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Irrigation as if PeopleMattered:

Energy ConservationLessons from Montana

Mike Morris, Ph.D.

Energy Program Project LeaderNational Center for Appropriate Technology

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About NCAT

National non-profit organization, founded in 1976.

Main offices: Butte, MT, Fayetteville, AR, Davis, CA

Programs: Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, Communities

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This talk will

Describe how Montana irrigators use energy.

Offer lessons learned from five approaches to

energy conservation.

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Main Conclusions

Irrigation efficiency is not just a technical problem,but has intrinsic human and social dimensions.

Irrigators welcome energy conservation but usually

view it as a secondary consideration.

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10-20 rain and 100-150 frost-free days inmost areas.

Top five crops by cash receipts:wheat, barley, sugar beets, hay, potatoes.

Half of irrigated acreage is hay, of hay

acreage is alfalfa.

Montana Climate and Crops

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Only 5% of farmland (2 million acres) is irrigated.

Of irrigated acreage, only 1/3 is sprinkler-irrigated. Half of sprinkler-irrigated acreage under pivots.

93% of irrigated acreage irrigated by surface water.

92% of irrigation pumps electric-powered.

Irrigation Methods

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Water Availability

Most irrigators pay nothing for water.

Chronic water shortages the rule, not the exception.

Water law limits opportunities for conservation.

Informal arrangements, peer pressure often more

important than legal constraints.

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Energy Costs

Electric rates low by national standards, but sharpincreases in recent years.

Average $14.68 - $23.41 per pump-irrigated acre.

NorthWestern Energy 2003-4 irrigation rates:

$8.03 per kW peak demand and $.043 per kWh.

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2002 Crop Values per Acre

Potatoes $2,928 Sugar beets $856

Alfalfa hay $315 Corn $296 All hay $278 Barley $193

Wheat $190 Oats $151

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Average Irrigation Energy Cost as aPercentage of Crop Value

Potatoes 0.7% Sugar beets 2.7%

Alfalfa hay 7.4% Corn 7.9%

All hay 8.4% Barley 12.1%

Wheat 12.3% Oats 15.5%

Its the crop, stupid.

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Labor Cost and Availability

Average pivot irrigation project cost $67,264,

with energy savings of $1,271 per year.

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Five Approaches to Energy Conservation1. Energy Audits

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NCAT Experience

Over 400 irrigation energy audits since 1988.

Currently offering no-cost energy audits toNorthWestern Energy irrigation customers.

Measure pressure, flow rate, electrical poweroutput; calculate pumping plant efficiency.

Customer receives report with recommendations,

payback, power bill analysis, incentive offers.

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Most Common Energy-Saving

Recommendations from Audits Replace worn nozzles

Repair leaks

Correct motor overloading problems

Rebuild pump and/or motor

Replace pump and/or motor

Correct discharge problems

Correct suction problems

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Lessons Learned Audits are highly appreciated, sometimes

desperately needed.

Labor intensive (average cost $672

per audit). Only about half of participants completed

recommended improvements within 1 year.

Equipment improvements do not necessarilylead to energy savings.

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2. Direct Financial Incentives

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NCAT Experience

Administering cost-sharing program forNorthWestern Energy irrigation customers.

Most common customer project proposals in 2003:

Replace hand or wheel lines with pivots (15)

Replace high-pressure pivot w/low-pressure (8)

Use gravity to reduce horsepower requirements (3)

Replace oversized or inefficient pumps (2)

Install variable frequency drives (2)

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Lessons Learned

Dollar for dollar, direct incentives save moreenergy than audits.

Evaluation criteria need to be carefully designedfor consistency and fairness.

Working closely with local equipment dealers akey to success.

Gravity conversion is probably the biggestenergy conservation opportunity remaining inMontanas irrigation sector.

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3. Soil Moisture Monitoring

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The M. K. Hansen AM400 Soil Moisture Data Logger

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NCAT has helped install over 120 soilmoisture monitoring systems since 2000.

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Lessons Learned Pivot systems offer the best opportunities for

conservation through improved management.

Poor management is common, but grossoverwatering is less frequent than expected.Only 3-6 of43 study fields clearly exceededannual alfalfa water requirements.

Better water management should be promotedprimarily in terms of crop yield and crop health.

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4. Educational Publications In 2003 NCAT revised and reprinted the

Montana Irrigators Pocket Guide. NCAT has contracted with NRCS to produce a

national edition.

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5. Collaboration with Local Watershed Groups

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NCAT Experience

Working with local groups in river valleys withchronic water shortages: Big Hole, Blackfoot ,Boulder, Jefferson, Ruby, and Shields.

Goal is to help each group organize and run its own

irrigation efficiency program.

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Lessons Learned

Learning in rural communities takes place byimitation and word of mouth.

Groups vary widely.

Progress on irrigation management is most likelyto come from locally-based projects that enable

irrigators to experiment on their own and learnfrom each other.

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For More Information

NCAT: www.ncat.org 1-800-ASK-NCAT

National Sustainable Agriculture InformationService: www.attra.ncat.org 1-800-346-9140