IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT
Even though this growing season has seen more rainfall in many areas than last year, excessively dry conditions are still possible in areas across the Lewis & Clark Natural Resources District. Paying close attention to irrigation needs is essential to maintain a consistent water supply. Efficient use of irrigation water can improve the maximum economic return from crops and benefit water resource sustainability. Measuring water use helps to track the crop water applied and the efficiency of water used to produce crop yield. Excess irrigation application can result in irrigation runoff and/or pollution of ground and surface water sources due to the loss of nutrients through leaching, runoff, and soil erosion. Inadequate irrigation application results in crop water stress and yield reduction.
LCNRD promotes efficient irrigation through the use of flowmeters, technology, and best management practices. Flowmeters are used to measure the amount of water that is being pumped from the well. Flowmeters are required on all new and replacement high-capacity wells in the LCNRD. There are several technological advances that provide means to monitor irrigation application and crop needs such as soil moisture probes or scheduling irrigation and nitrogen timing using satellite imagery.
Nebraska has more than 8.6 million irrigated acres with approximately 80 percent under sprinkler irrigation systems, 19 percent under surface water irrigation, and less than 1 percent of acres are micro irrigated. In practice, it is seldom possible to deliver every single drop of irrigation water to exactly where it is needed due to the effects of evaporation, wind, or runoff.
Irrigation efficiency is described by several terms that refer to how efficiently irrigation water is applied and/or used by the crop. High irrigation efficiency translates to lower operating costs, improved production per unit of water delivered, and improved environmental benefits. It is important for both producers and irrigation management professionals to be able to evaluate a crop’s water needs to be as efficient as possible.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension has a series of NebGuides that cover irrigation efficiency and irrigation strategies to help with irrigation management at https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/ec732/irrigation-efficiency-and-uniformity-and-crop-water-use-efficiency. To learn more about how to improve your system’s irrigation efficiency, talk with your local UNL Extension office or reach out to your local irrigation water specialist. If you need help finding an irrigation water specialist, contact the Lewis & Clark NRD office at 402-254-6758.