Irrigation Philosophies

#bfrdpwy #aginternship #RightRisk

This week I helped install gated pipe in a field that was previously irrigated with ditch dams. We made a head gate and leveled different areas of the ground so it would be able to accommodate the pipe we were laying.

To get this done, we used a skid steer and some shovel work. It was interesting to watch and learn how gated pipe is installed in a new location.

I don’t have anything to challenge, but during the process of laying gated pipe I learned from my boss that irrigation should resemble the process of a good rain, thoroughly soaking the ground then drying up.

Doing this will let the grass grow better than flood irrigating. Irrigating with gated pipe will encourage the grass to grow stronger roots and become more hearty when compared to flood irrigating.

Flood irrigating keeps the ground wet for longer periods of time and nutrients are washed away as the waters flood over it; this, in turn, will grow weak grass that is dependent on water and is not good at storing water or using it in an efficient manner.

Questions I still have would be, what different types of irrigation philosophies are there? What is the reasoning behind them? It was interesting for me to hear my boss’s view on how irrigation should be done so that you grow strong grass.

I think it would be interesting to see different people in different climates with other grasses irrigate and create a healthy growing environment for the grass.

I plan on learning more about the best ways to irrigate for the reason of not putting too much water on the field too often, but also not putting it on too rarely. Finding a balance and learning more about different philosophies to encourage root growth, better soil, and stronger grass, which in turn provides better nutrition for the cattle, is what I hope to learn.