Clean Water Funds are being used to support a University of Minnesota Extension Irrigation Specialist. The specialist conducts applied research, develops technical guidance and publications, provides education and outreach on irrigation and nitrogen best management practices (BMPs), and contributes to the development of irrigation scheduling tools for Minnesota irrigators. Much of the education and training is directed to farmers, crop advisers, and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff.
Much of Minnesota’s crop irrigation takes place on coarse textured soils. When irrigated, these soils are highly productive and produce crops of exceptional quality. These soils are also at higher risk for leaching nitrate to the groundwater compared to finer textured soils. Water management and nitrogen fertilizer strategies must be managed together. The adoption of irrigation and nitrogen BMPs helps optimize the water use efficiency (more crop per drop) of the irrigation water and synchronizes nitrogen application with crop uptake by applying the nitrogen at the right time and place, in the right amount, and from the right source.
The hiring of an Irrigation Specialist at the University of Minnesota was identified as a critical need by the irrigation community and other ag stakeholders during the 2011 Forum on Minnesota Irrigated Agriculture.
Irrigation Extension Specialist Activities:
- Communicate with irrigators, irrigation equipment suppliers, and conservation professionals to assess education and research needs.
- Design, develop, deliver, and evaluate a cropland irrigation educational program.
- Utilize websites, publications, pod casts, blog posts and similar to effectively communicate irrigation management information.
- Organize advanced irrigation management training workshops and training courses for irrigators, SWCD technical staff and technical service providers.
- Promote irrigation scheduling tools to meet current needs and technology.
- Conduct applied research on irrigation technology to improve water use efficiency, sustain agricultural production, and enhance protection of water resources.
- Develop and update irrigation BMPs related to irrigation water and nitrogen management.
- Work closely with other university, industry, and agency staff in the area of water and nitrogen management.
More information about the irrigation specialist is available on the University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, Climate - Vasudha Sharma webpage.
