New Innovations: Responsive Drip Irrigation Systems

EDITOR’S NOTE—From time to time, The Cross Section spotlights new innovations that can help persons conserve water. Publication of such material in the newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of the product/services by High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1—CEM.

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Imagine a subsurface drip irrigation system that supplies water and nutrients on-demand in response to chemicals released by plant roots in the soil.  Science fiction?  No, it’s now science fact!

Growstream™ by Responsive Drip Irrigation (RDI) was among many water efficiency products showcased at the 2019 WaterSmart Innovations Conference. The system was first released in December 2018.

“Our product is a unique subsurface irrigation system that reduces water usage by more than 30-50 percent as compared to traditional subsurface drip irrigation systems. It is a plant-responsive irrigation technology based on organic chemistry that works with nature to irrigate plants,” said Jan Gould, RDI founder.

“When plants need water and nutrients, they emit root exudates that allows them to uptake what they need from the surrounding soil,” said Gould. “The Growstream™ system responds to these exudates with fluctuating releases of water and nutrients from the millions of ‘smart micropores’ in the tubing.  When the plant’s needs are satisfied, it stops producing exudates. This, in turn, signals Growstream™ to stop releasing water,” she said.

The system has been tested in varying environments and conditions.  One test involved growing white cabbage in a “soil” of sand and crushed shells.

“Tests showed that the system could efficiently deliver water and nutrients to the plant roots,” said Gould.

Another test involved planting groups of ornamental plants with variable water needs in a row that was irrigated by a single Growstream™ tube. 

“We had a mixture of xeric and water-thirsty plants for this test.  We found that Growstream™ can support different crops/plants with variable water needs on a single line.  The system supplied irrigation at variable release rates to meet each plant’s respective water needs,” she said.

Gould pointed out that the patented system is easier to install and operate as compared to typical drip irrigation systems.

 “There are no emitters to clog or malfunction since the tubing has millions of microscopic surface openings that release water.  Growstream™ operates at a pressure of 2-4 pounds per square inch (psi) and can deliver water in row lengths exceeding 1,200 feet.  There is no need for electronic components. The system basically consists of a water pressure regulator, fittings, and the tube.  No solenoids, valves, controllers, timers, or other electronic devices are needed,” said Gould.

The system is typically less expensive than conventional subsurface drip irrigation systems with zones, valves, and smart controllers. However, Gould says the cost is slightly higher compared to older systems using pop-up sprayers and surface drip.  The system will last more than eight years.

While Growstream™ is primarily being installed for use in lawns and landscapes, Gould says it does have an application for home gardens, small farms, and commercial growing operations.

“In 2017, we conducted an organic romaine lettuce trial with a commercial grower in Monterey County, California. The plant-responsive system resulted in a larger, higher-grade crop using 29 percent less water and 50 percent less organic fertilizer.  During Summer 2019, Growstream™ achieved 25 percent higher yield while using 30 percent less water for tomatoes grown in a greenhouse in Africa. This is in comparison to a hydroponic delivery system,” she said.

“We see great potential for its use—especially in orchards and vineyards in California and the western United States,” said Gould.

Since the system requires very little pressure to operate, water stored in a raised tank or rainwater harvesting barrel can be used to irrigate an entire lawn, including trees and landscapes.  It can also be used to irrigate crops in remote farm locations.

Locations in the United States include California, Colorado, Florida, and Kansas. Future projects are planned in New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

Visit www.responsivedrip.com, email info@responsivedrip.com, or call (941) 792-9788 for more information.

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You Never Miss The Water Until The Well Goes Dry

Reprinted from The Cross Section, Volume 1, No. 2 — July 1954

One of the objectives of the HPUWCD is to continuously call to the attention of the people of this area the fact that the water in the High Plains is a depletable resource. Water has, on occasion, been referred to as a mineral, and like any other mineral, if it is continuously mined, can be exhausted.

The annual reports of the State Board of Water Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey show that in the southern High Plains we have been taking out water at an unusually high rate in the past few years. We are going to present this factual information as it becomes available to impress upon the minds of the agricultural industrial and municipal water users the necessity of conservative, wise use of water before the well goes completely dry,

Since the principal economy of the Southern High Plains is agricultural, we have coined a phrase that should become foremost on the tongue of every farmer, banker, pump dealer, and well driller in the High Plains — “Conservation Irrigation.”

Conservation Irrigation to us means the use of our irrigation water as an insurance, not as a means of getting rich quickly at the expense of our water and our posterity.

Conservation Irrigation should mean the prolongment of our present economy as long as possible, eliminating to a bare minimum the mining of our valuable resource for the benefit of the few who are using it today.

Certainly, water in storage is like fruit in a jar. It is no good unless put to beneficial use. But few people have consumed a jar of fruit at one sitting, for in so doing, they not only suffer the physical consequences, but tomorrow, they have no fruit for their next meal.

We cannot say that harvesting the fruits of a bountiful harvest produced by indiscriminate pumping would hurt us, but what of the harvest of tomorrow?

As Benjamin Franklin so aptly said, “You never miss the water until the well goes dry.”

Improving Irrigation Efficiency with Telemetry

By Katherine Drury, HPWD Conservation Connect

There have been many advances in irrigation technology during the past century. Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) center pivot systems and subsurface drip irrigation have taken the place of furrow irrigation with open, unlined ditches. With irrigation application efficiencies nearing 100 percent, researchers and irrigation equipment manufacturers are turning their attention to improved system monitoring and scheduling.

Telemetry technology, allowing remote monitoring and control of center pivot and subsurface drip irrigation systems, is an emerging trend among producers. The most basic systems allow the producer to remotely monitor an irrigation system and turn it on or off by clicking a button on his phone or computer. The more advanced telemetry systems can incorporate soil moisture information and weather data to help a producer schedule irrigation.

Jonathan James, a cotton and wheat producer in Floyd and Crosby Counties, utilizes monitoring technology on his irrigation systems. He said this equipment has been a valuable addition to his operation. “Mrs. FieldNet,” as James’ wife calls it, frequently sends him text messages about the status of his irrigation systems. This keeps him in the loop, if a system fails.

Earlier this summer, he and his family were about to take a day trip out of town. As always, he checked his irrigation systems that morning before leaving.

“I drove by a system with one of the monitors on it,” James said. “Everything was fine. The monitor said it was fine. Visually, it was running.”

He drove to check on the final center pivot. After ensuring that it was working properly, he turned around to go home before leaving town.

“That one pivot that I had driven by ten minutes earlier texted me that it had shut off,” he said. “I stopped by and had it fixed in about 30 minutes. If I had been without the monitoring system, the pivot would’ve sat there for 24 hours before I made it back again.”

He estimates that he could have lost upwards of half a million gallons of water down the turn row had he not been immediately notified of the irrigation system malfunction.

James manages 19 center pivots. He drives about three hours every day to check on each of his fields and irrigation systems. He said this telemetry equipment helps him prioritize his route.

“I farm from north of Lorenzo to south of Dougherty. It takes me about three hours to make a circle to see every one of them. I still go to every one every day, but if I get up and see that one is off, I know I’m going there first and then make my circle rather than going around and showing up there at 11 o’clock. That’s another four or five hours it might have saved me.”

He said irrigation systems can shut down for a variety of reasons, which range from getting stuck in the mud to power surges. He estimates that on average, one of his systems malfunctions every day during the irrigation season. The ability to remotely communicate with his irrigation systems has been invaluable.

“The amount of time that it saves you and the information you collect from it is such a useful tool.”

Telemetry allows producers to track when their systems were turned on or off and how long they are in operation. This data can be exported and evaluated with each data point serving as an opportunity to learn and refine the process for next season.

“Efficiency is the name of the game in farming. Every year, we’re trying to squeeze just a little more and a little more, and this increases my efficiency of keeping machines running.”

AgriLife Extension offers water wise tips for turfgrass

COLLEGE STATION – Lawn owners may be second-guessing their regular maintenance practices, especially in the hottest and driest months.

Dr. Becky Grubbs, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service turfgrass specialist in College Station, has published a Water-Wise Checklist for Texas Home Lawns and Other Turfgrass Areas to help with lawn maintenance this summer.

“We know this is the time of year when Texans become particularly concerned about their lawns,” Grubbs said. “As our weather grows hotter and dryer, it’s increasingly important to find a balance with water use.”

She said many lawn owners tend to overwater, which is evidenced by runoff seen accumulating on neighborhood streets and sidewalks. This overwatering can lead to problems, but a few simple management changes can optimize water use and lawn health simultaneously.

Some of the points made on the checklist are:

– Mow at the upper end of the appropriate mowing height range for your species of grass. Taller grass equals deeper roots, which can improve overall infiltration and access to water deeper in the soil. For more information on appropriate mowing heights per grass species, visit the AggieTurf website at https://aggieturf.tamu.edu/.

– Follow the “1/3 Rule.” Mow frequently enough to never remove more than 1/3 of the total grass mowing height at one time. Scalped grass is stressed grass. Stressed grass will be less tolerant to heat and drought, and more vulnerable to other pests or fungal pathogens.

– Water deeply and infrequently. Try to water to a depth of about 6 inches each time you water. Watering this way encourages deeper, denser root growth. Again, this can improve infiltration and access to water deeper in the soil.

– Wait to water until visual wilt is occurring. Water late at night or early in the morning to reduce evaporative losses, improve water-use efficiency and reduce length of overall leaf wetness, which reduces disease potential.

– Use the “Cycle Soak Method.” Because sprinkler precipitation rates usually exceed soil infiltration rates, cycle soaking improves soil water infiltration and reduces runoff by “pulsing” water onto the lawn in small amounts over several hours.

The complete checklist is available at https://tinyurl.com/lawnturfwater.

Grubbs wants to remind homeowners not to panic.

“Grasses that are well-maintained the majority of the year will go into summer dormancy when drought becomes particularly severe,” she said. “It may lose color much like it does in winter dormancy, but it’s important to remember that when water becomes available again, the grass will recover.

“The trick is to give it everything it needs to grow a healthy, vigorous root system when those resources are available and appropriate.”

Grubbs said summer heat and drought stress can invite other issues as well, which are easy to misdiagnose. These issues are also discussed in more depth on the AggieTurf website under Publications.

Also, the local AgriLife Extension county agent can be contacted if a lawn owner is unsure about a problem, she said.

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"Find" more water through landscaping techniques

By Kay Ledbetter. AgriLife Today

AMARILLO – Drought is a given, and water from traditional sources will be limited in the future, but homeowners and businesses can “find” more water through conservation, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research environmental horticulturist.

The 90.3 square miles within the city limits of Amarillo annually gets an average of twice as much water in rainfall as is demanded by residents for both indoor and outdoor use, said Daniel Cunningham, with Texas A&M AgriLife’s urban water program, Water University, in Dallas.

“Can we capture all that water? Certainly not,” he said. “But it’s something to think about. If we are getting twice as much as we need, it does make you wonder how much more you can capture on your property to use as an alternative water source.”

“Water You Doing? West Texas” was the title of Cunningham’s presentation during the fourth biennial Texas Panhandle Water Conservation Symposium recently in Amarillo.

Facilitiating behavior change and reducing water use is the goal of all the water education programs conducted through the Water University program at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. This is particularly important in times when there is limited rainfall, Cunningham said.

“There are certain parts of Texas where we are blessed with good rainfall, but then there are other parts like West Texas and the Panhandle that don’t see as much rainfall,” he said. “It’s not if, but when, we will see a drought. If we can make conservation efforts now and convince our family and friends to do so, maybe we can avoid some of the potential problems.”

Cunningham said as a state, the water supply of 15.2 million acre feet is expected to decline to 13.6 million acre feet at a time when population is expected to increase from 29.5 million to 51 million.

“So it is critical we look at our water availability as a whole; how that relates to the growing urban areas we have; and how that affects water use,” he said. “Where is more water going to come from?”

“It is imperative we look at conservation as a source of more water,” Cunningham said. “One of the best ways to achieve conservation is through education and outreach.”

When thinking conservation, understand that 41 percent of water use in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is outdoors, he said, adding that percentage is typical for many cities, including Amarillo.

Techniques such as simple rainwater harvesting barrels or cisterns for homeowners; or maybe in a commercial setting, capturing as much water as possible and utilizing technology to filter it to drinking water quality or just to flush the toilets will help, Cunningham said.

“But a cistern only holds so much, so at some point the water is going to overflow,” he said. “We can actually hold more water in a landscape itself than we could ever capture in tanks. Landscapes designed to shunt the water off as quickly as possible don’t make sense. Landscapes that have rain gardens or depressions to slow down the water and allow them to fill up first before they overflow down the storm drains are much better.”

His suggestion is to trap some of the water to allow it to infiltrate, perhaps using curb cuts to catch water coming off a neighbor’s property and encouraging the water to slowly spread into depressions.

Rain gardens engineered with gravel and pipes in the bottom and incorporating compost that acts as a sponge to hold the water is another option, Cunningham said.

“Build landscapes as resilient as possible to drought, and we will be better off when those droughts do come,” he said.

Some landscaping aspects homeowners should include are resources that decrease the need for water from a holistic standpoint: rainwater harvesting or greywater harvesting; native or adapted plants; pervious paving; edible landscaping; rain gardens; drip/efficient irrigation; and reduced lawn area.

He said reducing the amount of turf, which can require a lot of water if managed the wrong way, to about a third of the area still allows for outdoor play. Incorporating water-efficient native or adapted plants and permeable hardscapes on the other two-thirds can increase the amount of water captured and provide it to the plants.

“Our clients are asking for outdoor living spaces that are environmentally sustainable, reduce water costs and are lower in maintenance,” Cunningham said. “This option does that.”

Some other tips he offered include:

• Create healthy vibrant water-efficient landscapes without sacrificing aesthetics.
• Water only when needed.
• Water deeply to promote deep and healthy roots. Frequent watering does not encourage deep root growth.
• Water slowly for better absorption. Use drip wherever possible and the “cycle and soak” method.
• Maintain 2-4 inches of mulch in flower, groundcover, garden and shrub areas to hold the water for a longer period of time.
• Design for efficiency.
• Install irrigation systems for efficient use per state and local specifications.
• Water without creating runoff – “the concrete is growing fast enough already, it doesn’t need to be watered.”
• Check irrigation systems monthly and make repairs and adjustments when needed.

Cunningham said for more landscaping conservation information and ideas, go to https://Wateruniversity.tamu.edu.

Dividing landscape into one part turf, one part natural plants and one part permeable hardscape can save water. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Gabe Saldana)

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La Nina Moves in for the Winter

A La Nina climate pattern has arrived and is likely to persist through the winter, according to a Nov. 9, 2017 advisory issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center.

Scientists say there is a greater than 50 percent chance that La Nina will also be in place February through April 2018.

This is the second winter in a row with a La Nina weather pattern, and like last year, forecasters expect this one to be weak.

Follow this link to read more about La Nina and how it means for weather in your region.

Reduced rainfall increases the need for more water conservation efforts!

Fall 2017 Magazine Now Available

The 2017 Conservation connect magazine is now available online: hpwd.org/magazine

What do irrigation efficiency, a learning landscape, rainfall, reclaimed water, and healthy soils have in common? They're all subjects of articles that you'll find in the Fall 2017 issue of HPWD's Conservation Connect magazine. 

Other stories in this issue include: 

• Xcel Energy's innovative water supply project 
• Lubbock South Plains Lions Club's legacy project that celebrates conservation 
• An update on the City of Wolfforth's electro-dialysis reversal (EDR) water treatment facility that went online in May 2017 
• HPWD's 2016-2017 H2You Contest winners 
• An overview of the 85th Texas Legislature. 

"It is our pleasure to showcase the water conservation efforts of several individuals in this issue of Conservation Connect. We salute them for their innovation and dedication to conserving the groundwater resources of our region. They are our partners in conservation efforts," said HPWD Manager Jason Coleman.

The 28-page publication is now available for online viewing and/or downloading at www.hpwd.org/magazine