Ag Water Conservation Through UGA Extension MIL (Mobile Irrigation Lab)

Summary

Irrigated row crop acres across the State of Georgia are predominately watered by center pivots. These systems use vast amounts of water, especially in times of drought. Through education and pivot audits conducted by UGA Extension MIL (Mobile Irrigation Lab) teams, water efficiency is greatly improved.

Situation

Georgia is currently in a decade long legal battle over water rights with the State of Florida. Georgia farmers stand to lose their Georgia Environmental Permitting Division water withdrawal rights if the courts favor Florida in their final verdict. Although farmers in Georgia do a good job managing their irrigation events, opportunities exist to further improve water efficiency and profitability for our farmers. The conservation education and data provided by UGA Extension can help support Georgia in their case that Ag water usage is being used wisely.

Response

The UGA Extension Mobile Irrigation Lab team is assisting with irrigation audits and educational events across South Georgia. The audit is performed at no cost to the farmer and is done by request. Pivots are audited to show where water can be saved with end gun shut off by using maps and computer programs to figure acreage. Water uniformity dispersed by the pivot is evaluated to see if water is being applied equally across the field. A percent uniformity is supplied to the farmer showing where areas on the pivot can be improved. Educational programs were shared at production meetings and scheduled field days.

Impact

Through collaborative and individual efforts, farmers who irrigate with center pivots are better educated on the importance of applying water evenly across crop acreages and cutting off end guns on non-crop areas. The water educator visited and audited 42 center pivot systems in the Southeast District of Georgia. Irrigated acreage that was covered from these systems were 2,811 acres. By aerial maps created, it was shown by using end gun shut off on non-crop areas, over 20.9 million gallons of water could be saved on that particular crop. By producing graphs showing farmers where they were over and under watering, delivered a better understanding of where they can correct issues on their system. This correction will lead to better profits in the future. Educating farmers on the availability of these services and how they can assist one in better utilization of our natural resources resulted in more interest and calls for our MIL service. Presentations were made at seven different events, reaching out and educating 290 individuals. The data provided should not only expose areas of improvement with Ag Water usage but also strengthen our water rights in the State of Georgia.

State Issue

Sustainability, Conservation, & the Environment

Details

• Year: 2018
• Geographic Scope: State
• County: Bleckley
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources