EDITORIAL MESSAGE


Safe & smart S


o much of what we have read about, heard about and talked about over the last five months is related to staying safe and healthy. And with good reason. COVID-19 hit the world like a freight train, and our focus has had to be on what we needed to do to stay healthy and keep our communities safe.


With July being Smart Irrigation Month, it’s a good time to add “smart” to the conversation. Smart Irrigation Month is the Irrigation Association’s initiative to promote the importance and value of smart irrigation practices. Discussing the importance agricultural irrigation plays in maintaining our world’s food supply with you, Irrigation Today’s readers, is like preaching to the choir. However, outside of our industry, that sentiment isn’t so readily understood or accepted. The precious water supply and ag’s use of it tend to dominate the narrative.


That’s why Smart Irrigation Month is the ideal opportunity for the irrigation industry to promote all that we do. Our industry is making great strides in advancing and improving technology to make irrigation as efficient as possible to ensure the smartest use of water. Many of these tech advancements, as well as the organizations researching new ideas, are highlighted on the pages of this magazine.


“O“Our ur indust stry is making great


strides in advancing and improving te


technology to make irrigation as efficient as possible to ensure the smartest use of water.”


Watch in the coming months for a new Irrigation Today website providing the industry’s latest news and information.


You can be a part of Smart Irrigation Month too. For more information and to access the Irrigation Association’s numerous resources and downloads, go to www.smartirrigationmonth.org. The theme of this year’s Smart Irrigation Month is the people behind irrigation. The IA wants you to share your story of smart irrigation. Use the online link on the website to share what smart irrigation means to you, how you have used smart irrigation or how you have promoted the benefits and impact of efficient irrigation in your operation or with your customers. We encourage you to continue promoting your smart and efficient irrigation practices beyond July and throughout the year.


You are the people behind irrigation — we salute you and all the work you do to be both safe and smart.


Anne Blankenbier


If you have comments, suggestions or an idea for what you would like to see covered in a future issue, please feel free to contact me at anneblankenbiller@irrigation.org.


The irrigation resource for today’s growers


Published by: Irrigation Association 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr. Suite 400 Fairfax, VA 22031-4511 USA Tel 703.536.7080 Fax 703.536.7019 info@irrigationtoday.org www.irrigationtoday.org


Publisher Deborah M. Hamlin, CAE, FASAE


Associate Publisher Trisha Klaus


Editor-in-Chief Anne Blankenbiller anneblankenbiller@ irrigation.org


Creative Sean Burris


4 Irrigation TODAY | Summer 2020


Account Managers Tom Schoen Central tom.schoen@bock-assoc.com 952.905.3214


Alan Scott West & East alanscott@irrigation.org 310.593.1928


Editorial Committee Chair Bill S. Thornton Watertronics


Editorial Committee Jonathan Aguilar, PhD, PE Kansas State University


Julie Bushell Paige Electric – Ag


Charles Hillyer, PhD Center for Irrigation Technology, Fresno State University


Diann Ilkenhons Vice Chair Senninger Irrigation Inc.


Jacob Knipp Reinke Manufacturing Co. Inc.


Michael A. Noftle, CAIS, CID Ideal Design Solutions LLC


Karin Novotny Rivulis Irrigation


Jim Phene Epiphene Inc.


Contributors John Farner Mike Hamilton, MSc Ahmed Hashem, PhD Charles Hillyer, PhD Amy Kremen Steve McCoon, CID Joshua M. McEnaney, PhD Kate Norum George Oamek, PhD Nicolas H. Pinkowski Brian A. Rohr, PhD John A. Schwalbe, PhD


irrigationtoday.org Irrigation Today Editor-in-Chief


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