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San Joaquin Valley
Agriculture: Irrigation
Methods, Technology, and
Efficiencies
Masters of Science in Agronomy – Creative Component
June 30th, 2015
Nick Flies
Presentation Outline
• Personal Background
• Family
• Rationale
• Project Introduction
• Conclusion
• Resources
• References
• Acknowledgements
Personal Background• Agricultural Passion
o Family Farms: Northwest & Southwest Iowa
o Ranches: Western Minnesota, Eastern Nebraska, and Central Colorado
Personal Background• Under Graduate Degree
o 2005: Iowa State University –
Agricultural Systems Technology
Personal Background• Employment
o 2005 - 2010: John Deere Ag
Management Solutions
• Product & Customer Support -
GPS Technology (Urbandale, IA)
o 2010 – Present: John Deere Ag & Turf
Division
• Territory Customer Support
Manager (Visalia, CA)
Family
Family
Family
Rationale• Desired Program
Applicationo Couple Agriculture Equipment and
Agronomic Sciences to more
capably support Producers
Rationale• Master of Science in Agronomy
Opportunitieso Available Irrigation Curriculum
• Agronomy 502 – Chemistry, Physics, and Biology of Soils
o Content Relating to Irrigation History, Soil Water Potential
• Agronomy 532 – Soil Management
o Content Relating to Soil-Water Management Strategies
• Climatic Trendso Conditions of Drought
• Agricultural Demandso Wise Resource Utilization
• Global Population over 9 Billion in 2050
• Creative Component Selectiono Educational Project
• Desired Outcomeo More informed, agricultural-diverse John Deere
Employees
www.summitpost.org www.jpl.nasa.org
Project Introduction
• Educational Project: A Lesson on Irrigation
o Introduction:
• San Joaquin Valley of California – Agricultural Significance and Crop Diversity
o Irrigation Methods
o Flood Irrigation
o Sprinkler Irrigation
o Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Definition, Water Flow Structure, Crops, Land Formation/Preparation, Equipment, and Pros & Cons
o Soil Moisture Monitoring
o Conclusion
o Resources
o References
Introduction
• 2013 Agricultural Cash Receipts –Total Valueo California: $46.4B
o Iowa: $31.2B
o Nebraska: $23.6B
o Minnesota: $22.3B
o Texas: $21.6B
• Commodity Leadero Almonds, artichokes, apricots, asparagus,
broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, dates, figs, garlic, grapes, kiwi, lemons, lettuce, melons, nectarines, olives, onions, peaches, peppers, pistachios, plums, raspberries, spinach, squash, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, and walnuts
• Average Annual Rainfallo Iowa: 35 inches
o California: 7.5 inches
www.nass.usda.gov
Flood Irrigation
• Definition o Uniform width, length, and gradual slope
o Water is released at the upper end of the field
o Flows across and infiltrates the soil by means of gravitational force
Figure 1. Field layout of surface irrigation illustrating water flow (Michael, 2008, p.
555)
Flood Irrigation
Flood Irrigation
• Water Flow Structureo “Open-Field” vs. “Closed-Field”
ditches
o Check width, length, and cross-
slope
o Distribution components
Flood Irrigation
• Water Flow Structure: Above Ground, Below Ground,
Earthen Ditch
Flood Irrigation - Border
• Water Delivery: Valves and Side wall breaks
Flood Irrigation - Furrow
• Water Delivery: Plastic or Aluminum Siphon Tubes
Flood Irrigation - Border
• Crops: Legumes, Cereal Crops, Nuts, etc.
Flood Irrigation - Furrow
• Crops: Cotton, Corn, Roses, etc.
Flood Irrigation
• Land Formation and Preparation
Flood Irrigation
• Equipmento Grading and Leveling
o Border Tools
• Construction/Destruction
o Ditch Tools
o Furrow Tools
Flood Irrigation
• Fertigation – Liquid
Flood Irrigation
• Pros o Straightforward Irrigation Method – Utilization of Pipe and Ditches
o Temporary and Configurable
o Economical Equipment
• Conso Costly
• Precise Field-Surface Characteristics
o Skilled and Knowledgeable Labor
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Definition o A series of pipes: mains, laterals, and risers
o Rotating head and perforated systems
o Pressure influences the volume and range of water applied
Figure 2. System layout of sprinkler irrigation illustrating water flow and hardware.
(Michael, 2008, p. 582)
Sprinkler Irrigation
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Water Flow Structureo Filtration
o Mobility of distribution components
o Accessory equipment
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Cropso Center Pivot Irrigation – Alfalfa
o Ground Pipe Irrigation – Onions, garlic, melons, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, etc.
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Land Formation and Preparationo Negligible
• Equipmento Tractor, trailers, etc.
Sprinkler Irrigation
• Pros o Field flexibility
o Equipment mobility
o Broad range of crops
o Application rates
• Conso Equipment mobility
o Reliable Labor
o Equipment investment
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Definition o Emitters: micro-sprinkler and drip tape
o Efficiency through precision (e.g. volume and location)
Figure 3. System layout of drip irrigation illustrating water flow and hardware.
(Michael, 2008, p. 641)
Micro or Drip Irrigation
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Water Flow Structureo Filtration
• Primary and secondary
o Accessory components
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Water Flow Structure: Emitters
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Crops: High-value and Specialty
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Crops: Permanent
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Crops: Cotton, Tomatoes, etc.
Micro or Drip Irrigation• Land Formation
and Preparationo Negligible
• Equipmento Installation and
Removal
o Bed Preparation
Micro or Drip Irrigation
• Pros o Yield increase
o Reduction in water
o Wide range of crops
• Conso Costly
• Precise Field-Surface Characteristics
o Maintenance
o Soil alkalinity
Soil Moisture Monitoring
• Technologyo Neutron sensors
o Travel time sensors
o Capacitance sensors
• Irrigation Schedulingo Soil-moisture levels and
warning
www.deerequipment.com/fieldconnect
Soil Moisture Monitoring
Figure 6. Target moisture regions are created off of producer soil characteristics. (PureSense®, 2012)
Soil Moisture Monitoring
(Hornung Brothers Farming, 2015)
Soil Moisture Monitoring
(Hornung Brothers Farming, 2015)
Conclusion
• Irrigation Trendso Surface irrigation: 43% of Crops
• 20% decline since 1991
o Micro or Drip Irrigation: 38% of Crops
• 15% in 1991
• Population Trendso 25% increase over next 45 years – California Department of Finance
• Environmental Stewardship and Production
Resources
• Cadillac Dessert: The American West and Its
Disappearing Water. By Marc Reisner.
• King of California: J.G. Boswell and the Making of a
Secret American Empire. By Mark Arax and Rick
Wartzman.
• Cattle King: The Biography of Henry Miller, Founder of
the Miller & Lux Cattle Empire. By Edward T. Treadwill
References
• Travels throughout the San Joaquin Valley and the
Central Coast
Acknowledgements
• Major Professoro Dr. Mary Wiedenhoeft
• Iowa State University Faculty & Staffo Dr. Ken Moore
o Dr. Tom Loynachan
o Dawn Miller
• Growerso Matthew & Seth Rossow
o Craig Hornung
o Mark Lawrence
• Familyo Abby, Adelyn, Mason, and Clara
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