Variable Frequency Tail Water Recovery System Rice Irrigation
Extension Education
Phil Horton
CEA - Agriculture
UofA Division of Agriculture Research & Extension
DeWitt
Abstract
Variable Frequency Tail Water Recovery System Rice Irrigation
Horton, P.1; Henry, C.G.2; Parker, R.3; Clark T.4
1CEA - Agriculture, U of A Division Of Agriculture Research & Extension, Dewitt, AR, 72042
2Assistant Professor, U of A Division of Agriculture, Stuttgart, AR, 72160
3Program Associate, U of A Division of Agriculture, Stuttgart, AR, 72160
4Program Technician, U of A Division of Agriculture, Stuttgart, AR, 72160
Reducing the amount of irrigation water needed for crop production and increasing irrigation efficiency are major goals of Arkansas row crop farmers. Declining groundwater and the increased well pumping costs are long term concerns. Increasing irrigation efficiency to ensure that Arkansas farms have economical water available for future generations are reasons for this research and Extension effort.
Furrow irrigated rice is a relatively new production system for growing rice. The traditional system is to seed the crop on flat ground, construct levees along a specific elevation, and then flood the field, maintaining the flood for most of the growing season. The traditional system called cascade flooded rice uses approximately 30 inches of irrigation water in addition to any rainfall caught by levees.
To address these concerns, we worked with furrow irrigated rice farmers to implement Irrigation Water Management (IWM) practices on their farm by using a variable frequency tail water recovery system. The objective of this project is to conserve groundwater while supplying sufficient water for the growing rice crop to realize its optimum yield.
The following practices were also implemented as a comprehensive approach to IWM for furrow rice irrigation; computer hole selection, flowmeter, FarmLogs, and irrigation termination.
Using this system, the subject field had a yield of 239.9 bushels per acre. Total water use was 24.54 inches, of which 13.47 inches was irrigation water and 11.1 inches of effective rainfall. Water use efficiency was 9.77 bushels per inch of water.
Based on this research we are learning how we can decrease water usage without impacting yield and increase irrigation efficiency overall.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Phil Horton
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Horton, P. CEA - Agriculture, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Arkansas, 72042