06/08/05 Saving irrigation water part one

Farm and Ranch June 8, 2005 In short water years like this Pat Tolman of Valmont Northwest in Pasco, Washington, gets lots of calls from irrigators. Tolman: "It spawns a lot of interest and activity from the standpoint that if they only have so many inches of water to put across the field they want to make sure they make every one of those count." Tolman says there is a downside and an upside though in that its hard for producers short on water to buy equipment, but to make the water they have go as far as it can, they need to move towards mechanized irrigation and the latest technology. Valley dealer Reed Stewart of Pendleton Grain Growers in LaGrande, Oregon, says converting from flood or rill irrigation can save up 50 percent in water. Plus; Stewart: "Probably conservatively we see a 25% reduction in operation and/or pumping of water when you convert from say a wheel line system to a center pivot irrigation system." Pat Tolman says farmers who make the conversion to center pivots can also see improvements in their crops. Tolman: "We have had several growers that when they make the conversions they comment about their yield and quality increases. And then even from things like wheel lines, there's even a significant labor savings from wheel lines to center pivots." Tomorrow, how to improve upon an existing center pivot system. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.