irrigation

Thanks to several back-to-back systems rolling across the state, Washington’s snowpack is off to a great start.  Scott Pattee with NRCS Washington said the current snowpack is 132% of average, and those figures are fairly evenly distributed across the state.   "The h...

With many farmers already thinking about the New Year, and what 2023 holds in store for their crop, their livestock and their operation, why should water be any different?  Producers across southern Idaho are very hopeful this coming winter will be a cool one with a lot of rain and snow to replenish aquifers.  Te...

The Farmers Conservation Alliance was recently awarded $120,000 from Google to better manage data, as they help 40 different irrigation communities in the west learn to better manage their water.   “When you think about working with each of those communities and looking at infrastructure that’s a significant part of rural communities, you just have a lot of information that you’re managing."

Central Oregon Irrigation District has announced that it will continue to run at the current delivery rate until October 1st; at that time, deliveries drop to season five flows .  When it comes to the last day of the season, October 13th has been set as the final shut off date for the Central Oregon Canal (service area east side of Bend/Alfalfa/Powell Butte), while October 14th will be the last da

Back in June, the American Farm Bureau Federation distributed its third drought impact survey to members in 15 western states.  Danny Munch, AFBF economist, said the survey looked at a variety of demographics, including crop and livestock factors, as well as access to water, and what farmers are doing to cope with drought.  Th...

According to a University of Idaho researcher, hay farmers looking to stretch a limited water supply should consider irrigating their second two cuttings at a significant deficit. Xi Liang, an associate professor of cropping systems agronomy at the U of I Aberdeen Research and Extension Center, has completed two years of a multi-state study evaluating the effects of planting configuration and irri

According to the Central Oregon Irrigation District, the Deschutes River flows continue to drop.  Currently, COID is diverting 75% of the normal rate from the river, which puts the delivery rates to customers anywhere from 60%-70%.  The Irrigation District noted flows are closely monitored, and if flows continue to drop customers will be notified.   ...

We’ve seen them across the state - patches of brown trees or shrubs on the side of the road or in what is typically a lush forest. “With the hot, dry summers we’ve had over the last number of years, and prolonged drought in some very droughty locations in eastern and southern Oregon, plants that traditionally used to do okay without being watered are having issues," said Weston Miller, a Hort

The Bureau of Reclamation’s July water supply forecast in encouraging news for central Washington Growers.  According to Reclamation, the Yakima basin water supply will fully satisfy all senior and junior users this irrigation season.  June com...

It’s a new group of ag organizations, with a goal of tackling drought concerns threatening both livelihoods and potentially the food supply.  The newly formed Oregon Agricultural Water Alliance include the Oregon Farm Bureau, the state Cattleman’s Association, Dairy Farmers Association, Water Resources Congress, as well as the Oregon Association of Nurseries.  The OAN’s Jeff Ston...