Farm Irrigation

[agrostis]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...85L0H520120622

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by agrostis

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...85L0H520120622

pivot remote

http://www.agsense.net/

[Duekster]

Is there a point here? Most farms are using raw water or ground water. I agree in some areas ground water is getting low.

[irritation]

Where do you think your city water comes from?

[Duekster]

Originally Posted by irritation

Where do you think your city water comes from?

Depends on the city but farmers are not using potable water. Fresh water yes but not potable.

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by Duekster

Is there a point here? Most farms are using raw water or ground water. I agree in some areas ground water is getting low.

actually the point is efficiency, productivity and conservation.

in the past people have wasted our natural resources without regard. farmers are concerned with increasing marketable product vs. increasing production costs. in the corn belt farmers are raising more product per acre using pivots than those using traditional methods.

here's a close to home example, my brother-in-law used to flood irrigate for 20 days to cover the river bottom tract. now with micro sprayers they irrigate the same tract in 2 days.

nut growers in ca. are stepping up to the plate with automatic irrigation improvements, on site weather stations, soil moisture sensors and central controls. one day KIRIL might be installing Calsense controllers on every orchard in his area (make fun of him then ).

[Duekster]

There is no doubt farmers can use less water but in many areas that is not a concern. Where it is they should, Cali is a place that does come to mind.

[irritation]

They should have made NOL A reservoir after Katrina, just to supply DFW with water.

[1idejim]

Originally Posted by Duekster

There is no doubt farmers can use less water but in many areas that is not a concern. Where it is they should, Cali is a place that does come to mind.

where i live it's cheap. i use 40 acre feet per month on one piece alone. i was managing near 500 acre feet per month a few years ago.

even though i have worked hard to conserve there is no incentitive as the price stays the same.

[1idejim]

http://ccontrolsystems.com/