K-State Research and Extension

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Tag: irrigation

KWRI: Your Water, Our Focus

Posted on by Melissa Harvey

The Kansas Water Resources Institute (KWRI) develops and supports research on high-priority water resource problems as defined by the Kansas state water plan. KWRI is designed to facilitate effective communication between water resources professionals and to foster the dissemination and application of research results. 

The projects we fund represent key issues affecting Kansas water quality and water resources. These projects have diverse and wide-ranging subjects, including studies on the efficacy of new irrigation technologies, studies on river morphology, drought assessment tools, or water quality assessments. 

KWRI is committed to fostering excellence in research, at all levels. To that end, we are proud to support student research at different Kansas universities. Currently, funded projects provide support for eight undergraduate students, three graduate students and one post-doctoral researcher. 

This newsletter issue focuses on current KWRI projects. Take a moment to read about this important research that seeks to answer key questions about water issues for our state, including projects on harmful algae blooms, streambank stabilization efforts and riparian buffer strips. If you would like additional information about any project, please contact us at KWRI for more information or email the project leader directly.

Letting it all soak in: Water Technology Farms lead the way in water conservation

Posted on by Melissa Harvey

On a sun-drenched August day, a group of farmers, sales representatives, government officials and university researchers were gathered, not in a conference room, but in the middle of a cornfield. Under the unrelenting sun, everyone had one thing on their minds: water, and how to use less of it.

This is a Water Technology Farm, one of the working farms sprinkled across the state whose owners have volunteered to focus on water conservation, in addition to crops and livestock. University researchers often tout new irrigation technologies as efficient or cost-effective, but farmers never really know how those technologies – so triumphant in a controlled experimental field – will perform in their own fields. With Water Technology Farms, producers can see first-hand how the latest irrigation technologies work in a real-world setting.

Crowds gather to learn more about water-saving technologies near Larned, Kansas. Photo courtesy Richard Rockel, Kansas Water Office

At six different Water Technology Farm field days across the state, K-State extension water resource engineer Jonathan Aguilar explained to the public how these farms work: by showcasing technologies such as mobile drip irrigation (MDI), evapotranspiration (ET)-based scheduling tools, soil water sensors and other tools, producers can see visible proof about how each of these experimental methodologies can assist them in their efforts toward water conservation.

Continue reading “Letting it all soak in: Water Technology Farms lead the way in water conservation” →

Growing more with less: Using irrigation technologies to extend the life of the Ogallala Aquifer

Posted on by Melissa Harvey
Researcher installs soil sensors below crops

Water use is something that both researchers and farmers have explored for decades: what happens to a crop when irrigation is reduced? All backyard gardeners or self-proclaimed green thumb know that plants need water. But how much water is enough? What amount still guarantees healthy plant growth and a good yield of wheat, corn, alfalfa, sorghum, or sunflower? Agricultural engineers are experimenting with new ways to grow more with less water in a process called deficit irrigation: it’s a practice where farmers reduce the amount of water applied to a crop, allowing mild stress to the growing plants.

According to the FAO, irrigated agriculture uses more than 70 percent of the water withdrawn from the earth’s rivers; in developing countries around the world, that figure can exceed 80 percent. In Kansas, irrigation accounts for 85 percent of all consumptive water use ­– mainly from the Ogallala aquifer. With unsure rainfalls and aquifers diminishing faster than they can recharge, the trick is knowing exactly how much stress a crop can take, and precisely adjusting irrigation to still result in a profitable harvest. Dr. Isaya Kisekka, an assistant professor in K-State’s Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, is working to take the guesswork out of the equation and give farmers the tools they need to maintain their net profitability and protect the state’s water resources for future Kansas farmers.

Continue reading “Growing more with less: Using irrigation technologies to extend the life of the Ogallala Aquifer” →