CALF_News_April_May_2021

16 CALF News • April | May 2021 • www.calfnews.net SAVING THE OGALLALA Continued from page 14 gallons per acre to about 4. The switch worked. “We took 25 percent of our allo- cated water and banked it for the next year,” Gigot said. “We now have 1,800 acre feet of water banked. WCA has not hurt our alfalfa yields. We don’t need as much water to grow crops.” Moisture probes had been used in their operation. WCA expanded their probe usage. “We’ve found we can obtain useful information from winter probe data,” Gigot noted. “But overall, our big- gest success has been through rotation, rotation, rotation. We’re putting more carbon in the soil to help fertility.” According to the Kansas Dept. of Agriculture, Kansas has about 50 WCA participants, with most in areas north of Garden City. Many include feedyards or ranches. Gigot warned that growers can no longer farm like their ancestors. “We need to share the water. We need to keep changing our practices and use less water,” Gigot explained, encouraging more producers in southwestern Kansas to consider a WCA program. Master Irrigator programs also help producers get more out of their water. Brandy Baquera of the Colorado Master Irrigator program said the comprehen- sive educational course serves irrigators on the Republican River Basin. Mod- eled after a Master Irrigator system in Dumas, Texas, the program partners with the Natural Resources Conserva- tion Service to help growers obtain fed- eral Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding to improve water management systems. Graduates learn about irrigation system audits, pump efficiency upgrades and other vital segments of irrigation. “We have 4,000 high-capacity wells in the region,” Baquera said. “We’ve found that using less water doesn’t necessarily mean lower yields. We use new technol- ogy as well as old practices growers may not know about.” She said one class on system audits provided a bonus for one grower who “learned he could go home and save $10,000 with one easy change in his system. We learn we can conserve.” Summit panel member Robert Hagevoort, New Mexico State Univer- sity dairy specialist, said many dairies are stretching their water by recycling it. “ Cows are here to stay,” he said.“They do well in the dry desert climates like New Mexico andWest Texas.We need to use the best [irrigation] technology to improve dairy efficiency and sustainability. “That can be through adjusting flush systems, hose sizes and recycling water used for cooling, cleaning or irritating pur- poses – possibly using water three times. A lot of good things are already happening.” Ben Holland, a research scientist with Cactus Feeders, said Cactus’ 10 High Plains feedyards are in the Ogallala’s most vulnerable levels with declining water. “Our farmland around feedyards should be for producing grain,” he said. “But maybe we can use that supplemen- tal irrigation to transition toward pas- ture. Pasture is not a bad thing. Watering to establish a pasture can be done with between two to five supplemental irriga- tions a year.” He pointed out the benefits of water- ing only half circles in a center pivot system. “Watering a half circle limits expenses on seed and fertilizer to get the most out of water,” Holland said. “But what about the other half circle? It’s not best to plow it and let blow away,” and a dryland cover crop can help when those acres are rotated in as a row crop. Holland acknowledged the benefits of working with university Extension to establish conservation techniques. “Extension is very helpful,” he said.“Also, we should work to educate cattle and crop associations we’re part of. Remind mem- bers that water conservation is important. In the Texas Cattle Feeders Association [for example], there is discussion of water recycling programs in feedyards.” C.E. Williams, general manager of the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District in White Deer, Texas, saluted producers and others for their accep- tance of “smart” technology. “Most farms have smartphone technology to know when their irriga- tion goes down,” he said. “This prevents downed equipment from running several hours [and wasting valuable water]. This is continual improvement rather than just sustainability. “We’re dealing with a diminishing water supply, so continued improve- ment is essential. Farmers must adapt to changes to move irrigated agriculture Irrigated corn may not survive in some Ogallala fed areas. High Plains feedyards depend on cattle from irrigated wheat pasture to provide feeder cattle.