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Producers should avoid water waste during pre-plant irrigationTexas As producers begin pre-plant irrigation for the 2008 crop year, the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 in Lubbock is receiving numerous reports of irrigation water escaping from fields within its 15-county service area. District officials remind agricultural producers that such groundwater waste is a violation of state law and High Plains Water District rules. "Allowing irrigation water ("tailwater") to escape from a field is costly to producers. It wastes energy required to pump groundwater to the land surface; it wastes groundwater stored in the Ogallala and other aquifers in the High Plains region; and there is no benefit to crop yields," says High Plains Water District Manager Jim Conkwright. Tailwater waste is defined by law as "groundwater pumped for irrigation that escapes off the property and into any river, creek, natural watercourse, depression, lake, reservoir, drain, sewer, highway, road, or ditch, or onto land other than the owner of the well." Therefore, if groundwater stays on the property where it was originally pumped, the landowner or operator is not in violation of the law or district rules. Conkwright emphasizes that irrigation water sprayed onto county roads from the end gun of a center pivot system or side roll irrigation system is also considered to be groundwater waste. As a result, landowners and operators may be liable for any auto accidents resulting from irrigation water entering a county road or road ditch. Improved irrigation application technologies and conservation methods, such as use of center pivots, furrow dikes, and subsurface drip irrigation systems, have helped reduce irrigation water waste. Although irrigation water waste is not as commonplace as it was more than 50 years ago, there are times when it still occurs. District Field Technician Dan Seale says most of the recent tailwater incidents he has investigated involve use of center pivots. "For the most part, center pivots are a good tool to help improve irrigation application efficiencies. However, they must be managed properly. We encourage producers to keep close watch on their pivots to avoid any potential problem areas that would allow irrigation water to escape from their fields. Checking these on a regular basis can prevent water waste," says Seale. For example, he has investigated instances where water from the end nozzles of Low Energy Spray Application pivots has sprayed on the field and flowed off into the adjacent road ditch. Other instances have included irrigating corners of a field as well as groundwater flowing into the pivot wheel tracks and then off the field. Most irrigation water waste is reported through telephone calls to the water district headquarters in Lubbock or via the district's web site at www.hpwd.com. In other instances, district field personnel sometimes discover water waste while performing daily work. If water waste is reported, field personnel investigate the complaint, take photographs, and document the violation. The landowner or operator is then notified by letter and asked to correct the problem. "The High Plains Water District has a 'neighbor helping neighbor' philosophy. We prefer to work with the landowner and/or operator to help them solve irrigation water waste problems. However, in cases of habitual violation, the district will seek legal action to stop groundwater waste," says Conkwright. Information about the tailwater abatement program is available by contacting the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1, 2930 Avenue Q, Lubbock, TX 79411-2499, or by calling 806-762-0181. 4/21/08 Date: 4/15/08
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