Nebraska Irrigation Well Density (Pump 8 Billion Gallons of Water/Day) NAWMN Program Goals Established in History of NAWMN

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1 Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network NAWMN Nebraska Irrigation Well Density (Pump 8 Billion Gallons of Water/Day) Gary Zoubek xtension ducator University of Nebraska-Lincoln Precipitation changes about 1inch for every 25 miles ast to West. NAWMN Program Goals stablished in 2005 ranslational research convey current agricultural irrigation water use research to Nebraskans. Foster adoption of newer irrigation water management tools & technologies to help growers improve water use efficiency, reduce energy costs and protect the environment. nhance communication and information exchange among farmers, crop consultants, educators, NRDs, NRCS, NDNR, etc. History of NAWMN xtension lead a collaborative effort among the Upper Big Blue NRD and 15 area farmers in 2005 to debut the NAWMN in south central Nebraska between York and Clay Center. Partnerships grew with Nebraska Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) across the state is critical to success. oday has grown to over 800 farmers participate statewide and the program is continuing to expand. Farmer report average saves 2 +/acre of irrigation water application annually along with associated pumping costs. NAWMN fforts 192 new cooperators in new cooperators in new cooperators Upper Big Blue NRD 70 new cooperators Lower Platte North NRD 55 new cooperators Little Blue NRD 50 new cooperators Lower Big Blue NRD Several NRD cost-shares equipment with farmers. xtension educators/nrd staff teach farmers and crop consultants how to install and use equipment. 1

2 Know More - Irrigate Less More Crop per Drop wo Irrigation Management ools Soil Moisture Sensors Atmometer ( gage) How much water does my crop require? ach field has a different need. Guessing can be expensive and wasteful. When should I begin irrigating? Soil water data and crop growth stage is essential. When should I stop irrigating? Leave room for off-season precipitation without sacrificing yield. vapotranspiration () = Crop Water Use = 70-80% = 20-30% 0.5 Daily Inches Daily Average Corn 0 M J J A S O = vaporation + ranspiration 1 st ool - Atmometer (gage) vapotranspiration () = Crop Water Use H 2 O #54 alfalfa canvas cover Source: = vaporation + ranspiration 2

3 When the crop is small, almost all is VAPORAION When the crop fully shades the ground, 90-98% of is RANSPIRAION Checking the gage Checking Crop 3

4 Date gage Stage Crop Rainfall 5/14/ V /21/ V /28/ V /4/ V /11/ V /18/ V /25/ V /2/ V /9/ V /16/ V /23/ V /30/ Begin Dent /6/ Dent /13/ /20/ /27/ /3/ otal

5 York 2011 & 2012 gage Data nding Crop nding Crop Week of Change Stage Factor Rain Week of Change Stage Factor Rain 2 nd ool - Watermark Soil Moisture Sensors and Reader 5/7/ V /14/ V /20/ V /21/ V /27/ V /28/ V /3/ V /4/ V /10/ V /11/ V /17/ V /18/ V /24/ V /25/ V /1/ V /2/ V /8/ V /9/ V /15/ V /16/ V /22/ V /23/ V /29/ V /30/ V /5/ V /6/ FD /12/ V /13/ FD /19/ V /20/ FD /26/ FD /27/ FD /2/ FD Season Long Seaon Long week sum week sum Soil Water Gauge A few aerial images from late August this year. Helps us determine how long until we need to irrigate and how much water the soil will hold 5

6 Field Installation... Where Do I Put he Sensors? Installing Watermark Sensors Reading Watermark Sensors Field Installation of Data Recorder 6

7 Irrigation rigger Sheet 506 NAWMN cooperators surveyed the spring of Which of the following do you consider your PRIMARY occupation? Producer 94% 208 or 41% responded. Independent Crop Consultant Agr-Business Representative 1% 0% I want to share some of the survey results! Public Agency Representative 5% 506 NAWMN Cooperators Surveyed the late fall of or 41% responded. 7

8 How many years have you been involved with the NAWMN? What Natural Resources District do you reside in? 1st year 16% Upper Big Blue NRD Little Blue NRD 30% 29% 2nd year 26% Lower Big Blue NRD Lower Platte North NRD 14% 14% 3 or more years 58% ri-basin NRD 5% All other NRDS 9% Responses from 36 Nebraska counties were received. Producers please indicate the number of cropland acres you manage or influence annually? Check the equipment that you utilized this season to schedule irrigations? 1 to 500 acres 501 to 1,000 acres 1,001 to 2,000 acres 2,001 to 5,000 acres 5,001 to 10,000 acres 10,000+ acres 9% 29% 38% 20% 2% 1% Watermark Sensors gage Both gage & Watermark Other (soil probe & hand feel) Other (other sensors/loggers) 51% 43% 38% 3% 2% Other 2% he 191 producers that responded managed 342,350 acres. Did using the equipment or NAWMN information influence you on the amount of irrigation water applied? stimate your water saving (in./acre) in 2010 for irrigating corn? O Inches saved 1% Yes 97% 1 Inch saved 2 Inches saved 17% 48% 3 Inches saved 18% No 3% 4 Inches saved 5+ Inches saved 9% 6% he average water saving reported was 2.4 /acre. 8

9 stimate your water savings (in./acre in 2010 for irrigating soybeans? O Inches saved 1 Inch saved 2 Inches saved 3 Inches saved 4 Inches saved 5+ Inches saved 4% 25% 50% 9% 7% 5% he average water saving reported was 2.1 /acre. What did you like best about the NAWMN program? Saving 30 responses Saving of both water & dollars! Most people know that under watering a crop hurts, many don t realize the damage of overwatering! Confidence 19 responses Knowing! aking the guesswork out! Support 22 responses xtension & NRD support! One on one support! What did you like best about the NAWMN program? New echnology 22 responses Information on what s new. Another tool! On my Farm 9 responses Local information! Bring the technology to my farm & demonstrating it! Information & raining 21 responses Hands on! Being able to use the work of other! How could the NAWMN be improved and expanded? echnology 19 responses Continue to monitor and try newer technologies to remain on the cutting edge. Continue your research efforts. Look for more automated ways to collect the needed information. Look for ways to relay the information to the home computer/ipad. Develop permanent sensor installation protocols. Website Updates 7 responses Post gage readings regularly and show those not being reported. How could the NAWMN be improved and expanded? raining 13 responses Should be required for at least one field for evry producer to realize the benefits maybe incorporate into pesticide certification. More than one training session per year. More training to tying the atmometer with sensors & how to use the two tools. Cost Share 10 responses Continue to cost share & provide technical support! Cost sharing on equipment is an excellent way to expand the program. ncourage more NRD involvement. Participant Comments I feel that this program has saved us more irrigation water & fuel than anything! We are 150% sold on it. Use it on all our pivots! Could not trust the thing the first year. Now I have confidence in them. his the best program ever for knowing when to irrigate and when not to! Really appreciated the knowledge gained utilizing this program, hanks! 9

10 Participant Comments Keep up the Great work -- his is a "Premier Irrigation vent". his a well-run program and can save a lot of our water resources. Great program, state wide would reduce water. Overcome the herd instinct that everyone is watering then I should too! he 2012 NAWMN survey currently being prepared by Suat Irmak! Water is the lifeblood of agriculture! NAWMN Saves Water Improves Farm Profitability Sustains Rural & Urban Communities Our Challenge to Producers... ake one field or pivot and install an tgage and soil water sensors and learn to manage your irrigation water using these tools on this parcel of land and compare your water use / energy savings with the other fields / pivots in your operation along with your yields. xtension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Nebraska Lincoln xtension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture. 10