Agricultural Irrigation

Agricultural water users can optimize water use efficiency and protect the quality of water resources by applying basic information about irrigation systems, crop water use and management practices.

Friday February 2, 2024

Nebraska Water Facts

Nebraska means “flat water” from the Omaha Sioux “ni braska” and Oto “ni brathge”/ Nebraskier describing the Platte River. The Platte River was named by early French explorers, also meaning “flat.” The Panhandle is almost 6.5 times higher elevation than the Southeast. (5,424 ft above sea level versus 840 ft). Southeast NE receives 2.5 times as much annual precipitation as the Panhandle (average 33” versus 13”).
Thursday April 3, 2025

100 years of Nebraska nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient but increasingly found in our water. Here is a brief history:
Thursday March 28, 2024

Yonts Water Conference

The Yonts Water Conference will be held on Wednesday, April 10, at the Panhandle Research, Extension, and Education Center, in Scottsbluff. The morning begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration.
Thursday May 2, 2024

UNL Researchers Advance Soil Health Cycle Concept

Inspired by an extension event survey comment, Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, associate professor and extension specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, conceptualized the soil health cycle (SHC) as an iterative soil health management cycle to achieve agricultural sustainability.
Wednesday April 24, 2024

Pasture and Forage Minute: Early Season Irrigation, Controlling Alfalfa Weevil

Alfalfa is a tough perennial with established rooting depths down eight feet or more. Depending on deep soil profile moisture, some varieties can extend spring dormancy and survive up to 45 days without rainfall. However, forage yields drop dramatically, since alfalfa requires about six inches of root available water to produce one ton of forage per acre.
Friday June 14, 2024

Storm-damaged Pivot Survey

Through this new survey, producers have the opportunity to assist Nebraska Extension with identifying factors that may contribute to increasing or decreasing storm damage to center pivots.
Thursday June 13, 2024

Soil-Water-Plant Interaction Basics

As irrigation season approaches, producers may find it beneficial to review the basics on how soil, water and plants all work together to grow crops.
Wednesday June 19, 2024

How to Determine the Chemigation Injection Pump Setting for a Center Pivot with the End Gun Off and On

The key to knowing the correct setting for a chemigation pump is to first determine how many acres per hour the pivot will cover at the desired irrigation application depth or rate.
Monday July 15, 2024

The Drought of 2023 Impact on Irrigation and What We Can Learn from It

The amount and timing of irrigation applied in recent years may have very little to do with what's needed this year. Review the factors before making a decision.
Monday August 26, 2024

Siphon Tubes: Setting Water to Grow Crops in Western Nebraska

A new water research series from Nebraska Extension, this article focuses on the history, construction and use of siphon tubes for crop irrigation.

Agricultural water users can optimize water use efficiency and protect the quality of water resources by applying basic information about irrigation systems, crop water use and management practices.