the bottom line to groundwater conservation in north plains gcd, steve walthour

Moore

Sherman

Hartley

Dallam Hansford

Hutchison

Ochiltree Lipscomb

The Bottom Line to Groundwater Conservation in North Plains GCD

TWCA 73rd Annual ConventionMarch 3, 2017

MISSION STATEMENT

Maintaining our way of life through

conservation, protection, and

preservation of our groundwater resources.

CONSERVATION PROGRAM

• STANDARDS/PRACTICES• EDUCATION• ADOPTION

CONSERVATION RULES• Well Construction &

Permitting (Spacing, Density, Equipping)

• Annual Production Reporting (Flow Meters or Alternative Measuring Methods)

• Allowable Production Limits• Conservation Reserve

CONSERVATION EDUCATION

ON-FARM CONSERVATION DEMONSTRATIONS

• 200-12 Reduced Irrigation Corn Demonstration Project• The Texas High Plains

Initiative For Strategic and Innovative Irrigation Management and Conservation• Efficient Profitable

Irrigation in Corn

• 3-4-5 GPM Gallon Production Maximization Corn Demonstration Project• North Plains Water

Conservation Center• Master Irrigator

200-12 REDUCED IRRIGATION CORN DEMONSTRATION

PROJECT• RECOGNIZED NEED TO SLOW

ANNUAL DECLINE TO EXTEND VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE ECONOMY.

• DEMONSTRATES ADVANCED SOIL WATER MONITORING & MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, SYSTEM TRACKING, OTHER.

• PROVIDES MANAGEMENT DATA TO HELP GROWERS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO REMAIN PROFITABLE & FINANCIALLY VIABLE.

CONSERVATION TOOLS

200-12 RESULTS (2014)Producer

Field Size (ac)

Total Irrigation

(in.)

Total Irrigation

(ac-ft)Rainfall

(in.)Yield

(bu/ac)Net Gain

($/ac)Net Return ($/ac-in.)

Site 1: 200-12 120 12.96 129.60 9.19 201 (17.86)$ 31.58$ Site 1: Control 120 20.74 207.40 10.71 222 - 20.59$ Site 2: 200-12 60 14.42 72.10 7.76 217 11.20$ 31.62$ Site 2: Control 60 16.06 80.30 7.76 219 - 27.69$ Site 3: 200-12 60 14.86 74.30 10.96 206 14.90$ 27.28$ Site 3: Control 60 13.85 69.25 10.96 199 - 28.20$ Site 4: 200-12 110 12.25 112.29 10.71 168 (227.70)$ 24.47$ Site 4: Control 128 21.88 233.39 10.71 275 - 24.11$ Site 5: 200-12 27 14.83 33.37 8.95 177 (175.09)$ 21.07$ Site 5: Control 75 24.48 153.00 9.93 255 - 19.91$ Site 6: 200-12 61 19.59 99.58 10.45 223 (15.04)$ 22.48$ Site 6: Control 61 19.01 96.63 10.45 227 - 23.96$ Site 7: 200-12 60 18.07 90.35 6.49 192 50.18$ 19.58$ Site 7: Control 60 16.01 80.05 6.49 171 - 18.97$ Site 8: 200-12 3 21.89 5.47 11.68 219 (77.15)$ 18.45$ Site 8: Control 117 31.72 309.27 11.68 266 - 15.17$ Site 9: 200-12 62 21.28 109.95 13.82 181 (22.24)$ 12.50$ Site 9: Control 62 22.84 118.01 13.82 192 - 12.62$ Site 10: 200-12 41 25.76 88.01 10.87 199 168.77$ 12.94$ Site 10: Control 124 14.60 150.87 10.87 126 - 11.27$ 200-12 Total 604 16.19 815.02 10.09 198 $(80.12) 22.20$ Control Total 867 20.74 1498.16 10.34 215 - 20.25$

THE TEXAS HIGH PLAINS INITIATIVE FOR STRATEGIC AND INNOVATIVE IRRIGATION

MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION

EFFICIENT PROFITABLE IRRIGATION IN CORN

• MANAGING IRRIGATION WATER FOR MAXIMIZED PROFITABILITY AS A MEANS FOR MAKING OPTIMAL ECONOMIC AND AGRONOMIC USE OF THE WATER RESOURCE.

• COOPERATING PRODUCERS AND TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION AGENTS

3-4-5 GPM PER ACRE PRODUCTION MAXIMIZATION

CORN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

3-4-5 RESULTS

Producer Acres

Total Irrigation

(in.)

Total Irrigation

(ac-ft)Rainfall

(in.)Yield

(bu/ac)

Net Return

($/ac-in.)NPWCC (3 GPM) 18.3 9.76 14.88 12.77 227 47.59$ NPWCC (4 GPM) 18.3 11.71 17.86 12.77 239 41.63$ NPWCC (5 GPM) 18.3 13.61 20.76 12.77 260 39.37$ Site 2 (3 GPM) 40 8.81 29.37 10.77 203 48.16$ Site 2 (4 GPM) 40 10.69 35.63 11.79 209 39.99$ Site 2 (5 GPM) 40 12.70 42.33 10.77 219 34.53$ Site 3 (3 GPM) 13.3 13.51 14.97 16.60 251 37.84$ Site 3 (4 GPM) 9.1 17.32 13.13 16.60 276 31.68$ Site 3 (5 GPM) 6.5 21.79 11.80 16.60 307 28.63$ Site 4 (3 GPM) 30.3 14.47 36.54 11.61 222 30.90$ Site 4 (4 GPM) 60.6 17.22 86.96 11.61 230 26.41$ Site 4 (5 GPM) 30.3 19.83 50.07 11.61 233 22.66$ Total 325 13.82 374.31 13.02 240 35.78$

NORTH PLAINS WATER CONSERVATION CENTER

MASTER IRRIGATOR

• INTENSIVE CLASS ROOM &• HANDS-ON TRAINING

EXPERIENCE• NRCS CONSERVATION

EQUIPMENT FUNDING DIRECTLY TO PARTICIPANTS

IRRIGATION DASHBOARD• IRRIGATION SCHEDULING

TOOL• PREDICTS WHEN TO

RESTART IRRIGATION

• TEXAS AGRILIFE• TEXAS WATER

DEVELOPMENT BOARD

RESOURCE CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

• IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT AND SOIL MOISTURE MANAGEMENT – LEAD AGENCY (HIGH PLAINS UWCD)

• SUPPORTING PARTNERS INCLUDE HEMPHILL COUNTY UWCD, LLANO ESTACADO UWCD, MESA UWCD, NORTH PLAINS GCD, SANDY LAND UWCD, AND SOUTH PLAINS UWCD.

• NRCS

THE FUTURE

DiscussionSteve Walthour, General Manager

swalthour@northplainsgcd.org806-935-6401