California Water in the News, Again. What's the Real Story? | by Ray Batten

Over the last few years, the California water issue has been on the front page almost every day. Drought, endangered fish and big ag have been named the perpetrators of the gloom and doom. The real story may be not only more interesting, but even more serious.

The gems of California agriculture are the San Joaquin Valley and the Imperial Valley. Both are deserts with water. The San Joaquin Valley includes approximately 8.5 million irrigated acres and is almost completely irrigated with water from the Sierra snowpack, while the Imperial Valley draws water from the Colorado River for its 500,000 acres.

The San Joaquin Valley 

In the early 1900s, visionary folks drew up a plan to make the Golden State a reality. Taking snow pack and turning it into water, storing it in mountain reservoirs behind a network of dams, and building a very advanced system of ditches to deliver the precious water to the dry – yet fertile – farm ground and the city folks below. City and rural water districts were organized, land was cleared, fields were leveled and drain ditches built.

The design and subsequent finished product was built around the premise that someday there would be 15 million people in the cities to drink, play and use the water, plus maybe 4 million acres of farm ground to nourish.

California flourished and grew. People came from all over to experience the dream. Jobs abounded, fortunes were made and California became the place where dreams come true. Remember Walt Disney?

Enter a typical drought cycle in the early 2000s with 35 million citizens and nearly 9 million acres now feasting on the California water system. Add to that the endangered spices acts, powerful environmental groups and outdoors fans now all vying for a piece of the pie. Thousands of acre feet are used to flush the non-indigenous Delta Smelt into the San Francisco Bay, and the building of additional storage becomes a matter of litigation and not construction, so nothing gets done.

This amazing state still produces a high percentage of all vegetables, nuts, milk and protein for the American people and the world.

The story continues to shed light on the California farmer who has adopted every available technology and methodology to become efficient and sustain the viability of the industry.

They are great "Stewards of the Land" and have tirelessly worked to do more and more with less and less.

In many ways, the current focus on California water has frozen a large number of water users in the agriculture sector who could improve their water to crop delivery systems because they fear possible state and federal regulation actions that might negatively impact their land value.

In more direct words, the water may be worth as much or more than the land, so if they reduce the amount they use the old term of "use it or lose it" looms heavy.

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Ray Batten Large Grower Relations Ray received a degree in civil engineering in Washington State and has more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural irrigation industry as a service tech, designer, salesman, contractor and dealership owner. Ray has spent the last 15 years at Valmont® Industries in territory management and as the large grower relations manager for North America. He has been active in the Idaho Irrigation Equipment Association, the California Agricultural Irrigation Association and the Irrigation Association. Ray lives south of Dallas on Cedar Creek Lake with his wife and best friend, Cindy, and enjoys his children, grandchildren and lake living.

The Water Situation in South Africa | by Jacqueline Lourens

Experts say South Africa is facing a ticking time bomb in providing water for its citizens. South Africa is a semi-arid country where water is of critical strategic importance to all development, in any sector of the economy. The future economic expansion of this country could be harmed should the water resources not be optimally utilized to the benefit of all current and future users. 

The Institute for Security Studies forecasts that South Africa's current water shortage will increase three-fold by 2035. Research indicates that the agricultural sector alone accounts for approximately 50 percent of water utilization in South Africa and experiences water losses of between 30 and 40 percent. The country has a shortage of one trillion litres of water, and all indications are it will worsen.

Various campaigns have been launched in the hope of increasing the awareness of the need to value water and to use it wisely. Water resources are under tremendous pressure from a growing population, ongoing development, pollution, wetland destruction, alien invasive plants, and climate change.

In order to gain more productivity from water use, farmers will need to be encouraged to consider various options of farming and irrigation methods that maximize crop production and minimize water consumption. Wherever possible, new proven and tested technologies should be used. Irrigation scheduling methods, as well as the use of different crop varieties should be practiced in order to conserve water.

Center pivot irrigation is one of the most efficient forms of irrigation in the world. Flooding the surface of the field with water uses TWICE as much water as center pivot equipment. In fact, a center pivot can be up to 95 percent efficient.

The only answer to this water shortage dilemma in South Africa lies in changing people's attitude and thus their behavior to use water more wisely.

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Jacqueline Lourens Personal Assistant Jacqueline has been with Valley Irrigation of Southern Africa since 2011. Jacqui loves being part of the marketing team where she spends most of her time tending to the needs of two sales managers in an extremely challenging and fast-paced environment. In her spare time, Jacqui cranks up the volume and listens to music of all genres. She enjoys reading horror and suspense novels and her favourite author is Stephen King. Jacqui has an immense passion for animals and nature, and enjoys camping and hiking. She believes that life doesn’t provide any guarantees… it only provides possibilities and opportunities for those who dare to make best use of it.

Smart Irrigation Month Helps Growers Maximize Water-Use Efficiency

Valley_® is joining the celebration of Smart Irrigation Month by helping growers maximize water-use efficiency. 

Smart Irrigation Month is a public awareness campaign to promote efficient water use and highlights effective practices and innovative technologies to:

• Increase crop yield per acre. 
• Apply water and nutrient inputs more precisely for improved results with no waste. 
• Minimize runoff and top soil erosion. 
• Help protect and preserve water supplies for today and the future. 

Center pivot and linear irrigation machines deliver exactly the right amount of water at the right time. Efficient irrigation: 

• Precisely applies water and nutrients to minimize evaporation, runoff and waste. 
• Generates more crop per drop. 
• Adjust watering automatically to account for rain and other conditions. 
• Minimizes overwatering 

Join the cause and help protect our global water resources. Every drop counts! Learn more at www.smartirrigationmonth.org.

Smart Irrigation Month is an initiative of the Irrigation Association, a non-profit industry organization dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation. 

Ways to Celebrate Earth Day | by Cristina Morozov

The 21st Century is imposing a lot of pressure on the planet and its people. The ever-increasing urbanization trend requires efficient methods of managing energy and water, and requires more powerful pollution management.

Photo credit calibermag.org

We, at Valley_® Irrigation, believe in waste-free production processes and effective pollution management. Together with the rest of the world, we will celebrate the Earth Day on April 22. 

Here are some ways that you can contribute and celebrate as well: 

• Ride your bike, take a bus, or carpool to work.
• Enjoy lunch or afternoon walks in a nearby park with your family, friends, and pets.
• Plant flowers or trees in your backyard.
• Grow your own plants and produce. You may not harvest a lot of produce, but you will enjoy the process, plus gardening is an extraordinary hobby. 
• Volunteer at a local organization that keeps your community greener and healthier.
• Recycle, recycle, and recycle! Recycle bottles, cans, paper, and more in your office and home. 
• Dispose of recyclable items in your home and office cleanly. Reach out to local recycling organizations for more information.
• Print less! Switch to electronic documents. Initiate an e-documents movement in your office.
• Celebrate Earth Day every day! Turn these habits into your lifestyle and lead by example.

Let’s save the planet for our future generations. Have a happy Earth Day!

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Cristina Morozov Valley Irrigation Intern Cristina joined the Valley Irrigation Global Marketing Department in January. Originally from Moldova, Cristina earned a bachelor’s degree in management and economics from the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany; and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Academy of Economic Studies in Moldova. She is working toward her Master of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. in her free time she enjoys travelling, reading, dancing, and trying to learn to play tennis.

Looking for Funding Assistance for Irrigation Equipment?

After water efficiency, the most common question about new irrigation technology is related to cost and financing. Marcos Perez, an engineer with the Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS), recently discussed finances opportunities for center pivot irrigation equipment through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

“To qualify for financing, an applicant must be engaged in agricultural production, forestry management, or have an interest in the associated operation,” Perez said. “In addition toapplicant eligibility, the land represented in the application must be agricultural, non-industrial private forestland, or other land on which agricultural products, livestock, or forest-related products are produced.”

Available EQIP financing varies by year. In 2013, a center pivot longer than 600 feet could have been financed at $35.31 per linear foot, while a span less than 600 feet would have been financed at $29.47 per linear foot.

Local NRCS offices  are now accepting applications for 2014 EQIP funding. 

While funding is not guaranteed, applications are prioritized by the value and environmental benefit expected from the improvement, Perez says. For example, applicants looking to improve or even install center pivot irrigation equipment might want to highlight how the purchase would improve irrigation water management, such as reducing water use by transitioning from a flood to center pivot irrigation operation.

To learn more about EQUIP, check out these resources:

• NRCS offers Five Steps to Assistance, which includes a video offering step-by-step guidance.
• The national EQIP site provides an outline of information and state application information.
• And, of course, you can always contact Valley Irrigation or your local Valley dealer for more information and assistance.

A portion of this content was published in PivotPoint - The California Grower, 2013

True Precision Irrigation Technology

Precision farming has enabled growers to implement greater control over their operation. So, it makes sense that precise irrigation can quickly yield results.

Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) from Valley® Irrigation uses prescriptions developed specifically for each field, allowing growers to apply precise water application throughout the field. With this technology, growers can more efficiently use their resources.

Valley VRI is completely compatible with third party agronomists and precision ag companies, so others can write VRI prescriptions for Valley equipment. Or with just a few pieces of information, the Valley VRI team can write a QuickStart Prescription for you.

Watch this video to find out more about VRI and its benefits.

Irrigating to Conserve the World's Water | by Brooke Stover

We all know that the world’s water resources are being depleted. While 70 percent of the world’s surface is covered in water, only .05 percent of it is accessible freshwater that we can use (much of the remaining fresh water is frozen in icecaps or is inaccessible groundwater). Of that .05 percent of freshwater, 70 percent is used for agricultural withdrawals. (This information is illustrated in the image below.)

This means that 70 percent of the water is currently being used to feed our ever-increasing population. The global population increases by 8,000 people every hour. Without irrigation, growers would be unable to produce higher yields on fewer acres, so it is important that we invest in ways to feed the growing population without completely depleting the world’s water resources.

How can we do this? We can invest in more efficient means of irrigation practices. Yields can be increased while using less water, the water just needs to be applied more effectively. Center pivot irrigation can reach efficiencies of 98 percent, while traditional flood irrigation is only about 40-50 percent efficient.

To see how center pivot irrigation matches up to less efficient methods of irrigation, visit this Website.

At Valley_®, our goals are to improve irrigation practices throughout the world and to help feed the growing population while developing new and improved technologies that apply water more efficiently.

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Brooke Stover Global Marketing Coordinator Brooke has been with the Valley Irrigation Global Marketing department since 2011. She spends her free time taking pottery classes; though she thoroughly enjoys this, most of her stuff is a bit lopsided. Brooke also loves to read and listen to Frank Sinatra. She enjoys traveling and has been to 11 countries with the goal to make it to six more in the next six years!

VRI Provides Impressive ROI

Originally published in PivotPoint Summer 2013.

Soil and topography can vary drastically within each field, making precise, uniform irrigation very challenging, even with the best irrigation equipment. Valley_® Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) allows growers to increase yields by using water more efficiently.

“It’s an easy way to increase profitability,” says Valley VRI Product Manager Cole Fredrick. “Growers can look at their field data and make adjustments as often as they need to. When used properly, the return on investment should be very fast – between one and three years.”

Growers Take Control

Patented Valley VRI allows growers to adjust the watering rate in a particular sector or management zone.

Based on an uploaded VRI Prescription, VRI Speed Control increases or decreases the speed of the pivot itself to provide the desired application depth along each sector.

“Growers can do this with any Pro2 or Select2 control panel, with a simple software upgrade,” explains Fredrick. “The sprinkler packages don’t require any change at all. TrackerPro or TrackerLT remote communication devices allow growers to use VRI Speed Control with a Valley Classic or ClassicPlus control panel, too – or even with a non-Valley machine.”

VRI Zone Control uses an uploaded prescription, too, but the sprinkler valves pulse along specified pivot zones to reach the right application depth within a management zone. This is perfect for pivots that go over ditches, canals, wet areas, roads, or other obstacles.

For Zone Control, a Pro2 panel and other hardware is required to control individual sprinkler banks for precise water application.

Valley VRI software helps growers and/or their Valley dealer create a VRI Prescription based on topography, soil data maps, yield data, and other user-defined field information. The QuickStart (QS) Prescription for Speed Control is custom-designed for individual fields. It can be uploaded onto new machines, so the grower can start using VRI benefits as soon it is installed, or the QS Prescription can upload to any existing VRI-Ready machines.

Saving Water and Energy

In a 2010 Kansas field study, using VRI significantly educed field variability, and light-textured soils yielded well, even in a dry year. Also, 12 percent less irrigation was applied by using the prescription across the field,reducing water and energy use.¹ 

Ahmad Khalilian, agricultural engineer at Clemson’s Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, SC, conducted three on-farm test systems using VRI, which he believes will save 1.4 to 2.8 million gallons of water per year. 

“Variable Rate Irrigation also means less energy for pumping, less water runs off the field, and less pollution reaches streams,” Khalilian says.²

“It’s definitely a good, sound investment,” says Fredrick. “I’m telling you, it’s worth it!”


For more information on Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) from Valley, visit www.valleyirrigation.com.

¹ Variable Rate Irrigation 2010 Field Results for Center Plains Conference. Jacob L. LaRue, Valmont Irrigation. http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/irrigate/OOW/P11/Larue11.pdf.

² Variable rate irrigation reduces water use, Impacts Magazine, Tom Lollis, Copyright © 2013 Clemson University, Clemson, SC. All Rights Reserved. Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, Tel (864) 656-3311.

Irrigation Soil Types: Part I | by Travis Yeik

Soils are a leaky bucket of water. Even though rain and precipitation continually fill up the bucket, leaks are a result of evaporation, transpiration, runoff, and deep percolation (Figure 1). As more water is added to a soil, more water will be readily available to the plant; however, the downside to adding more water is that our bucket becomes leakier as well. For example, a saturated soil will have greater potential for runoff and deep percolation than a soil at field capacity. Maximum water loss from transpiration occurs between field capacity and the permanent wilting point. Soil water management aims to reduce leaks in our bucket, while, at the same time, providing adequate water to our crops.

The amount of water in our bucket, or available water holding capacity (AWC), depends on soil type and depth of the root zone. The AWC depends on two soil properties: the colloidal content (or amount of clay and humus) and the pore size/structure of a soil. A sandy soil, which typically has less colloidal content and larger pore sizes, won’t have an AWC as large as silts or clays per unit volume of soil (Figure 2). Because sandy soils cannot hold as much water as silt or clay soils, these areas will be the first to show signs of crop water stress.

A common misconception is that we can just add more water to the sandy soils to prevent crops from showing signs of water stress as quickly. However, as noted earlier, too much water added to a soil results in excess runoff and deep percolation. In fact, healthy plants if we consider equal crop types, growth stages, and other growth factors use water at the same rate regardless of what soil type they are grown in. Thus, a sandy soil which has a smaller bucket doesn’t need more water, but simply needs to be watered more frequently than other soil types.

Consider the example shown in Figure 3. At field capacity, clay soils can hold 1.9 inches of water/1 foot of soil, whereas sandy soils can hold 0.8 inches of water/1 foot of soil. Therefore, if we have a corn (maize) crop with a root zone of 3 feet, the available water at field capacity in clay soils will be 5.7 inches, but 2.4 inches in sandy soils. Corn may consume water (also known as evapotranspiration [ET], or the combination of evaporation and transpiration) at a rate of 0.32 inches per day in a moderately hot climate. This will result in an ET of 0.96 inches over a three-day time period. At that rate, clay soils lose 17 percent of its available water compared to sands, which will lose 40 percent of its available water!

In order to effectively manage irrigation in a field with various soil types, the amount and timing of water applied should be targeted to the soils with the lowest AWC.

Figure 1. Illustration of a soil profile as a leaky bucket. Soil water inputs are a direct result of irrigation and precipitation, whereas soil water losses occur from evaporation, transpiration, runoff, and deep percolation. Field capacity is represented as the lid of the bucket, where each addition of water will result in increased runoff or deep percolation. The permanent wilting point is represented as the bottom of the bucket.

Figure 2. Representative “clay” bucket (at top) and “sand” bucket (at bottom). The clay bucket has a larger volume than the sand bucket, meaning it has a larger AWC and can store larger amounts of water per unit volume.

Figure 3. A clay soil, which can hold 5.7 inches of water per 3 feet of soil, and a sandy soil, which can hold 2.4 inches of water per 3 feet of soil, will lose water through crop use (ET) at the same rate. However, because sand has a smaller bucket, it will reach its depletion point much sooner than the clay bucket.

Stay tuned for Part II of the irrigation soil types blog series, coming later this week!

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Travis Yeik Variable Rate Irrigation Agronomist Travis joined Valley Irrigation in February 2013 after completing his graduate degree at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. His work focuses on writing prescriptions for the Valley VRI products. As a native of Wyoming, Travis enjoys outdoor activities, including fly fishing and hiking. He also enjoys sports and is looking forward to baseball season.

Irrigating with End Guns | by Jerry Gerdes

We are midway through the summer, and as I drive through the country, I see many center pivot machines hard at work applying water to growers' crops. It's impressive to see how crops in pivot-irrigated fields perform so much better than the crops without irrigation!

Not too long ago, I came across an article about a center pivot end gun irrigating the road beside the field (to read the article, click here), so I thought this would be a good opportunity to write about end guns and this issue, which has come up more than once in my career.

Many center pivots have a large sprinkler, commonly referred to as an end gun, installed at the very end to irrigate field areas beyond the end of the center pivot structure. An end gun is a cost-effective option for irrigating an additional 80’ – 100’ of field area, increasing the productivity of a center pivot. Controls are required to turn the end gun on and off, preventing it from irrigating areas outside of the field boundary. These controls consist of a valve at the end of the machine and mechanical or electronic controls at the center of the pivot machine that control the end gun by pivot angle position.

End Gun

A few times during my travels, I have run across road areas that have been watered by the end gun, indicating that the controls were not working properly. This can create hazardous driving conditions for motorists. There are two items you can inspect to make sure your end gun controls are working properly: the end gun valve at the end of the machine and the angle position settings at the center pivot control panel. These should be checked periodically throughout the irrigation season. Proper control of an end gun will ensure efficient use of irrigation water and safety for everyone traveling the roadways.

For more maintenance tips for your center pivots and linears, check out valleyirrigation.com. 

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Jerry Gerdes Product Manager - Water Application Jerry, Nebraska-based Water Application Product Manager, contributes years of experience from his time working for a sprinkler manufacturer prior to joining Valley Irrigation. Currently working with different sprinkler manufacturers, Jerry develops the recommendations for the optimum water application package for a grower's operation.

Sprinkler Models for Center Pivots and Linears

Originally posted January 2011.

There are two types of sprinkler models used for center pivot and linear equipment: fixed spray and rotating spray. Both sprinkler types have a wear plate mounted directly below the nozzle (orifice), which discharges the water and creates a 360° water pattern. Fixed sprays have no moving parts because the wear plate is fixed. A rotating spray wear plate rotates either fast or slow, depending on the sprinkler model.

Water Patterns and Runoff

Rotating sprays produce a large wetted diameter (50' to 70') that creates a low-intensity water pattern; this is a major advantage of rotating sprays. This type of sprinkler works very well on medium to heavy soil types and reduces water runoff. Fixed sprays have a wetted diameter of 15' to 40'. This type of sprinkler works well on light soils where runoff may not be a big issue.

Plate Design

There are a variety of plate designs available to you that can very the droplet size of the water pattern; various designs are available for both rotating and fixed sprinkler types. By selecting a plate that produces smaller water droplets, you can also reduce the water pattern intensity. Smaller water droplets can easily lead to lower application efficiencies from evaporation and wind drift losses. Please note that climate conditions must be considered in the plate selection.

Fixed spray and rotating spray sprinklers are designed to operate at a low pressure in order to minimize energy (pumping) costs. Design operating pressure for fixed sprays is 6 to 30 PSI and pressure for rotating sprays is 10 to 30 PSI.








Learn more about sprinklers and other water application technology for center pivots and linears on valleyirrigation.com!

2013 Valley Field Days | by Kelly Cox

In years past, we have hosted field days dedicated to rice production under center pivots and linears. This summer, we are expanding the focus of our field days to include sessions on other crops and irrigation equipment! Below are the our field day dates, locations, and topics.

Friday, July 26 | Ames, NE

Time: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Taylor Farms | 1969 Country Rd 14 Blvd | Ames, NE 68621
Topic: Corn and Soybeans

Monday, August 26 | Fair Oaks, IN

Time: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Fair Oaks Dairy | 856 N 600 East | Fair Oaks, IN 47943
Topic: Wastewater Management

Monday, September 9 | Minden, NE

Time: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: CSS Farms | 2016 32 Road | Minden, NE 68959
Topic: Vegetables and Potatoes


For a list of presentation topics and speakers, and to register for one or all of the field days, visit ValleyIrrigation.com/FD2013. 

We look forward to seeing you this summer!

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Kelly Cox Global Digital Marketing Manager Kelly joined the Valley Irrigation Global Marketing Department in 2008. Her love of all things geek (steampunk furniture, anime, Doctor Who, and science fiction/fantasy literature, just to name a few) helped shape her appreciation for technology and the web. Kelly is a newlywed and new homeowner, where she shares her geekery with her husband and cat Kiba. She considers herself a wine connoisseur (though, 3 buck Chuck is delicious!) and has a love of painting, dance, and singing.

In Focus: Center Pivot and Linear Irrigation

As the global population continues to grow, the demand for food and fiber will continue to increase. In order to meet the rising demand for food, more farmland will have to be irrigated. Click below to learn more about how center pivot and linear irrigation will help keep the world's growing population fed and help conserve the world's most precious resources.




This segment of In Focus will air on PBS Summer 2013.

Want to watch more videos on center pivot and linear irrigation? Visit www.ValleyIrrigation.com!

How Will Planet Water Spend Valley Irrigation Donation? | by Jill Zwiener

Mark Steele and Michelle Stolte

Well, you guys did it! Through the Valley_® Water Their World™ promotion, the followers of our Valley Irrigation Facebook page helped to donate $1,000 to Planet Water, a non-profit organization that brings clean water to disadvantaged communities. The work that Planet Water does is life-changing, so by your participation, you’re now helping change lives, too!

Last week, Michelle Stolte, Valley Irrigation Global Marketing Manager, and I had the opportunity to spend some time with Mark Steele, Planet Water Founder and CEO. Not only did we get to see his cool new digs in the historic Bull Durham Building in downtown Omaha, NE, but we also had a chance to sit down and chat. He told us the money donated by Valley Irrigation will help fund the project they’ve implemented in Cambodia. This project supports schools and rural villages in the Siem Reap province (for those of you who are scratching your heads thinking, “Now where is that located?” it’s in the north/northwest part of the country). Gotta feel great about helping kids have fresh drinking water!

Mark said Planet Water has nearly 300 projects implemented in villages and schools in 10 countries in Asia. They have a number of new developments in the works, including looking to extend their childhood education programs into a community outreach program. The target will be caregivers and young children who are too young to attend school. What a great organization! We are proud that we had the opportunity to work with Planet Water and hope Valmont has the chance to continue the partnership!

Thanks again to everyone who was a part of the Valley Water Their World promotion! And don’t let the fact that we’ve already reached our goal stop you from giving more. Remember: You can make a difference!

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for information on future partnerships and information on Planet Water!