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July 2006 Topics:

• Managing irrigation water important in 2006
• Surge valves available for loan
• Financial considerations for first-time college students

Managing irrigation water important in 2006

By C. Dean Yonts
Irrigation Engineer

University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center
One of the keys for getting through yet another year of drought is maintaining good water-management strategies.

Strategies differ, depending on whether you use surface water or ground water and on the type of irrigation system. But keep in mind that, although drought may subside, water is in great demand and this will put ever-increasing pressure on production agriculture. So as it turns out, some strategies are not just for drought years, but will become normal water-management practices for the long term.

Where ground water is the sole source of irrigation water, center pivots are the primary irrigation system. In this situation, the drought’s biggest impact is the need to pump more water to make up for the lack of rain. By early summer, most of the water shortage has resulted from little or no spring rain. This means irrigation systems must be turned on earlier than normal, increasing the amount of water pumped and, along with it, the energy bill. However, as long as well capacity is adequate, the system should be able to keep up with crop demand since the greatest water demand period occurs in late July and August.

If ground water supply is limited or pumping is restricted, then the question is when to use the available water. Keep in mind that generally any water stress will reduce yields.

If we choose to allow some water stress during the early summer, we need to also understand that a center pivot’s capacity to apply water may be less than what the crop needs later in the season – and without water stored in the soil profile, stress will quickly occur. In other words, don’t get too far behind – catching up is very difficult to do.

For irrigators who rely on surface water in the North Platte Valley, water has just recently been made available, but restrictions are in place. If you know you will have less water than your crops will need, you may need to forego irrigation of some fields. Keep in mind that any water that leaves your field is lost for your use. An alternative to not irrigating a field is to irrigate more fields, but don’t allow any water to leave your fields. This means timing set changes to coincide with when the water reaches then end of the field. This will result in water stress at the bottom of the field, but will allow you to use all of your water for producing a crop. Certainly return flow is important, but as an individual producer, you must make the best decision for your operation.

For surface irrigators one of the major challenges is uniform application. The practice described above results in poor uniformity by applying more water at the top of the field compared to the bottom. Yet when water is limited, we often are hesitant about using a practice or technology that is unfamiliar.
Surge irrigation is a tested and proven practice that has been available to furrow irrigators for a number of years. Surge can even the distribution of water on a field, reducing deep percolation as well as reducing the amount of runoff.

In cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, the University of Nebraska has a limited number of surge valves available for loan during the 2006 growing season. Surge is a practice that should be used, especially when water is limited.

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Surge valves available for loan

By C. Dean Yonts
Irrigation Engineer

It appears we are headed for yet another year where irrigation water is limited in the North Platte Valley of Nebraska and Wyoming. Reservoirs remain low and runoff was not what was expected.
However, irrigation has started, and applying water as efficiently as possible will be the name of the game. In the past few years, we have seen approximately 8,000 to 10,000 acres of land per year converted from furrow irrigation to center pivot.

The center pivot allows water to be applied more uniformly thus improving application efficiency. In other words with a center pivot we don’t have water running off the field or deep percolating below the soil profile, which decreases application efficiency. Over the last few years 50,000-75,000 acres in the valley have been converted to center pivot, but that still leaves nearly 350,000 acres that are surface irrigated. What can surface irrigators do to improve application efficiency?

Irrigators can make a number of management changes to improve application efficiency; furrow stream size, field length, or changing set times are examples. Surge irrigation is a method that can improve application efficiency by reducing runoff and deep percolation but the system can also help to reduce labor at the same time. Surge irrigation has been used successfully for a number of years and most all users see the results in the first season, if not in the first irrigation.

Read some of the responses irrigators in the North Platte Valley have had after using surge.

• “I was able to make 12-hour surge sets which allowed me to change water twice a day.” (This schedule resulted in 6 hour set times)
• “My field is normally difficult to irrigate and it takes about 13 days to get across. With the surge valve, it only took about four days.”
• “Water savings occur throughout the entire growing season, but was most effective during the first irrigation. I saved labor by not hiring someone for the summer.”

To show the advantages of surge irrigation, the University of Nebraska, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Wyoming Area Office, is conducting surge irrigation demonstrations. Six surge valves are available for loan to irrigators within the North Platte Irrigation project. The university will assist irrigators in selecting a field and helping to determine the best layout for the system. The valve can be used for the entire growing season so irrigators can try out surge without making an investment until they are convinced this method of irrigation is for them.

If you have an interest in trying surge, contact Dean Yonts at 632-1246 or Dave Reichert at 632-1235 at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center.

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Financial Considerations for first-time college students

By Cathy Johnston
Extension Educator

Do you have a student heading off to college for the first time this fall?
Just when you think you are finished writing checks for tuition, room, board and books, reality hits with the bills for many other things that first-time college families haven’t considered. This could include things like parking permits (and accompanying parking fines), fees, computers, microwaves, dorm room accessories, clothing, entertainment, organizational dues, trips home and much, much more.

What many families don’t plan or discuss with their college-bound students are the additional costs and expenses related to living on a college campus. Now is a good time to discuss financial issues associated with college. Starting on this new venture of education and independence can be very exciting and rewarding as well as a time for reflections and change for not only the student but the rest of the family. Open and frank communication can help to establish how your family is going to handle the issues and expenses over the next few years.

Set aside some time where parents and student sit down together, talk through and negotiate some basic issues and how to handle them as a family. Talk to other parents and students about what to expect in the first semester or two as you get established. Brainstorm and list all of the anticipated expenses that you will have to get established on campus.

There are some things that you already know about your student. Some of the things to think about as you start a discussion are related to their financial savvy. Can the student stay within an allowance? Has the student had part-time jobs? Has the student been responsible with his own money and paid any of his own expenses? Has he ever managed a checking account?

Now that the student’s financial savvy has been determined, discuss these financial issues plus others you may have. Here are some areas you will want to have a clear understanding of:

• Who is going to pay for tuition, room and board, fees and additional expenses?
• How much can the family afford?
• Who is responsible for student loans?
• Is the student expected to work? How many hours? If working, how will the student use this income?
• What is the time frame in which parents will continue to pay college expenses?
• What will happen if the student over-spends?
• Will the student have a credit card? What are the advantages and disadvantages of credit?
• What banking services will be needed? (Credit card, debit card, checks, etc.)
• Will this account be at home or near the school?
• How many hours will be taken each semester?

College is an expensive time for most families. Dealing with the cost of college can have an impact on the education of the student and the retirement saving of the parents. Both goals need to be considered when determining finances for college. A clear understanding of expectations is important so all goals can be met.

To learn more about college spending, contact your local Extension Office and request a copy of the publication “College Spending 101.”

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