Agricultural Irrigation

Agricultural Production Agricultural Irrigation

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.

Scheduling the Last Few Irrigations of the Season

running irrigation system
Factors such as the amount of water a soil can hold, the amount of water a crop will use until it reaches maturity, and the maximum allowable soil water depletion should be considered when deciding the last few irrigations of the season.

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Budget woes lead to weather station closures

graphical representation of weather station locations (image credit: https://mesonet.unl.edu/)
Leading into the sixth year of appropriation shortfalls, Nebraska Mesonet weather stations that are not contracted specifically by clients are slotted for closure to cut costs and reduce labor overhead.

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Sensors on the Pivot for Automated Irrigation Scheduling in the Great Plains

Thermal infrared sensors mounted on the center pivot irrigation system for monitoring canopy temperature.
The main barriers to adoption of new technologies in irrigation include cost and ease of use. These scientific methods need to be cost-effective and feasible for farmers to adopt. Today, using soil water monitoring equipment provides the most effective method for farmers to make data-driven irrigation scheduling decisions to apply the minimal amount of water while achieving optimal yields. However, the costs in labor and equipment limit their use. So, research continues to focus on developing lower-cost methods to schedule irrigation that results in putting on just the right amount of water. Since producers do not have time to do detailed work with large amounts of data often generated using SIS methods, the automation of SIS methods would likely provide incentives to producers by saving their time and, simultaneously, reducing the irrigation applications and producing optimal crop yield.

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Happy World Water Day!

Image shared from unwater.org

Annually on this day, we bring special attention to the importance of groundwater & freshwater around the world. This year's theme focuses on "Groundwater: Making the invisible visible" to bring attention to this hidden water resource, that all too often goes unrecognized when sustainable policies are developed.

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TAPS to Host Practicum Series in 2022

TAPS practicum flyer
The Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program is excited to offer a new six-part series focused on water, nitrogen and “Effective Conservation Technologies and Management Practices for Corn Production,” as the practicum is titled.

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