Lyndon Kelley - MSU Extension/Purdue Univ. Irrigation Management Educator

St. Joseph Co. MSU Extension, 612 E. Main St., Centreville, MI 49032

269-467-5511 kelleyl@msu.edu cell 269-535-0343http://msue.anr.msu.edu/program/info/irrigation

Steve A. Miller Michigan State University

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering517-353-4456 officemill1229@msu.edu

http://www.egr.msu.edu/bae/water/

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Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Inch

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Corn Water UseNormal Rainfall

Crop need15.6” total

Normal rainfall34.6

Needed Irrigation5.5”

Michigan – Most Irrigated Counties, 2007 and 2012 USDA Ag Census

2012 irrigated

farms

2012 Irrigated

acres

2007 Irrigated

farms

2007 Irrigated

acres

Farms difference 2012-2007

acres difference 2012-2007

% increase, acres 2007 -

2012

% increase, Farms 2007

-2012

Michigan 5025 592200 5078 500400 -53 91800 15.5% -1.0%

St. Joseph 273 112400 208 102900 65 9500 8.5% 31.3%

Cass 143 57600 123 39000 20 18600 32.3% 16.3%

Montcalm 151 55900 153 40300 -2 15600 27.9% -1.3%

Branch 135 44500 113 42900 22 1600 3.6% 19.5%

Kalamazoo 168 39100 189 31300 -21 7800 19.9% -11.1%

Van Buren 233 34000 288 30400 -55 3600 10.6% -19.1%

Alegan 220 28100 242 21300 -22 6800 24.2% -9.1%

Berrien 212 18100 266 18400 -54 -300 -1.7% -20.3%

Ottawa 330 18100 366 15200 -36 2900 16.0% -9.8%

Calhoun 76 10700 78 9300 -2 1400 13.1% -2.6%

Gratiot 57 9500 62 6600 -5 2900 30.5% -8.1%

Hillsdale 71 9100 44 4200 27 4900 53.8% 61.4%

Scientific Investigations Report 2005–5284U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Estimated rainfall recharge

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Large Volume Water User-Rights, Responsibilities and Requirements

•Capacity to pump 70 gpm defines a large volume water use•Beneficial use and its importance•Registration required for new water withdrawals over 70 gpm •Annual reporting of water use by the month•Avoiding an adverse resource impact (ARI) and the associated fines•Compensation for neighboring negatively affected small wells•Restrictions on surface water transfers to non-riparian properties

Riparian Doctrine• From ancient public trust doctrine• Tidelands held by the king for the benefit of all English

subjects• Must be a beneficial use to individual and pubic• Navigable lakes and streams held in trust for benefit of the

people of the state• Riparian rights subservient to state’s public trust authority

A riparian may not… • Sell or give away those rights

– Example: drawing water to irrigate non-riparian lots– Ground water rights are not the same….

• Diminish rights of other riparian owners– Example: excessively lowering lake level through irrigation

Michigan Water Use Reporting Requirements, 2006 -08

– Require permits for new uses over 2 million gallons per day.

– Sets a performance standard for Large scale water users. ( > 70 gallon/minute ) and reporting

" no adverse resource impact”

– Where agriculture fits:> 100,000 gal. a day < 2 million gal. per day.Need to register and report, no permit required

Large capacity water users have a legal responsibility for neighboring wells

(Michigan Part 317- Aquifer Protection and Dispute Resolution)

Where neighboring wells were negatively impacted courts have forced large capacity water users to improve or replace the affected well to regain its function.

Complaints -855-629-4337

" No Adverse Resource Impact” standard

• Defined by changes in the fish population.• Estimated the removal at base flow (low summer

flow) that may result in fish population changes.

Glacial water available through Michigan Water

Withdraw Assessment Tool

without Site Specific review

12-7-2015

100 acre of irrigation will require 500 gpm direct withdrawal. Or 100 -300 gallons of effect to stream from a well.

Checklist for Planning Irrigation Systems

Irrigation water requirements :• Is water needs between 0.25” and 0.30”. • 5 gal/acre irrigated will meet the 0.25”/day, 7 gal/acre irrigated

is to provide 0.30” Ground water availability –• Nearby irrigation, municipal or industrial wells are an excellent

source of information water availability. • Well drillers familiar with large volume wells in your area are also

excellent resources. Surface water availability • Available in dependable large volumes in July early August?• Major contamination challenges impacting food safety in using

surface water for vegetable irrigation and cooling. Water registration • Water use (capacity to pump > 70 gal. /min).• Indiana significant water use registration and reporting

Checklist for Planning Irrigation Systems Options for sharing irrigation equipment http://www.msue.msu.edu/objects/content_revision/download.cfm/item_id.598624/workspace_id.28699/#10 Shared Irrigation.pdf/ Map your irrigation ideas – Acquire an aerial map of all the land in question for your irrigation projects. Power sources - Identify available power sources – a 3 phase is often cheapest.Get multiple bids -Take your best ideas to at least two irrigation sales people. • Example work sheets are available under the irrigation cost section at

website:Irrigation economics - Make sure irrigation will pay. • Capital Investment Model

http://www.msue.msu.edu/portal/default.cfm?pageset_id=28706&page_id=361029&msue_portal_id=25643

Corn dominated crop rotation and increased tillage preferences

Specialty/vegetable crop options -Reduced risks entices the seed and vegetable crops to the area. • Avoid the idea that “if you build it they will come”. • Do your homework and identify what options are realistically available and

feasible for your operation. Match your farming/family goals to your irrigation ideas (summer vacations)

Quantity needed

• Irrigation water replaces the plant water use• Water use is directly correlated to light

interception• 50% light interception results in 50% of the

maximum water use• Maximum water use mid-July early August,

full light interception, highest temperatures and brightest days.

Crop Water use curve

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Weeks after emergence

Wat

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se (i

nche

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Series1

Series2

Series3

Series4

Series5

Field beans Soys

Corn

AlfalfaField beans

Corn

Soybeans

PotatoAlfalfa

From Minnesota Extension bulletin “Irrigation Scheduling”, assuming temperature 80-89

Maximum water use- mid-July early August, full light interception, highest temperatures and brightest days.

http://www.agweather.geo.msu.edu/mawn/irrigation/

1. Irrigation Runoff(comparing irrigation application rate to

soil infiltration rate) 0 -30 % loss

3. Evaporative loss to the air•Minimal loss in our humid area•0 – 6%•Estimated 4-6% loss in Nebraska

Catch Can Volume (ml)

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Distance from Pivot (ft)

Can

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ml)

Catch Can Volume (ml)

Sprinkler overlap with end gun

2. Lack of system uniformity• 5-35% loss in effectivenessThree factors

reducing effective water application

Quantity Needed

Field Scale -Maximum water use for most crops is .27 - .32 in./day• 3 gal/minute/acre pump capacity = 1”/week• 5 gal/minute/acre pump capacity = .25 in./day• 7 gal/minute/acre pump capacity =.33 in./day, 1”every 3 days• 500 gal/minute pump can provide 1” every 4 days on 100 acres

Small Scale - Application time in hour for 1000 ft. sq.Gallons /minute

Hour to apply 1"on 1000 ft. sq.

Hour to apply 0.25"on 1000 ft. sq.

Hour to apply 0.10"on 1000 ft. sq.

1 10.39 2.60 1.04

2 5.19 1.30 0.52

3 3.46 0.87 0.35

4 2.60 0.65 0.26

5 2.08 0.52 0.21

6 1.73 0.43 0.17

7 1.48 0.37 0.15

8 1.30 0.32 0.13

9 1.15 0.29 0.1210 1.04 0.26 0.10

1” on 1000 ft. sq. =623 gallons

Converting acre inches to gallonsfor trickle irrigation

• Calculate the % of area covered by trees(% of area you intend to water / tree )

• One acre = 43,560 sq.ft.• One acre inch = 27,154 gallons

Example:The trees you are watering have a diameter of

6.5 ft.

6.5 ft. x 6.5 ft. = 42 sq.ft. roughly 1/1000 of an acre

26 to 27 gallon / tree = 1” of irrigation

(include uncontrolled grass or weed area that is watered in tree area)

Surface Water Sources• Lakes • Rivers• Streams• Drainage ditches• Private ponds

Surface pump creates vacuum to lift water to the pump, issues:• Plugged inlet- screens, rotary screens and wash systems,

aquatic weed control• Loss of vacuum, creates a vortex, maintain > 3’ of water over

inlet or water guides/flow diverters• Solid pump base needed < 8’ from water surface for standard

pump

Surface Water Sources• Lakes • Rivers• Streams• Drainage ditches• Private ponds

Surface water quality issues:• Consider outlets from municipal treatment plants and other

contamination sources • Consider plant disease potential, warm / contaminated water ,

(Phytophra root rot, bacterial stalk rot) • Aquatic weed treatment-lake algae milfoil treatment • Economics - location is often not centered to water use. • Economics - low initial and annual cost.

Surface Water Sources

Ponds• Recharge capacity far more important than volume• Volume indicates storage capacity allowing pumping

rate higher than recharge• Many natural ponds will have slow recharge

• Municipal or public water systems are the best source (lowest risk) of water for any on-farm use.

• Private wells that are tested annually and found to be safe are also unlikely to contaminate produce.

• Surface water, i.e.. ponds or streams, is more likely to have microbial contaminants than surface water.

• Only potable/clean water should have contact with the edible portion of the crop close to or at harvest and processing.

Irrigation/Cooling Water Safety Issues on the Farm -http://web.uri.edu/foodsafety/files/3-Water-safety-issues-and-resources-2015.pdf

Are you required to meet “Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)” ?

http://www.gaps.cornell.edu/dt-agwater.html

Groundwater Sources

Deep wells

Shallow wells

Shallow suction wells

Horizontal suction wells

Certified Well Drillers and Well CodeLink?

Home wells are expensive, undependable, inefficient irrigation water source if ran continuously

If you must:• Isolate the home• Install a continues use pump• Consider a variable frequency drive• Backflow protection is require• Public water supplies require Reduce Pressure Zone valves• Consider an accumulation tank and air gap at fill point

A dedicated Irrigation well maybe a good investment.

• Frost Free Water Hydrants• Vacuum breaker• Self draining manifold or manual drain• Public water supply may require

Reduce Pressure Zone valve (RPZ)

Protect home water supply with airgap or chemigation valve at a minimum.

Rain water collection: A 30’ x 64’ will displace 1200 gallons of water with a 1” rainfall

One inches of rain falling on a 1,000 square foot structure will generate about 600 gallons of rainwater!

1” of water on one squareft. of area = 0.6 of gallon

Annual rainfall 32”-36”Fall 3”- 4”/monthWinter 2”- 3”/monthSpring 3”- 4”/monthSummer 2”- 3”/month

May require change in management

Rain water collection use:• Tank sized to meet normal high use need for a week – sunlight?• Jet pump or lift pump to deliver water to dispersal system • An overflow to adequate drain • Filter system to avoid plugging dispersal system• Alternative water supply for when use is not met by rainfall• Alternative clean water supply for when contamination builds to

unusable levels or to meet GAP requirements.

Private Water Systems HandbookContents:

Planning for Water UseWater Sources: WellsMaintaining Pressure in a Private Water SystemWater DistributionWater Quality and TestingWater TreatmentWater ProtectionWater Systems Maintenance CalendarPumpsCollection and Storage: Catchments, Cisterns, Ponds, and Springs

http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/Publications/Drip_Irrigation_&_Watering_Web_Links.pdf

Trickle Irrigation in the Eastern United States NRAES-4, $6

Overhead Irrigation Equipment Options

Side Role Hand move Solid setLinear MoveBig Gun TravelersCenter Pivots

MWPS -30: https://www-mwps.sws.iastate.edu/catalog/crop-production/sprinkler-irrigation-systems

MWPS -30

PumpsWellsPiping systemsEnergy useWater use

Hand Move – Big Guns• Often used to fill in corners or

square up fields• In-line booster pump may be

required - Requires 90 + psi• Potential to lay-over crop

•Labor intensive

Solid set•Allow almost immediate and continuous coverage •Require medium to high psi•High operating cost

Common in fruit and turf production where quick coverage and frost protection are a benefit.

Hand move solid set

• Low start up cost for small scale field irrigation• Many used system available• Advantage of solid set with option to move field

between seasons• Full and partial circle options• High energy cost, low uniformity

Solid set• Excels at truck crop irrigation.• Flexible irrigation of subsets of field.• Buried pipe allows field operation

• High initial investment per acre on small plots

• To keep uniform applications run time needs to increase as pressure decreases.

• Frost protection option

Big Gun Travelers• Typical field layout is

300’ x 1320’ providing about 10 irrigated acres

•Distance between runs needs to decrease as pressure is reduced by distance•Small amount of wind can compromise designed overlap

Big Gun Travelers• Fairly standard design• Flexible for future use in other fields.• Lots of used equipment available

• Limited hose life – replacement hose cost are often higher than used equipment cost

• High pressure requirements• High energy and labor cost

Center Pivots

165’330’

495’

660’825’990’

1320’1155’

2 acres8 acres

18 acres31 acres

49 acres

71 acres

96 acres126acres

Acres/acre

Total Acres

Feet from center

Tow-able Center Pivots

• Allow greater coverage by the same distribution equipment

• Exactly matching circle and tow pattern must be planned.

• Total pump time and down time for towing the system need to be planned for.

• End tow system allow use in partial circles.

Drip and Trickle• Precise application of water to a specific area.• Excels where irrigating a portion of field is desired.• Excels where watering only the root is desired or when

total root saturation of soil is not achieved.• http://mtngrv.missouristate.edu/Publications/Drip_Irrigation_&_Watering_Web_Link

s.pdf• Trickle Irrigation in the Eastern United States NRAES-4, $6

Comparing overhear and Trickle Irrigation• Trickle irrigation excels where watering only the root is

desired or when total root saturation of soil is not achieved.• Overhead irrigation excels where total root saturation of soil

exist and crop benefit from exterior cooling is high.

30”

10 foot spacing

From Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research

and Extension Center

Issues of water quality and purity

Filters?

Adapted from Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center

EmittersPressure Compensating:

Tape

Pressure

Changes by elevation

Adapted from Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center

Trickle Irrigation Strategy???

Sand: a little at a time, but often, fast application

Silt/Clay: slow application, longer time, less frequently

Adapted from Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center

Shorter run = Better uniformity

1200’

600’ 600’

1/2” good for 600’, 5/8”good for 1000’

7/8” good for 2500’, 1-3/8”good for 5000’

Adap

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0”6”12”18”24”

Trickle spacing and soil volume available for water

Water Patterns by Treatment

1 GPH Emitter

6”

18”

30”

Microsprinklers

6”

18”

30”

X XX X

X XDouble RAM

X = tree

X XSingle RAM

Slide from N.L. Rothwell, NWMHRS

Typical trickle application chartDrip Irrigation7/10/1996

Hours to Run Irr at 10 p.s.i. to apply 'X' inches of water:

Drip Tape Bed Spacing 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5(HH:MM)

Hardie Bi-Wall 18" x 72" 6 ft. 1:45 3:35 5:20 7:05 8:557 ft. 2:05 4:10 6:15 8:20 10:25

Netafim .38 gph, 12" + .60 gph, 18" 7 ft. 0:35 1:05 1:40 2:15 2:50

Roberts .24 gph, 12" 5 ft. 1:20 2:40 3:50 5:10 6:306 ft. 1:35 3:05 4:40 6:15 7:507 ft. 1:50 3:40 5:25 7:15 9:05

Example calcuation for Roberts 24 gph/100 ft.6 ft. bed spacing: 7260 lbf/A or 72.6 hundred feet72.6 hundred ft./A X 24 gph/hundred ft. = 1742 gph/A

(1742 gph/A) / 27154 gal. per acre-inch = .0642 acre-inch per hour

For 5 ft. bed spacing, 2091 gph/A = .077 acre-inch per hour Adapted from Dr. Ron Goldy, MSUE Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center

Getting Started with TrickleMany good drip/trickle Supplier are available, most

with experienced design staff willing to help.

http://www.triplekirrigation.com/products/irri-gator.asp

"The Irri-Gator“ Drip Irrigation Kits!!

http://www.trickl-eez.com/services-2/irrigation-design-from/

NOLT'S PRODUCE SUPPLIES, 152 North Hershey Avenue, Leola PA 17540, Fax (717) 556-0700, Ph. (717) 656-9764, http://www.noltsproducesupplies.net/

Triple K Irrigation

Provide as of information available only, not an endorsement of specfic company

Toro manual

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5 gpm

5”

Hard water 240 single

4” aluminum

5 gpm

0.5 acre

tomatoes

350’

Sandy loam

2’ down from pump to low point in field

x269-535-0343

kelleyl@msu.edu

Lyndon KelleyIron build up

Well / Pump

200’, 1’ of elevation change from E to W

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25 rows, 48” spacing , 190’ long

N

SW

0.46 acresNE of shop

Well / Pump

200’, 1’ of elevation change from E to W

100

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48” spacing, 25 rows * 190’ long = 4750’= 0.46 acres

N

0.46 acresNE of shop

Materials List:Chemigation/backflow valve and mainline hose connection = $100Main line- 200’ , 1.5” $25/100’ = $50Hose barb adapter and end clip for 25 sections * $1/pair= $25Drip tape- 7500’ roll, 8 mil, 12” emitter spacing, 0.40 gph/100’, $150

Total =$325 / 0.46 acres = $706/acre

Irrigation Schedulingthink of your soil as a bank

Intake rate:Water applied faster than the soil intake rate is lost.

Deletion:Plants can pull out only 30 - 60% of the water

Water holding capacity:The soil (bank) can hold only a given volume of water before it allow it to pass lower down.

Rooting depth:The plant can only get water to the depth of it’s roots.

Soil type :Heavier soil can hold more water / foot of depth than light soils

Water lost from the bottom of the profile can wash out (leach) water soluble nutrients and pesticides.

Soil Name

DepthInches

Available water holding capacity

Average Available water holding capacity

Ave. Available water holding capacity ( 24 in.)

Ave. Available water holding capacity ( 36 in.)

Oshtemo 0 - 1414 – 3535 - 60

0.10 – 0.150.12 – 0.190.06 – 0.10

0.1250.1550.08

14” x 0.125=1.7510” x 0.155=1.55-----------------------

= 3.3

14” x 0.125= 1.7521” x 0.155= 3.26

1” x 0.08 = 0.08-----------------------

= 5.09Spinks 0 – 10

10 – 2626 - 60

0.08 – 0.100.08 – 0.100.04 – 0.08

0.090.090.06

10” x 0.09= 0.914” x 0.09= 1.26-----------------------

= 2.16

10” x 0.09= 0.916” x 0.09= 1.26

8” x 0.06= 0.48-----------------------

= 2.64

Calculating Water Holding Capacity

Soil Name DepthInches

Available water holding capacity

Average Available water holding capacity

Ave. Available water holding capacity ( 24 in.)

Ave. Available water holding capacity ( 36 in.)

Gilford 0 – 1010 –2424 - 60

0.16 – 0.180.12 – 0.140.05 – 0.08

0.170.130.07

10” x 0.17 = 1.7014” x 0.13 = 1.82-----------------------

= 3.52

10” x 0.17 = 1.7014” x 0.13 = 1.8212” x 0.07 = 0.84

-----------------------= 4.36

Sebewa 0 – 1111 – 3030 - 60

0.12 – 0.200.15 – 0.190.02 – 0.04

0.160.170.03

11” x 0.16 = 1.7613” x 0.17 = 2.21-----------------------

= 3.97

11” x 0.16 = 1.7613” x 0.17 = 2.2112” x 0.03 = 0.36-----------------------

= 4.33

Calculating Water Holding Capacity

Data from “Soil survey of Fulton County Indiana”

Available Water Holding Capacity Soil Type/ depth

Bronson Capac Oshtemo Spinks

0”to 6”0”to 6”

.84”.84”

1.2”1.2”

.75”

.75”.54”.54”

6”to 12”0”to 12”

.86”1.70”

1.2”2.4”

.75”1.50”

.54”1.08”

12’ to 18”0”to 18”

.90”2.60”

.99”3.39”

.87”2.37”

.54”1.62”

18’ to 24”0” to 24”

.90”3.50”

.99”4.38”

.93”3.30”

.54”2.16”

24’ to 30”0” to 30”

.58”4.80”

.99”5.37”

.93”4.23”

.42”2.58”

30” to 36”0”to 36”

.34”5.14”

.93”6.30”

.86”5.06”

.36”2.94”

Rain Gauges and data

• Basic unit – 2 inch opening

• Cost less than $10• One rain gauge for each

80 acres.• Recording rain gauge

cost $50 - $100

Irrigation Scheduling Checkbook Method

Water Quantity Needed• Irrigation water replaces the plant water use (removed from soil)• Water use is directly correlated to light interception• 50% light interception results in about 50% of the maximum

water use• Maximum water use mid-July early August, full light

interception, highest temperatures brightest and longest days.

Evapotranspiration (ET) = fn (net radiation) +fn (temperature) +fn (wind speed) +fn (air humidity)

Rain and Irrigation increase weight Evapotransporation decrease weight

Weighing Lysimeter

Enviro weather map

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Enviro weather products

http://www.enviroweather.msu.edu/homeMap.php

actual evapotranspiration = reference ET * crop coefficient * soil dryness coefficient

. aET = ETr * Kc * Ks

Soybean Water use

Monitoring soil wetted front -12 hrs. after irrigation

½” into dry soil ½” into moist soil 1” into dry soil 1” into moist soil

If your 1” application did not go down as far down as it did last week ??? - your not keeping up.

Lyndon Kelley - MSU Extension/Purdue Univ. Irrigation Management Educator

St. Joseph Co. MSU Extension, 612 E. Main St., Centreville, MI 49032

269-467-5511 kelleyl@msu.edu cell 269-535-0343http://msue.anr.msu.edu/program/info/irrigation

Steve A. Miller Michigan State University

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering517-353-4456 officemill1229@msu.edu

http://www.egr.msu.edu/bae/water/

Questions ???