Ag Water Use Efficiency
Farmers can get ‘more crop for their drop’ with a variety of water conservation practices and management measures that provide a variety of potential benefits in addition to reduced pumping costs and water wastage. Identification and improvements upon water delivery system inefficiencies and irrigation water distribution uniformity should result in more uniform crop production, more efficient use of fertilizer, reduced disease risk, and less unnecessary runoff and leaching of irrigation water. Runoff and leaching water beyond that needed for soil salinity management presents a risk of nutrient, soil and agrichemical movement off-farm that creates extra hassle for the farmer trying to deal with state and federal water quality regulations.