When properly calibrated, soil water sensors can give irrigators an accurate measurement of how much water is currently available, and how much has been depleted, in the soil for the crop. When used along with weather data and crop water use data, this accurate measurement of soil water can help irrigators make a more informed decision on when irrigation should start, how much to apply, and when to quit irrigating. When looking at sensors, be sure to have an understanding of soil water content and how they actually measure soil water. 

Traditional irrigation decision-making relies heavily on experience and requires frequent visits to the field. The process is time consuming and labor demanding, while the results are not quantitative and prone to error.

In recent years irrigators have begun to install variable frequency drives (VFDs) to monitor and control the speed of their irrigation pumps powered by electricity. This has led to several recent questions: