In drought-affected states like Nebraska, managing irrigation water resources becomes increasingly critical. Recent insights from Steve Melvin, an Irrigated Cropping Systems Extension Educator, highlight the importance of efficient irrigation water management. By leveraging soil water data and implementing proper irrigation scheduling techniques, farmers can mitigate the impact of water scarcity on their crops.
Melvin's study analyzed six years of soil water data collected from irrigators in Nebraska, specifically focusing on the Upper Big Blue NRD region. The study, featured in the latest UNL Extension CropWatch newsletter, revealed that many fields were left relatively dry last fall, and the absence of usual fall-winter-spring precipitation resulted in a lack of optimal soil moisture profiles in irrigated fields this year.
Farmers may need to make changes to adapt to the current drought circumstances. Melvin suggests pumping more water in June to replenish the soil profile before the high water demand period in July and August, especially for lower-capacity irrigation systems. The study did, however, identify fields that already had a complete soil moisture profile in place last autumn.
It is critical to determine the optimum amount of irrigation water to use. Melvin believes that the best method is to use soil water monitoring devices. Furthermore, using crop water consumption or ET (evapotranspiration) data is quite useful in precisely assessing irrigation demands.
Irrigation scheduling is unlike other production decisions in that it requires constant attention throughout the summer. To guarantee optimal water management, farmers must check and change their irrigation practises on a weekly basis.
Steve Melvin's thoughts put light on the importance of good irrigation water management, especially in times of drought. Farmers may optimise their irrigation practises and offset the impact of water scarcity on their crops by regularly monitoring soil water data and utilising suitable irrigation scheduling procedures.
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Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Weather