Irrigation in Kentucky has always been limited. This is due to a limited water supply in many parts of Kentucky and the high amount of rainfall in the state which reduces the chances for a consistent profitable response to field crops

Murdock, Lloyd W.

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University of Kentucky

University of KentuckyUKnowledgeSoil Science News and Views Plant and Soil Sciences2000Irrigated Field Crop Acres in KentuckyLloyd W. MurdockUniversity of Kentucky, lmurdock@uky.eduRight click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits you.Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_viewsPart of the Soil Science CommonsThis Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Plant and Soil Sciences at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Soil ScienceNews and Views by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu.Repository CitationMurdock, Lloyd W., "Irrigated Field Crop Acres in Kentucky" (2000). Soil Science News and Views. 4.https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_views/4UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE oSG COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0091 "fl' Department of Agronomy Soil Science News & Views Vol. 21, No. 1, 2000 Irrigated Field Crop Acres in Kentucky Lloyd Murdock Introduction Irrigation in Kentucky has always been limited. This is due to a limited water supply in many parts of Kentucky and the high amount of rainfall in the state which reduces the chances for a consistent profitable response to field crops. There are only small areas of Kentucky that have ground water available in .sufficient quantities to reliability provide enough water to irrigate field crops. These are primarily located in parts of the Purchase area and along some major rivers and creeks. The source of water for much of the land that is irrigated is from surface water such as rivers, creeks, reservoirs, waste lagoons, and underground streams (blue holes). One area, other than field crops, where the irrigated acreage has increased rapidly in Kentucky is turf. Estimates calculated from the 1 989 Kentucky Turfgrass Survey include 9,000 acres of golf courses, 3,000 acres of athletic turf, 500 acres in sod production, and 115,000 acres of home lawns and commercial turf are now irrigated. The economics of this industry places a higher value on irrigation and probably allows for irrigation of this crop at costs greater than those of field crops. The economic incentives are not as high in field crops. Previous irrigation research in Kentucky and surrounding states indicates that, over many years, irrigation can be profitable for field crops. For any one year, profitability depends on rainfall during the growing season. However, over a 10-year period, irrigation appears to be profitable on corn, but only marginally profitable on soybeans 1 • Tobacco is also irrigated when an adequate amount of water is available. It is more helpful when allotments are made on acreage basis. It is probably more profitable on turf and horticultural crops that have a potential of high returns which need to reduce the risk of failure. Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color. age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin UNIVERISITY OF KENTUCKY. KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERAT!NG Currently, there is no reliable source of information regarding the scale of irrigation of field crops in Kentucky. To try and estimate this acreage, County Extension Agricultural Agents were surveyed. Survey Results Most of the counties with irrigated acres responded (46). The results are summarized in Table 1. Almost 42,000 acres of irrigated field crops were estimated to be produced in these 46 counties of the state. Although this is more than some people would expect, it is only 1 to 2 % of the total acres of field crops grown in the state. Although the irrigated acreage is relatively small, it is likely to grow. These results are summarized by area in Table 2. 1Don Shurley. 1982. An Investment Cost Analysis of Corn and Soybean Irrigation in West Kentucky. Ky. Agri-Business News. No. 21. July 1982. Extension Soils Specialist · COUNTY Allen Anderson Bourbon Boyd Butler Caldwell Calloway Carlisle Carroll Christian Clay Daviess Franklin Fulton Grant Graves Green Hardin Harrison Henderson Henry Hickman Hopkins Jackson Irrigation of Field Crops in Kentucky 1999 Estimate CROP ACRES TOTAL COUNTY CROP ACRES Horticulture 25 Johnson Vegetables Tobacco 250 Laurel Tobacco 1400 Leslie Agriculture 5 Logan Swine Waste 400 420 Lyon Row Crop& Tobacco 20 Tobacco Corn-Soybeans 550 Madison Tobacco 1200 Marshall Row Crop 150 200 Mason Tobacco 50 McLean Tobacco 1500 Mercer 3250 Metcalfe Horticulture 10 Vegetables 15 Tobacco 150 Row Crop & 2500 McCracken Tobacco Monroe Tobacco Tobacco 950 982 Vegetables 32 Montgomery Row Crop 2500 Muhlenburg 500 Pulaski 1250 Rowan Tobacco 25 Shelby Horticulture 240 Tobacco 400 Row Crop 160 210 Horticulture 50 Simpson Tobacco Tobacco 2500 3500 Todd Corn 1000 Washington All Row Crop 7000 Wayne Tobacco 3000 TOTAL Row Crop 2000 KENTUCKY IRRIGATED ACRES 1500 Horticulture 6 TOTAL 15 20 50 1000 500 250 20 450 1000 500 160 150 200 150 20 5 3 640 60 400 2300 100 41,781 Estimated Irrigated Field Crop Acres (1999) by Area in Kentucky Purchase 7,320 Pennyrile 6,220 Green River 10,500 Mammoth Cave 1,865 Lake Cumberland 130 Lincoln Trail 2,510 Louisville 3,640 Northern Ky 2,000 Ft Harrod 1,732 Bluegrass 5,150 Licking River 603 Northeast Ky 20 Quicksand 50 Wilderness 41 TOTAL 41,781 Acres Cooperative Extension Service U.S. Department of Agriculture University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Lexington, Kentucky 40546 Official Business Penalty for Private Use, $300 An Equal Opportunity Employer PRSRTSTD POSTAGE & FEES PAID USDA PERMIT NUMBER G268 

Irrigated Field Crop Acres in Kentucky

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Irrigated Field Crop Acres in Kentucky

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