Irrigation Management

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An on-line advisory program for optimum irrigation management
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2006-10) Hillyer, Charles, author; English, Marshall, author; Busch, John, author; Abourached, Carole, author; Sayde, Chadi, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Conventional irrigation practices are predicated on maximizing crop yield - a biological objective. As worldwide competition for water intensifies a fundamentally new paradigm for irrigation management is emerging predicated on maximizing net returns to water - an economic objective. Maximizing returns to water generally involves some degree of deficit irrigation, particularly when water supplies or system constraints limit the availability of water, but few farmers are well equipped to deal with the analytical challenges associated with managing water deficits. This paper presents a web based advisory service for irrigation management now in use in a pilot program in Oregon. While the system can be used for conventional irrigation scheduling it is designed explicitly to assist irrigation managers with planning and implementing optimum irrigation strategies when water supplies are limited or expensive. Though originally developed for use in Oregon, discussions with other states have been initiated to make the system available nationally. This paper provides an overview of the analytical framework and demonstrates primary features of the user interface.