AUTOMATED WATER MANAGEMENT FOR CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Simulations were conducted to determine the effectiveness of a software package that fully automates center pivot irrigation systems on fields planted to corn for years 19852004. A total of seven sites from the Central and Northern Plains were chosen for analysis (Akron, CO, Ames, IA, Brookings, SD, Sandyland, KS, Oakes, ND, Ord, NE, and Rock Port, MO). System pumping capacities of 37.9, 50.5, and 63.1 liters/second were simulated at each site along with the soil available water holding capacities of 83, 125, and 167 mm/meter. A comprehensive analysis is presented in this paper for all sites for a pumping rate of 50.5 liters/second and an available water holding capacity of 125 mm/meter of soil. The average days under minimum allowable soil moisture capacity in a single growing season ranged from 37 at Akron, CO to one at Oakes, ND. Akron, CO also had the greatest average number of irrigation cycles in a growing season (24) with both Ames, IA and Oakes, ND having the least average number of irrigation cycles per season of sites analyzed with 12. The average ratio of actual evapotranspiration to water inputs for all sites was greatest at Sandyland, KS (0.95) and least at Oakes, ND (0.90).

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