BIG DATA
Building data collection into irrigation practices can be easier when it's approached like setting a bench- mark and then finding ways to be more efficient. That data can be used to set goals for quality and yield. Photo: Mimar Alsina
on that worst-case scenario. With the new system designs, that reduced to about 6 gallons per minute per acre.
Getting a better understanding of the data gave him the ability to know how to incorporate lower-pressure systems for his sprinkler heads while still retaining effectiveness. “Our motto is ‘More crop per drop,’” he says. “It’s conservation with efficiencies, without reduction of yield.”
GETING SPECIFC
Before diving into collecting more data, the information he worked with in making decisions felt similar to notes on the back of a napkin, Owens says. But with a more expansive program involving ET, he and his crew can get a close-up read of how much water his crops are actively using and make decisions based on what’s happening in the field.
When Owens comes across a technology or technique that he feels makes sense and has a direct application, such as watering beneath the canopy, he puts it into practice as quickly as he can throughout his crops. He still suggests that it’s usually a better idea to test out new ideas on a small area before scaling up, and always back up those plans with some framework of data.
“I’ve always embraced technology. I’ve always been a data nerd,” he says. “When something
14 Irrigation TODAY | Spring 2022
works out to me mathematically, I don’t have a fear of trying it. But it took us a while to figure out where the data was so we can make those informed decisions.”
Building data collection into irrigation practices can be a little off-putting for some growers who aren’t as comfortable with it overall. Try not to look at it as a way to point out irresponsible water use, but instead as a benchmark for finding ways to be more efficient, says Alsina. The collected data could help plan out decisions for future crops and set correct goals for quality and yield in production objectives.
“We know exactly for the first time, not only our targets that we calculate, but what really happened in the field every moment,” she says. “It’s a way to check, when before there was no way to check.”
It can also be a point of pride as more efficient irrigation practices are put into place, where growers can show off how they’re getting the same yield or quality while using less water, she says.
Start by connecting with the water provider to get solid statistics on current water usage to use as a beginning point, he says. Then, work to fill in some of the blanks in your data to figure out why that’s the amount of water being used. Working with the irrigation provider and extension experts can go a long way to getting
irrigationtoday.org
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
