Irrigation Advances are Transforming how we Farm

The American south-west and central plains could be on course for super-droughts the like of which they have not witnessed in over a 1,000 years. Places like California are already facing very dry conditions, but these are quite gentle compared with some periods in the 12th and 13th Centuries.

On this blog and elsewhere, we have often talked about having improved water efficiency as an industry by 33% over the last 20 years¹ for more “crop per drop.” Have you been wondering how individual farmers have been implementing such water-conserving systems?

This story by the Fresno Bee highlights what farmers do to be more efficient with the water they use on the crops they grow. Some almond farmers, like Madera County’s Tom Rogers, have installed “sophisticated sensors” to measure soil moisture and irrigation gates for increased efficiency. For Rogers, this means a 25% savings in water.