U.S. Water News Online
TUCSON, Ariz. -- A University of Arizona study of underground drip irrigation could help farmers save water and increase crop yields, researchers say.
According to the state Department of Water Resources, agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of Arizona's water use. Researchers say that switching to a subsurface drip irrigation system could cut farmers' water use by 25 to 50 percent.
The study, called AZdrip, looks at a subsurface drip irrigation system installed on a 4-acre plot about 20 miles northwest of Casa Grande.
The goal is to show that subsurface irrigation can be a viable alternative to flood irrigation, which is used on about 95 percent of Arizona crops, said Thomas L. Thompson, a UA professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science.
So far, researchers have grown watermelons and broccoli.
Other potential crop benefits of drip irrigation include safer application of pesticides, which can be dangerous if applied above ground, and increased crop yields from more efficient watering, Thompson said.
Farmers have a hard time justifying drip irrigation because water is relatively cheap and drip systems can cost from $500 to $2,000 per acre to install, Thompson said.
The study has been funded for three more years.
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