By Scout Nelson
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension has released updated crop water use estimates for producers in the Nebraska Panhandle and northeast Colorado for the period of July 21-28, 2026. The information is designed to help growers make informed irrigation decisions and improve water-use efficiency during the growing season.
The estimates were developed by Gary Stone, a Nebraska Extension educator, and Xin Qiao, an extension irrigation and water management specialist at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Their work provides growers with valuable guidance for managing irrigation and water resources.
Crop water use can vary across locations due to differences in evapotranspiration (ET), crop growth stages, temperature, soil conditions, wind and precipitation. As a result, irrigation requirements may differ significantly between fields, even within the same geographic area.
The weekly estimates are intended to support irrigation scheduling and improve the efficiency of water applications. By monitoring crop water demand, producers can make better decisions that support crop performance while conserving water resources.
The report includes separate water-use estimates for Nebraska Panhandle crops and selected crops in northeast Colorado. It also provides crop growth stage information to help farmers align irrigation practices with crop development.
Growers can access additional tools and resources to support irrigation management and crop monitoring. These include crop growth stage charts, the CropWatch Growing Degree Days (GDD) and Evapotranspiration (ET) tool, and the PHREEC Irrigation and Digital AgLab website.
Extension specialists encourage producers to use the water-use estimates alongside local weather conditions and field observations. Combining these resources can help improve irrigation efficiency and overall crop management throughout the season.
Photo Credit: istock-dusanpetkovic
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Sustainable Agriculture