Irrigation

Water is rapidly becoming a scarce item, particularly in the southwestern U.S. Fortunately, people are doing more than sitting and worrying about the dilemma. Water conservation project plans are being written and executed throughout the area.

Improving drainage for crop growth dates to antiquity. The Egyptians and Babylonians used extensive ditching and “under-drainage” techniques to remove excess soil water. In an early farm management text, circa 200 B.C., Roman author Cato described basic artificial drainage methods in his De Agri Cultura (“On Farming” or “On Agriculture”).

In a study conducted in 2005, Steve Orloff, farm advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Yreka; Dan Putnam, alfalfa and forage specialist, UC Davis; and Blaine Hanson, irrigation specialist emeritus, UC Davis explored the drought tolerance qualities possessed by alfalfa.

An in-season center-pivot breakdown is costly – not just in repair fees, but in lost irrigation days and possible yield loss. To help keep your irrigation equipment up and running, we've gathered some in-season maintenance tips because investing a little time in preventive action is always better than correcting a major failure.

On the average, corn uses about 28 inches of water per year in southern Idaho. Peak monthly water use (in July) is about 0.28 to 0.3 inches per day.