Innovative techniques used by master irrigators to save vital Ogallala Aquifer water - abc7amarillo.com

Innovative techniques used by master irrigators to save vital Ogallala Aquifer water

Twenty new Master Irrigators have joined the ranks of helping to cut down on the demand for water from the Ogallala Aquifer. (Drew Powell/KVII)

Twenty new Master Irrigators have joined the ranks of helping to cut down on the demand for water from the Ogallala Aquifer.

In this week’s Water Grows, ABC 7 News looks at how an educational course is helping producers in the Texas Panhandle extend the life of their number one source of groundwater.

“The Ogallala is an absolute declining resource,” said Kirk Welch, assistant general manager of North Plains Groundwater Conservation District.

As producers are tasked with growing food and fiber it’s important to push the boundaries of efficiency to make the Ogallala Aquifer last longer.

“With this, we can actually put it on the same ground and make the ground more profitable on less acres and like on cotton in the South Plains my typical payback on a drip system is three years,” said Jerry Funck, irrigation engineer. “I’ve had some of them pay back quicker than that.”

“They're applying proven water-saving technologies to those acres with the potential of considerable savings over the lifetime of those farms,” said Welch.

Producers who attended the four-day Master Irrigators course tell ABC7 News, that learning new conservation practices helps growers maximize a return on their investment while lowering their water usage.

“Lowering our drops and putting in drip and saving our residue,” said Laura Taylor, master irrigator graduate. “What it does to take that residue off especially since so much of our farming here goes to dairies.”

“I think one of the interesting things I learned throughout this program was soil testing and soil probes and how to measure the soil in the water that we're not over-watering,” said Amy Halfmann, master irrigator graduate.

“We need to make sure we minimize evaporation and make every attempt to save every drop of water we can and still be able to raise crops that we need to raise,” said Curtis Neeley, master irrigator graduate.

“We’re learning droplet size on your drop and spray patterns being closer to the ground regulators to control the water on a hill or a slope in the field,” said Allan Frerich, master irrigator graduate.

Looking to the future, the ninth course of Master Irrigators in Moore County is scheduled to take place in February and March of 2025.

The cost to attend is $100 per person and attendance in person is mandatory.