B E N T O N

CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Empowering irrigators to manage limited groundwater resources,The Little Rock Creek project.

Goals of the project (proposal):• Provide the tools and management system

that will support agriculture (irrigation) and natural resources (trout).

• Transfer the tools to others facing emerging environmental issues related to groundwater use.

Little Rock Watershed

Benton Soil and Water Conservation District

Little Rock Lake

Excessive nutrients (phosphorus)

Little Rock Watershed Impairments

Little Rock Creek

Lack of coldwater assemblage

Benton Soil and Water Conservation District

DNR Permitted Pumping – Little Rock Creek Watershed

1988 - 2007

Trend in Precipitation1890 - 2005

Trend in Groundwater Levels for Little Rock Creek Watershed

Source: DNR Observation Well Program

October-

69

October-

74

October-

79

October-

84

October-

89

October-

94

October-

99

October-

04

October-

09

October-

14

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0Observation Well 49000

Depth to Water (feet below measuring point)

Depth to Water Trend

Dept

h to

wat

er

USGS fact sheet FS2013-3001

USGS fact sheet FS2013-3001

USGS fact sheet FS2013-3001

USGS fact sheet FS2013-3001

• CUSTOM FIELD IRRIGATION

SCHEDULING VIA WEB

• CALIBRATING IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT

• OUTREACH ON IRRIGATION BMPS

IMPROVE IRRIGATION EFFICIENCIES2

• INCREASE SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

• IMPROVE SOIL WATER HOLDING

CAPACITY

• REDUCE RUNOFF AND IRRIGATION DEMANDS

REDUCE IRRIGATION NEEDS1

CONSERVATION DECISION MAKING TOOL• CONSIDERS

STREAM FLOW, GROUNDWATER, WATER QUALITY

• REAL-TIME CONDITION

APPROPRIATE IRRIGATION METHODS

• IRRIGATOR LED MANAGEMENT

3

1. Reduce Irrigation Needs

Soil quality practices for irrigated sandy soil

• Cover the soil with last years crop (instead of plowing it under), reduce evaporation, increase organic matter and water holding capacity.

• Cover crops, increase organic matter, improve infiltration (capture more water from mother nature).

2. Improve Irrigation Efficiencies

Irrigation System Uniformity Test

Irrigation Scheduling is a predictive tool that utilizes factors such as evaporation, plant transpiration and rooting depth to predict when additional moisture will be needed.

2. Improve Irrigation Efficiencies

Irrigation Scheduling Assistant

Rainfall and irrigationRain forecast

Soil water holding capacity at various depthsEvapotranspiration

Capacity of the irrigation systemCrop type

Crop growth stageCurrent soil moisture

2. Improve Irrigation Efficiencies

Relative impact of the well (Well

Location)

Stream Flow, Water Quality

Levels, Groundwater

Level

Conservation Irrigation Decision

Support System

Balance of water left from the DNR issued

permit

3. Conservation Decision Making Tool

Standard conservation

measures

Additional conservation

measures

Highest level conservation

measures

Conservation Irrigation Decision Support System

3. Conservation Decision Making Tool

Stakeholder Committee

Stakeholder Committee

• CIDSS criteria• Conservation irrigation measures• Scheduling Assistant• Outreach efforts• New technology moving forward

Technology Transfer

• Technology transfer– CIDSS/Scheduling assistant

Project partner Primary Role

Irrigation Association of MN, Farmer Associations, Individual Irrigators

Stakeholder committee, outreach, install practices

Morrison SWCD Assist irrigators, outreach

NRCS Soil quality initiative, installing practices

MN Department of Agriculture Outreach, weather stations

MN Board of Water and Soil Resources Funding for staff, technology transfer

MN Department of Natural Resources Stream and ground water data, fisheries surveys, technical advisor

MN Pollution Control Agency Technical advisor, outreach

University of Minnesota Technical advisor, outreach

Consultant Develop scheduling software and decision support system, technology transfer, outreach

LCCMR Funding, outreach

Other SWCDs and state agencies Promote the activities beyond the initial development

B E N T O N

CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Gerry@Soilandwater.org