Water and Drought

Solutions to High Irrigation Costs

Fuel costs have increased by 20 percent in 2006. As a result, UGA Cooperative Extension in Worth County designed a series of trainings to help local growers reduce irrigation pumping costs. New technology and irrigation scheduling methods were introduced to more than 75 farmers on multiple occasions. Engineers from the UGA Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering visited Worth County to help with the education process. Programs were presented on using the EASY Pan Irrigation Scheduling method, Irrigator Pro computer software, the checkbook method, and the use of tensiometers for irrigation scheduling. Irrigation scheduling was adopted on 20,000 acres. Almost all farmers using the techniques have indicated an average of one inch per acre savings in irrigation water over the course of a season. The result has been increased yields, conserved groundwater, and a $320,000 net savings in fuel for participating growers. (2006)

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