Agricultural Water Conservation Clearinghouse

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https://hdl.handle.net/10217/195470

The Agricultural Water Conservation Clearinghouse (AWCC) was superseded by the Irrigation Innovation Consortium in April 2018. The AWCC was a comprehensive information resource system with a central focus on agricultural water management and conservation. Subject areas covered Irrigation Systems, Ag Water Conservation Policy, Cropping Systems, Drought Tolerance, Water Supply and Storage, and more. These digital collections include topic specific conference proceedings, government documents, white papers, and reports.

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Open Access
10 years of supervisory control and data acquisition modernization in northern California (1996 - 2006)
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-06) Perkins, Dennis, author; Styles, Stuart, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region, Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP), and the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) at Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, have been working with Reclamation irrigation water contractors and others on district delivery system modernization and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) development for the past 10 years. In 1994, the WCFSP encouraged the ITRC to develop concepts for district modernization to improve water delivery efficiencies. Dr. Charles Burt and the staff at ITRC observed that in many instances, water delivery systems were operated as more of an art than a science. Every canal or pipe system was different and required intricate knowledge and visual observations by the operators to maintain relatively crude levels of flow balance. The development of affordable, non-proprietary automation systems were considered feasible as SCADA applications were becoming common in other industries such as the automotive manufacturing industry. Coupled with mechanical canal level management equipment design improvements over the years, the industry has made large advances in affordable district level water technologies over the last decade.
Open Access
15th annual Central Plains irrigation conference and exposition proceedings
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2003-02) Central Plains Irrigation Conference, author
Open Access
2007 Central Plains irrigation conference, proceedings
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-02) Central Plains Irrigation Conference, author
Open Access
2009 irrigation cropland lease arrangements
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009-02) O'Brien, Daniel, author; Ziegler, Todd, author; Wood, Mark, author
Open Access
A 2005 update on the installation of a VFD/SCADA system at Sutter Mutual Water Company
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005-10) Schantz, Frederick F., author; Styles, Stuart W., author; Howes, Daniel J., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
In 1999 Sutter Mutual Water Company (SMWC) and Cal Poly ITRC began work together with the USBR on a project effort to install a VFD unit and a SCADA system into the Portuguese Bend Pumping Plant, one of SMWC's four pumping plants that convey water from the Sacramento River onto 46,746 acres of farmland in the Sutter County sub-basin. The project was formulated and implemented in order to reduce the high amount of power consumed by the existing 30-year-old equipment, to minimize maintenance and labor costs, and to improve control of the in-stream flows to achieve more efficient use of limited water supplies. After commissioning the equipment, a number of operational problems were encountered. These were resolved once their causes were clearly identified and adequately addressed. Work completed included installing an adequate cooling system for the VFD unit and replacing an air-release valve in place of an outdated siphon breaker that continually adversely affected water flow. Benefits realized from the new technology have included a reduction in power use, cost of labor and maintenance, and a dramatic improvement in the district's ability to control in-stream water flow through the automatic control of motor and pump performance.
Open Access
A binational approach to the water management in the Lower Colorado River Basin
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1996-12) Bernal-Rodriguez, Francisco, author; Zala-Flores, Nicolás, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Mexico-United States border is a zone of shared problems for both countries. The Colorado River system stands out among their common rivers, its usefulness benefiting many people, especially if one considers its location in a desert land, the intense competition for the river water has expounded the necessity to come to agreements between both countries, started since 1944. The Colorado river system is the most important in the United States southwest; supplies water for more than 20 million users and for large extensions of agricultural land. Besides, it is a fundamental water source for Northern Mexico, especially for the irrigation of agriculture lands in the Mexicali Valley. Water is a resource of a very high economical value in the region, because of the growing and large human population of the region, the importance of agricultural crops, and in particular, to the fact that the southern part of the basin is a desert. Inasmuch as there is an intense competition for the river water, although highly controlled, the system's management is of great interest for United States as well as for Mexico, for that reason, it corresponds to both of them. All these factors make the Colorado River management an important subject that influences the neighborhood relationship between Mexico and United States. In 1944, both countries signed a treaty on the water allotment of the three river systems shared: the Colorado, Tijuana and Bravo. According to this document, Mexico obtained the right to receive an annual delivery of 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water. The construction of several dams in the Colorado River basin in the United States has had great impact on the quantity and quality of the water going to Mexico. During the last three decades, the matters related to the salinity of this water have demanded a permanent attention.
Open Access
A comparison of laboratory and field calibration of the ECH2O EC-20 soil moisture probe for soils in the Middle Rio Grande Valley
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012-04) Kinzli, Kristoph-Dietrich, author; Manana, Nkosinathi, author; Oad, Ramchand, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Throughout the American West irrigated agriculture has been targeted to increase water use efficiency. Soil moisture sensors offer a method to achieve efficiency improvements but have found limited use due primarily to high cost and lack of soil specific calibration equations. In this paper we examine the ECH2O EC-20 soil moisture sensor, a low cost capacitance sensor and develop a unique laboratory calibration method. Field and laboratory calibration equations were developed for 6 soil types in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. The average absolute error in volumetric water content for field calibration was 0.43 m3/m3, and 0.012 m3/m3 for the laboratory calibration. The factory calibration equation for the EC-20 was also evaluated and found to yield an average absolute error of 0.049 m³/m³. We found that the EC-20 is a reliable, cost effective, and accurate sensor, and recommend that the laboratory calibration method presented here be used to obtain maximum accuracy. We also recommend that the field calibration of the EC-20 soil moisture sensor be foregone, as this type of calibration exhibits large error rates. Additionally, it was found that the field calibration method was time consuming, covered a small range of moisture content values and was destructive to the area around installed sensors, which could lead to measurement errors.
Open Access
A complete plan "…experiences from the U.S."
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1989) Macy, Peter, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Open Access
A decision support system for field drainage management
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2002-07) Garcia, Luis A., author; Gillham, Daniel, author; Patterson, David, author; Harma, Blair, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Colorado State University Irrigation and Drainage model (CSUID) is a decision support system (DSS) that helps design and/or manage irrigation and drainage systems, which maintain crop productivity while controlling drainage return flows. CSUID includes components for irrigation scheduling; root growth calculations; flow and transport in unsaturated and saturated zones; drain discharge; and crop yield estimates. The DSS runs on a PC with Windows 95/NT. Data for the model is currently being collected from four fields in Colorado's Arkansas River Basin.
Open Access
A GIS-based irrigation evaluation strategy for a rice production region
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005) Sha, Zongyao, author; Bian, Fuling, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Water shortage has become an international problem and this is especially true in China. This paper will detail the process of constructing a GIS-based information system to complete large-scale evaluation for water irrigation efficiency in a rice production region in China. A GIS-based system is built to integrate evaluation models and manage irrigation region actively and present the evaluation result in this paper. The research region is divided into several sub-regions and each sub-region is irrigated differently. After comparison of the results of different irritation methods, the suitable way of irrigation for a certain region can be selected. In this study, each rice production farm field located in sub-regions will be regarded as a basic unit and is digitalized to form spatial database. We monitor all growing stage of paddy rice and record water irrigation and rice yield. The goal is to find region-fit irrigation strategy and thus to enhance the profitability of irrigation water.
Open Access
A historical view: transmountain diversion development in Colorado
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2001-06) Winchester, John N., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
As the headwaters for seven major rivers, water resources in Colorado have been diverted for use for over 150 years. Transbasin diversions have been developed to move water from one river basin to another, including transmountain diversions, which move water over the continental divide. Transmountain diversions have historically been developed to provide water for irrigated agriculture and municipal purposes. This paper briefly discusses the development of each of Colorado's 30 transmountain diversions between the Colorado, South Platte, Arkansas and Rio Grande river basins, and provides a summary of diversions for recent years.
Open Access
A history of drought in Colorado: lessons learned and what lies ahead
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2000-02) McKee, Thomas B., author; Doesken, Nolan J., author; Kleist, John, author; Shrier, Catherine J., author; Stanton, Willaim P., author; Colorado State University, Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher
Open Access
A leading-edge irrigation demand model for assessing irrigation expansion with finite water supplies
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2002-07) Chinn, Wally R., author; Traynor, Arva J., author; Roth, Don W., author; Hofer, Bonnie C., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Like many jurisdictions in North America, the irrigation industry in Alberta, Canada has found it necessary to intensively examine its future state of development, in view of substantially increased competition for a finite supply of available water. In order to do so, it was recognized that available technical science and assessment tools needed to be up-dated and expanded. Specifically, the opportunity and ability to utilize state-of-the-art computer modelling techniques could allow much more detailed and varied analyses to be carried out. As part of a broad scope basin water management planning review, the development of a complex irrigation demand model was undertaken. After several years of detailed and intensive software development, a suite of data input, irrigation simulation and analysis tools has been derived. The application of the irrigation demand model component provides for very detailed projections of daily water requirements, consumptive use, conveyance and application losses, as well as return flows. Annual and multi-year irrigation demands can be determined in conjunction with water supply conditions that reflect both the interrelationship with the vagaries of climate as well as varying scenarios of development within the industry. In particular, output from the application of the whole suite of tools indicates both the projected level of water supply deficits as well as the potential impacts of those shortages.
Open Access
A look at twenty years of SDI research in Kansas
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009-02) Lamm, Freddie R., author
Open Access
A management improvement process to effectively change irrigated agriculture
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1989) Dedrick, A. R., author; Clyma, Wayne, author; Palmer, J. D., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
A management improvement program to improve the performance of irrigated agriculture is described. The improvement process entails three general phases. Diagnostic analysis is an interdisciplinary field study to thoroughly understand the actual performance of an irrigation system. Areas of high and low performance are identified. Management planning is a process for organizational change. The process uses the information and understanding obtained from the diagnostic analysis to make important changes in physical structures and/or management procedures for improving irrigation system performance. Management performance is carrying out the management plan. Monitoring and evaluation is included to assist in management decision making and to measure the impact of the changes on system performance. The management planning is done by the key managers in an irrigated area, farmer representatives, and representatives from other involved organizations. Conscious, deliberate applications of the processes offer important advantages to the farming community and to water management professionals. The results are effective, appropriate solutions to many relevant problems in irrigation.
Open Access
A method describing precise water application intensity under a CPIS from a limited number of measurements
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007-10) Molle, B., author; Granier, J., author; Drechsel, A., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Centre pivot irrigation systems are known for their irrigation distribution performance potential. Unfortunately the performance analysis of centre pivot irrigation systems is often restricted to the uniformity of distribution. Depending on the characteristics of the applied rainfall, a system designed for high uniformity does not guarantee a high application efficiency once the system is in operation. A method is proposed in the present paper to analyse the average rainfall depth of application and kinetic energy delivered to the soil by individual droplets all over the machine. The method requires water distribution profiles, the distribution of droplet size and velocity along the radius of coverage for any nozzle, and pressure and height of the emitter installed on the machine. Considering the number of nozzles and the range of pressure applied, there is the need for a method calculating: the emitter maximum radius of coverage, then the rainfall distribution profile, then the droplet distribution and finally the associated kinetic energy delivery. These parameters are calculated on a new model of classical design sprayers proposed by IWT Company. These results are being integrated on a centre pivot nozzle chart design software presented in the poster session.
Open Access
A methodology for analyzing alternative reservoir shortage and operating criteria
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1989) Oamek, George, author; Schluntz, Larry, author; Bottorft, Loren, author; Johns, Eldon, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Bureau of Reclamation's shifting emphasis from a construction oriented agency to a water management agency has initiated the development of analytical tools for estimating the benefits, and changes in benefits, of alternative reservoir sizes (for new projects) and operating criteria (for existing projects). This paper presents a new methodological approach for estimating the marginal, or change in, economic benefits for a project and applies it to several case studies. The modeling system developed from this effort links a spreadsheet-based model of reservoir operations to economic models of various demand sectors, including irrigation, municipal and industrial uses (M&I), and instream flow. Linking the models results in quick response in estimating the annual marginal economic benefits of alternative reservoir sizes and operating criteria. When applied to a case study of an existing Southern California reservoir, the modeling system estimated the annual benefits of reservoir enlargement and changes in operating criteria. Additional case studies for projects in Oregon, Kansas, and Colorado have demonstrated the ability of the methodology to be adapted to a wide range of hydrologic conditions and project purposes.
Open Access
A modeling approach for assessing the feasibility of ground-water withdrawal from the Denver Basin during periods of drought
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1991-04) Jaunarajs, Sigurd R., author; Poeter, Eileen, author; Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, Colorado State University, publisher
Open Access
A multi-variable approach for the command of Canal de Provence Aix nord water supply subsystem
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2004-10) Viala, Yann, author; Malaterre, Pierre-Olivier, author; Deltour, Jean-Luc, author; Sanfilippo, Franck, author; Sau, Jacques, author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Canal de Provence is fully user oriented. Water users can take the water freely without respecting neither rotation nor any sort of priority allocation. Its structure. consisting of main free flow canals and pressurized distribution networks. is well adapted to this strategy. The main canal must be able to face the regime variations coming from this kind of distribution. The current regulation conception first split the whole system into a series of assumed independent sub-systems. The multi-variable aspect is then taken into account by a coordination of the sub-systems adjustment, carrying the discharge correction from downstream to upstream. The Aix nord branch control presents interesting characteristics such as many different hydraulic entities (free surface canals. reservoirs. pumping stations) and operating constraints (levels in reservoirs. optimization of pumping costs). A real multi-variable approach will allow managing all gate and pump operations and all constraints at the same time. leading to a global optimisation of the whole system. The MIMO (Multi Input - Multi Output) model is established from transfer functions. the coefficients of which are deduced from the physical and geometrical characteristics of the system. A Linear Quadratic Regulator is computed and tested on a complete non-linear numerical model of the hydraulic system. The system to be controlled includes many discrete commands (pump operations) that are not managed by a classical optimal control. These commands are treated apart, leading to calculated perturbations that are introduced in the regulator.
Open Access
A new direction for allocating water of the Nile River in Egypt
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1998-10) Priest, John E., author; U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
The Egyptian philosophy of water use is that of an agrarian society even though perhaps only 50% of foodstuffs are produced domestically. The Egyptian Government is now implementing a plan of action that will spread water over vast new areas of the Western Desert and the Sinai. The objective is to transfer within 20 years as many as 7 million persons from the Nile Valley and the Delta to intensively irrigated areas of the Western Desert. This diversion of Nile River water is to be accomplished even as the nine upstream riparians are demanding more water. A paradigm shift is required. Those guiding irrigation development in the Western Desert must accept and embrace a model of mixed development based on: 1) the eventual minimization of irrigation of field crops, 2) the identification and filling of now dry water-table aquifers through diversion of excess river flows in wet years, and 3) exploitation of minerals and other important resources of the Western Desert to support the new communities. Clearly, during the initial stages of New Valley developments, the government needs to divert the entire excesses of wet year flows for over-irrigation of reclamation crops and the filling of pre-identified underground reservoirs. Integrated ground-water-surface-water systems should be established., successively along the path of development, to supply municipal and industrial water and for the irrigation of vegetables and fruit trees. A large component of the water required for creating shaded communities and wind breaks should be derived from reuse of treated wastewater effluents and the pumping of mildly brackish ground water. Thus, through the establishment of water-table aquifers along the route of development and the careful husbanding of the water resource, extensive settlements can be realized in the western Desert without substantial diminishment of the productive capacity of the agriculture of the Nile Valley and Delta. Sustainability of the colonization will depend equally on the exercise of care in protecting the fragile desert environment in every zone of development and the equitable collection of water user fees from the start of project operations.