Transcript Precision Agriculture and Water Use Efficiency

Precision Agriculture
and Water Use
Efficiency
Clint Wilcox
http://www.groundwater.org/pe/rainmakers_video.html
Water Use (technical)
Efficiency:
• The mass of agricultural
produce per unit of water
consumed.
Water Use (economic)
Efficiency:
• The value of product(s)
produced per unit of
water volume consumed.
Water Use (hydraulic)
Efficiency:
• The portion of water actually used
by irrigated agriculture by the
volume of water withdrawn.
Water Use Efficency (WUE)
 Why Should We Be
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Concerned?
Water Levels Diminishing
Current Issues Causing
Inefficiencies
Irrigation’s Importance
Where It Has to Start
Types Or Approaches to
WUE
 Does WUE Have To
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Involve Irrigation?
Reduced Tillage
The Economics Involved
The Breaking Point
Environmental Benefits
The Future
Why Should We Be Concerned?
Water Levels Diminishing
 It is estimated that since 1940 the Ogallala has
been depleted by as much as 10 feet per year.
 Projections give it another 100 years of life in
some of the deeper areas to less than 25 years
in others.
 The aquifer reaches 8 different states including
Oklahoma, in which 90% of the water that we
use as a state is drawn from the ground.
 In most areas over 90% of the water pumped
from the aquifer is used to irrigate crops.
Current Issues Causing
Inefficiencies
• Out of date technology that is very
inefficient (AS PICTURED IN THE
BACKGROUND).
• The overwhelming cost of updating
to newer more efficient equipment.
• Lack of Education on WUE.
Irrigation’s Importance
 Irrigation of crops is a definite must.
 A mere 16% of the cropland in the
United States is under irrigation.
 From that 16% comes nearly half the
value of all crops sold in the United
States.
Where It Has to
Start
• Overwhelming restrictions on
farmers using irrigation is not the
answer.
• Although some steps do need to
be taken to encourage farmer
response to the issue.
• The standards should be set
higher for manufacturers of
irrigation equipment.
• Efficiency has to become more
Types Or Approaches to
WUE
• Improved efficient irrigation
equipment and methods.
• Taking care of drainage problems
• Reducing runoff
• Watering at appropriate times
• Implementing reduced tillage
practices such as no-till, min-till,
or strip tillage.
Evapotranspiration
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Takes place at the highest rates
during the heat of the day.
Heat, humidity, and wind are the
largest factors in evapotransporation.
Nighttime or at least late evening
and early morning watering are the
best and most efficient times to
water
Does WUE Have To Involve
Irrigation?
 No, as said before you can increase
WUE by increasing the efficiency of the
moisture that nature allows us by using
some type of reduced tillage system.
 Reduced-tillage systems in dryland
crops aren’t going to save our water
reservoirs, but they could increase the
bottom line for farmers.
Reduced Tillage
• Can and will increase the availability of
moisture to a plant in irrigated or nonirrigated soils
• Stirring the soil in conventional till
opens it up for drying out to occur
• The soil cover provided by crop residue
protects from the drying and
evaporating effects of the sun and wind
• These systems are a more efficient way
to use the moisture that you have
available
Drainage
Laser land leveling is a new and very precise
device that can be used to solve drainage
problems for a price.
Maybe in a more affordable way one could do
some surveying and benefit greatly.
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Runoff
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With the need to conserve water and reduce
pumping costs maybe some form of recycling
would payoff.
Develop some type of excess runoff water
recovery system so that the water can be reused.
The Breaking Point
• A lot of center pivots have been
parked throughout the great
plains due to energy costs in the
past year or so.
• This cost is incurred by pumping
water from wells which are
sometimes hundreds of feet deep.
The water is gradually becoming
deeper due to the lowering of the
Ogallala aquifer, which increases
the energy required for pumping.
The Economics
Involved
The costs are high to improve
current equipment or replace it
with new,
But, the financial gain is higher
now than ever due to increased
fuel cost which adds much
expense to each gallon of water
that is pumped.
Pumping cost have risen to point
that many producers have shut
their systems down within the
last year.
Environmental Benefits
• Salinization is a major problem in
irrigated soils, with less water applied
due to increased efficiencies we could
decrease this problem but not eliminate
it.
• Our water supplies like the Ogallala
aquifer are in jeopardy and less water
use could help to slow the shrinking or
even recharge these systems.
• More water can be placed where it is
needed with less used; due to better
distribution, decreased evaporation,
and less runoff.
SOLUTIONS
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Instill some kind of reduced tillage method
Check into the government programs such
as EQUIP that are available through the
FSA and USDA for help with retro-fitting or
more efficient upgrades
Water when the evapotranspiration rates
are the lowest such as nighttime.
The Future
 Is unknown, but looks bleak without
some kind of measures being taken.
 With increased awareness and steps
being taken, the chances look better for
the future farmers and their ability to farm
for another generation.
REFERENCES
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http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/WesternIrrigation/
►
http://www.groundwater.org/pe/rainmakers_video.html
►
http://images.google.com/images?q=Center+Pivot+Irrigation
+systems&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images
►
http://images.google.com/images?q=Flood+irrigation&hl=en
►
http://www.lanl.gov/chinawater/documents/usagwue.pdf
►
http://www.libb.com/images/MONEY_1000.JPG
QUESTIONS?