BIG DATA


growers are having to find new ways to solve irrigation issues.


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One tool that has helped ag producers in the goal to maximize efficiency is the collection and analysis of data. Getting more specific information has helped growers make more informed decisions while reducing costs, all while developing better water management practices.


irrigationtoday.org


ome things will always be true for ag producers, such the fact that plants need water. But increasing regulation and focus on responsible water use mean that


BEING PROACTIVE


Mark Owens, who runs an alfalfa farm near Crane, Oregon, is responsible for about 5,500 acres with groundwater irrigation. In 2015, his local water resource department approached his community to say that it had over-appropriated its basin by a significant amount. Owens got involved in a collaborative process to determine whether that was accurate and found that he needed to make some changes.


“I learned that we were going to have to figure out how to use less water and grow the same


Spring 2022 | Irrigation TODAY 11


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