ArkValley Irrigation Grant Applic

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Irrigation scheduling will be determined by use of CROPFLEX, an Irrigation Scheduling Program developed by Colorado State University. Weather information will be obtained from data pods and atmometers located near or at demonstration sites. Public awareness will be made through news releases in area and regional newspapers and magazines as well as through radio spots on area radio stations. A field day and tours will be conducted each year to acquaint producers and the general public with the irrigation technology and alternative crop management being demonstrated. A salinity workshop will be conducted as part of project. A final report and a condensed brochure will be assembled presenting results of the various phases of the demonstration project. The brochures will be made available to irrigators throughout Colorado and surrounding states at local NRCS and Cooperative Extension offices. These findings and results will be submitted to related national societies' for presentation at their meetings and in their journals. III. Related and Current Work in the Area Irrigation application technology such as LEP A and surge are being used on a limited basis in Colorado, especially in the Arkansas River basin. Lack of knowledge concerning the use, economic and environmental benefits of this technology are barriers that a demonstration of this type can help to eliminate. LEPA systems are being used in the Burlington area mainly as a result of the efforts of the Ogallala Water Management Team. This Team has demonstrated the energy savings and improved irrigation efficiency of LEP A. Well pumping tests are used to "customize" each LEP A nozzling package, and nozzle type is determined by the specific needs of the crop. The Ogallala Water Management Team, includes Vern Bauer, one of the investigators on this project, has made many presentations over a wide area of the western United States including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, North Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas on the effectiveness of the LEPA system and its advantages. Energy costs have been cut by 50% when compared to high-pressure systems, and irrigation efficiency as high as 95% has been achieved in some irrigation studies. These results were obtained mainly using row crops and small grain crops. Surge irrigation is being demonstrated in the USDA Patterson Hollow Hydrologic Unit Area Water Quality Project in Otero County and eastern Pueblo County. Corn yields have averaged 186 bushels per acre with both surge and conventional furrow irrigation. However; surge irrigation has produced these yields with 24% less irrigation water and 20% less runoff when compared to conventional furrow irrigation at two locations over a three-year period. Of significance to maintaining water quality in the Arkansas River, salt-loading in runoff waters has been reduced 19% and nitrate-loading has been reduced 15% by the use of surge irrigation in these studies. These studies and demonstrations are presently being conducted by James Valliant. Other benefits such as monitoring irrigation amounts, use of trash screens and dirt ditch seepage and evaporation losses have been highlighted by this project. Most of these studies and demonstrations have been done on row crops. At present, there are no local projects demonstrating irrigation technology using BMPs. This project will demonstrate B.MP's to minimize the salt loading of soils and ground water while maintaining yields and returns. Additionally, information related to cropping patterns and/or salt tolerant crops along the Arkansas River is limited but very much in demand of late. Improved yielding capabilities, economic returns, irrigation practices and water quality concerns must be blended into a complete management package to become feasible for implementation by producers. This project will address this issue. 4