expo that is being planned for Wayne, NE on July 28 through 30 is a trade show and extension program all rolled into one. It includes tours the first day and two days of trade show that also includes live demonstrations and education sessions featuring the latest science and technology related to manure handling and application. Early bird pricing ends June 30, so get your tickets now!

Nebraska farmers and agriculture advisors joined a new education series designed to improve irrigation farming operations through efficiency, increased profitability, and strengthening long‑term water stewardship. The Nebraska Master Irrigator program brings together producers, agricultural advisors, and industry partners to support data‑driven decision-making that reduces groundwater pumping and nitrate losses while positioning farms to have a competitive edge.

A national manure management event is headed to Nebraska, bringing hands-on demos and national expertise right to producers’ backyard.

With irrigation season winding down, your final decisions are some of the most important — see how these growers are managing their schedules to prepare for harvest.

Ready to stretch your irrigation dollar farther while setting your soil up for next season? A smarter late season strategy taps into your field’s remaining stored water — save on costs, protect yields, and make room for offseason rain. Here’s how to do it right.

The CropWatch Weekly Irrigation Newsletter now includes a new feature: a short video series demonstrating weekly irrigation scheduling in real time.

In 2024, Nebraska Extension launched the Weekly Irrigation Newsletter to share timely insights on irrigation decisions, featuring three growers located in Nebraska. Due to the positive feedback, we are continuing the program in 2025. In each of their corn fields, we installed a set of three Watermark (Irrometer) sensors at 1-, 2-, and 3-foot soil depths to track soil moisture throughout the growing season. A rain gauge was also installed to monitor both rainfall and irrigation events. These instruments are connected to an IC-10 datalogger (Irrometer), which records data at one-hour intervals. With a telemetry system in place, the data is transmitted remotely, allowing for timely irrigation decisions.

Forages vary greatly in water-use efficiency, defined as pounds of forage produced per inch of water applied. In general, warm-season (C-4) forage crops are more water-use efficient than cool-season (C-3) crops. Further, annual forages use water more efficiently than perennial forages. So, legumes — like alfalfa — tend to be less water efficient than grasses.

In April 2025, we launched the first version of our mobile irrigation management app, PLAN. At the time of release, we promised that an irrigation scheduling tool would be made available, specifically designed for producers who don't have access to soil moisture probes. We're thrilled to announce that this scheduling feature is now live and ready for use by all Nebraska producers. This CropWatch article provides a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to help you navigate this new tool within the app.