Left: Author Jonathan Aguilar inspects a producer’s center pivot. Note the electrical wires carrying high voltage throughout the system.
Below: A uniformity test on a producer’s center pivot system shows that an error on several nozzles at the very end of the center pivot system can result
in substantial yield penalty. Source: Kansas State University Research and Extension, Mobile Irrigation Lab and Danny Rogers, PhD, PE.
At the Central Plains Irrigation Conference held in February 2018, renowned agricultural engineer Thomas Marek, PE, detailed the safety concerns on center pivots. After listening to the presentation, I myself was taken aback by the dangers qualified professionals have to deal with in servicing center pivots. The work becomes even trickier when there are additional potential wiring system hazards caused by work done by untrained individuals or by forces of weather. The information discussed in the presentation by Marek and Dana Porter, PhD, PE, is available at
www.ksre.k-state.edu/irrigate/oow/ p18/Marek18.pdf.
These are just few of the reasons why a producer should approach a qualified professional to design, install and service the irrigation system. Yes, this includes an additional expense, but as pointed out earlier, there are considerations with irrigation systems that go beyond just having water go through it. Some irrigation professionals, particularly those with government or university ties, may even offer some free guidance. These qualified professionals are there because you and what you do are important .
Just like in other areas, here in western Kansas, the concern for water is a community concern. This reinforces the need to follow these types of best practices on irrigation systems because when the water is gone, irrigated fields go back into dryland, negatively affecting the local economy and irrigation industry, as well as several other industries connected to it in one way or another.
Center pivot system (PR01, May 1999)
0.450 0.400 0.350 0.300 0.250 0.200 0.150 0.100 0.050 0.000
500 CU = 84%
9.2 acres affected by n
y ozzle package error
One-half the water = 6 in. for the season 6 in. × 10 bu/in. = 60 bushes/ac or ~552 bu
700 900 Radius {ft} 1,100 1,300 1,500
These qualified professionals are there because you and what you do are important.
Jonathan Aguilar, PhD, is an assistant professor and extension water resource engineer at Kansas State University’s Southwest Research and Extension Center.
Irrigation Today introduces this new regular addition to the magazine featuring irrigation best practices. Inspiration for the topics presented in each issue originate from the Irrigation Association’s Principles of Efficient Agricultural Irrigation document found at
www.irrigation.org.
irrigationtoday.org 29
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