Accurate Irrigation Water Flow Measurement in Pipes

Flow measurement is an important component of water management. There are many methods that can be used to measure water flow, and different methods and technologies are used for pipe flow as compared to open channel (canal) flow. In this fact sheet, we cover only pipe flow, and for that, only technologies that are most common in conventional irrigation practice. We also address some basic principles of flow measurement along with some pros and cons for different measurement technologies

Agricultural Irrigated Land and Irrigation Water Use in Utah

Utah is considered the second driest state in the United States. As a result, much of the agriculture and horticulture in Utah depends upon irrigation. Irrigation is an important feature of agriculture in Utah. The distribution of irrigated and water use varies across the state, based on water availability, topography, and soils. In recent years, sprinkler irrigation has overtaken surface methods as the dominant irrigation method, based on irrigated area, in Utah. About 75% to 80% of water withdrawals in Utah are for irrigation, with about 68% of that water being consumptive use. Alfalfa, other hay crops, and pasture are grown on about 80% of irrigated agricultural lands in Utah

Understanding Irrigation Water Optimization

Irrigation is applied to much of the cropped area of Utah to support crop production. Limited water resources and competing demand for those resources make irrigation water conservation, irrigation water optimization, and efficient use of irrigation water important components of overall water resource management. It is well known in Utah that optimal irrigation use is even more critical during drought conditions. However, optimization practices change the quantity, quality, and timing of water flows. It is important to consider the possible hydrologic impact of irrigation practice changes and the desired outcome of an optimization practice to avoid implementing a practice that has little appreciable effect relative to the desired outcome

Irrigation Water Loss and Recovery in Utah

When deciding which irrigation systems to adopt, permit, or promote, it is important to consider how their efficiency and losses affect the water balance of Utah’s watersheds and drainage basins. Irrigators have no control over precipitation and only limited control of surface waters entering and leaving the state, as most of those are controlled by legal agreements. However, Utah’s water managers, elected officials, and water users can consider how surface water flows and groundwater storage is affected by using more efficient irrigation systems. Sprinkler, surface, or drip irrigation systems each have trade-offs in irrigation application efficiency, cost, and other factors. To make comparisons between systems, this fact sheet will define irrigation application efficiency, describe the destinations of irrigation water losses, and discuss how the fraction of recoverable water losses differ for various irrigation delivery systems and what that means for the overall water balance in Utah

County-Level View of Irrigation Trends in Utah and the West

We explored water use management and trends in irrigated agriculture in the U.S. West using operator-level USDA-NASS Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS)/Irrigation and Water Management Survey (IWMS) data aggregated for the first time to the county instead of state scale. Our hope is that this study will guide water managers in developing regional conservation programs, inform extension and research initiatives related to irrigation, promote grower-informed water conservation education, and provide researchers with key information regarding if, how, and why growers consider water conservation in irrigation decision-making

“Together, We Can Do This”: The Best Sport Teams Are Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts

Once upon a time, it was believed that the sport team with the best individual star players would be most likely to win all the trophies. Then one day, athletes, coaches, and sport fans, together with scientists (including sport psychologists), noticed that this did not always happen—so people began to doubt the idea. This was a concern because, for coaches to create great sport teams that can reach their potentials, the key ingredients for team success must be understood. Over time, there has been a shift from looking at the talent of individual star players to looking at teamwork. In this article, you’ll discover how the feeling of connection and relationship between players—their sense of togetherness—is the key ingredient in sport-team success. You will also learn some ideas for how to develop togetherness

Managing Saline and Sodic Soils and Irrigation Water

Salt is an important factor in plant and soil management. Excessive salt concentrations in soil can cause water to be less available to plants because of the osmotic forces of salt in the soil water. Excessive concentrations of different ions can also be toxic to plants. In agricultural soils and irrigation water, salts are typically described in two ways: (1) total salt concentration or salinity, and (2) sodicity, or the concentration of sodium relative to other cations (positively charged atoms or compounds). Understanding the effect of both total salinity and sodicity on plants and soils, along with management and reclamation practices, can improve crop yield and the optimal use of crop inputs