Y-Well Laptop Testing Applic

• Project Type: Ag/Muni Grant
• Applicant: Y-W Well Testing Association
• Project Name: Well Testing with a Laptop & Portable Printer
• Title: Grant Application
• Date: 6/23/1993
• County: Washington
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Application

2

Y-W Well Testing Association believes that the usage of a
laptop computer and portable printer in the field will save
energy, water and provide outstanding education for
irrigation water management.

To implement this program, the Association has contacted
Wayne Shawcroft, Colorado state University Irrigation Water
specialist, to improve the well testing program and
computerize the gypsum block calculations so these programs
produce professional reports in the field. After these
programs are developed, the Association will continue to
test the wells in Washington and Yuma counties using these
tools to enhance the program that is already started.

The expectation is to continue saving 3 to 4 inches of water
per acre per year with this service. services will be
provided to twice as many acres due to the more efficient
with the employee's time.

2. To monitor and evaluate the results of this program, a
well test will usually involve a retest after the irrigation
system is redesigned. The retest will provide data as to
improved water and energy usage. Monitoring how many well
tests are requested, and acres in the gypsum block program
will be a record of the program's success.

3. Y-W Well Testing Association recognizes computers can
process information efficiently and how that information
should be transferred rapidly to the land user. Washington
and Yuma counties has approximately 2400 irrigation wells.
To date the Association has tested approximately 700 of
them. These two counties have over 400,000 acres of
irrigated cropland which 97 percent is supported by
underground aquifers. Five soil conservation districts,
soil Conservation Service, Western Area Power
Administration, and the Colorado State Soil Conservation
Board support for Y-W Well Testing Association is ample
proof of the importance of this program.

4. The biggest constraint to implementing this project is
that as Conrad recommends more efficient irrigation systems,
the well needs to produce less water. This is socially
difficult for land users to accept down sizing their wells.
Also Colorado's water right laws are not designed for water
conservation.

5. As this use of the computer, printer and software is
successful, it can be adopted throughout the whole state,
not only eastern Colorado but also the San Luis Valley and
other areas.