Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Reducing Withdrawals and Increasing Efficiency

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Reducing Withdrawals and Increasing Efficiency Bob Smail Water Use Section Wisconsin DNR Presented March 11, 2014 Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association Meeting

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: WDNR Water Use Program Background on Wisconsin DNR water use programs Water use in Wisconsin Overview Dairy Irrigation Source: USGS Conservation and Efficiency Dairy Irrigation

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: WDNR Water Use Section Water Use Section is part of the Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater and was created to implement requirements of the 2008 Great Lakes Compact. This includes: Registration and reporting program. High capacity withdrawals > 100 kgal/day in capacity Water Use and Water Loss Permitting Water Conservation and Efficiency program Environmental review for high capacity wells.

WDNR Water Use Program: Water Use Registration Reporting Water Use Registration and Reporting

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Surface Water Use Any property with the cumulative capacity to withdraw 100,000 gpd of water must register and report monthly withdrawals annually. 1000 registered surface water sorces. Biggest sources are power plant withdrawals and municipal systems on Lake Michigan. Cranberry production is most notable in West Central. Localized areas of surface water used for agricultural irrigation.

A high capacity well is any well on a property with the cumulative capacity to withdraw 100,000 gpd of groundwater. Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Groundwater Use 8000 >70 gpm, 4000 <70 gpm. 50% of hicap wells are sand and gravel wells, 50% are bedrock wells. Report monthly withdrawals annually.

292,303,941,228 groundwater gallons from 13,000 sources in in 2012, up 37% from 2011. Could cover the land area of Wisconsin with ¼ inch of water. Enough water to fill Lambeau Field over 600 times. Agricultural Irrigation surpassed municipal public water in 2012 due to the drought. 800,000 additional unregistered low capacity wells statewide serving homes, farms and businesses withdraw roughly 50-75 billion gallons per year. Groundwater Use in Wisconsin: 2012 Withdrawals

Wisconsin Groundwater Withdrawals Growth in High Capacity Wells

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Management Challenge - Erratic Trends

Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Management Challenge - External Factors Affecting Future Trends

5.0 Billion groundwater gallons from 822 wells for livestock farming in 2012. This is up 28.0% from 2011. - 1.7% of the 2012 statewide groundwater withdrawal from large CAFOs or small dairy wells on farms with irrigation wells. - May be large CAFOs with large wells or small dairy wells on farms with irrigation wells. - With 1,270,000 dairy cows statewide, estimated total use for WI is 44.5 mgal/day or 16 bgal/yr. Wisconsin Groundwater Withdrawals: Water Use Sector - Livestock

Wisconsin Groundwater Withdrawals: Water Use Sector - Livestock Average about 35 g/d/milking cow (25g/d/au). At this rate a farm doesn t need a hicap well until it exceeds 2500 cows. Larger dairies are more likely to need a hicap well. High grain prices has encouraged dairies to install irrigation systems to bolster feed production New business model is very large dairies with irrigation wells to self supply grain.

135 Billion groundwater gallons from 3,888 wells for agricultural irrigation in 2012. This is up 83% from 2011. - 46% of the 2012 statewide groundwater withdrawal. - Average withdrawal was 34.8 mg in 2012, 19.0 mg in 2011. - Could cover Dane County in about of 5.5 water. - Equal to average annual flow in the Rock River at Beloit. - The equivalent of the volume of water in Lake Mendota. Wisconsin Groundwater Withdrawals: Water Use Sector - Agricultural Use

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Why We Irrigate Where We Irrigate Surficial Deposits of Sand or Sand and Gravel Depth to Bedrock > 50 Feet

Overlaying sand and gravel deposits with bedrock > 50 deep indicates areas where high volume withdrawals are most likely. Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Why We Irrigate Where We Irrigate

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Why We Irrigate Where We Irrigate 90% of all irrigation wells in the state are located in an area with surficial deposits of sand and gravel that are over 50 feet deep 4,000 Agricultural Irrigation Wells Capacities range from: 86,400 gpd (60 gpm) to 3,600,000 gpd (2500 gpm) Most are 1,440,000 gpd (1,000 gpm)

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: How Much Land is Irrigated

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Trends in Where We Irrigate Average well age by township - Oldest wells are located in the middle of the central sands. - Newest wells are located in: - The periphery of the central sands - Northwestern WI - Eastern WI - South central WI

WDNR Water Use Program: Water Conservation and Efficiency Water Conservation and Efficiency

Water Conservation and Efficiency program is comprised of both mandatory and voluntary components. Water use permit In Great Lakes Basin New withdrawals Increased withdrawals over baseline Water Loss Permit Statewide Water loss averaging more than 2 mgal/day in a 30 day period Voluntary Program Benchmarking Efficient practice identification and sharing Water and Wisconsin Agriculture: Water Conservation and Efficiency

Water Conservation and Efficiency, that many are probably doing already : Tier 1 - General water use permit Water Use Audit Leak Detection and Repair Worker Training Source Measurement Tier 2 Individual water use permit Reducing cleaning water Establish target water use amounts Reduce water for animal cooling Water reuse Tier 3 Water Loss Approvals Conservation Plan Optional measures Cost effectiveness analysis Livestock Water Use: Mandatory Water Conservation and Efficiency

Gray Water Reuse Collection and reuse of gray water for other beneficial purposes. Cleaning water. Cooling Water Reuse Reuse of milk cooling water for drinking or wash water. Many (most?) are already doing this with plate cooler water. Water in cooling stations can also be captured and reused. Efficient Fixtures Drinking water fixture. Spray cooling misters. Cleaning spray nozzles. Livestock Water Use: Optional Conservation and Efficiency Measures

Water Conservation and Efficiency, that many are probably doing already : Tier 1 - General water use permit Water Use Audit Leak Detection and Repair Worker Training Source Measurement Tier 2 Individual water use permit Irrigation scheduling Residue management Targeting irrigation Tier 3 Water Loss Approvals Conservation Plan Optional measures Cost effectiveness analysis Irrigation Water Use: Mandatory Water Conservation and Efficiency

Deficit Irrigation Matching plant needs at different stages to irrigation volumes. Reduces volume Reduces evaporation. Reduces water wasted to re-infiltration saving pumping costs Variable Pressure Precision Irrigation GPS/GIS Mapping of soils to apply different rates for different slopes and soils Requires specific nozzles and controllers. Requires flow metering High infiltration areas Reduce impervious surfaces/compaction. Promote infiltration and prevent runoff. Irrigation Water Use: Optional Conservation and Efficiency Measures

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Benchmarking Irrigation Rates

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Benchmarking Irrigation Rates Potatoes and other produce in the central sands. Alfalfa and Soy in the northeast and southeast. Corn everywhere.

Agricultural Irrigation in Wisconsin: Benchmarking Irrigation Rates

WDNR Water Use Program: Water Conservation and Efficiency Use Smart Implement practices that save money and maintain yields. Use Less Implement practices that save water without sacrificing profits. Promote Recharge Implement practices that promote recharge and improve water quality.

Conclusion Questions? For more information, contact Bob Smail 608-267-3581 Robert.smail@wisconsin.gov