System Continued from Page 4
controller may open a gate to allow more water into the field or paddy or shut a gate to prevent additional water. A small solar panel powers the unit. Users can also log into the system using a smartphone or computer to monitor irrigation levels or to manually open or shut gates. Rice can be finicky and grows best with uniform water depth, Fiack said. Large changes in water levels can stress the plants, potentially increasing disease and reducing yield. “If you farm rice perfectly, one of the things that gives you a yield bump of 2% to 3% is water control,” he said. “If you can keep it consistent and not have wild swings, you get better yields.” Fiack acknowledged that investing in an automated irrigation management system carried a large up-front cost, but he said he found it more reasonable when he amor- tized it over five years. The return on investment also became more attractive when he factored in what he’d pay an irrigator to drive around check- ing fields daily. “The other thing is this is an always-on system,” Fiack said. “This system is check- ing every 15 minutes 24 hours a day. It catches those problems in the middle of the night.” (Vicky Boyd is a reporter in Modesto. She may be contacted at vlboyd@att.net.)
only one variable—water depth. “Water level control is easy,” Burt said. “It’s entirely different than automating drip systems based on tree response.” Fiack said he bought an Aquarius irri- gation management system after learn- ing about it from Arkansas rice producer Jim Whitaker, with whom he shares a Rice Leadership Program connection. Whitaker, who farms with his brother Sam near McGehee, Ark., has used a Precision King system for five to seven years and an Aquarius system for four years. Based on input from their agricultur- al consultant, Robb Dedman, Whitaker said they began using the systems to save water. Between summer rainstorms and switching to alternate wetting and drying, which promotes a mid-season dry down before reflooding rice fields, the brothers use about one-fifth the irrigation water they used to. They’ve also compared the automated systems to their best irrigator and saw a 20% water savings alone. “(The system) senses and only turns the well on when you need it and turns it off the second it hits the high-level mark,” Whitaker said. “You may think you’ll get to a field at 7 a.m., but you don’t actually get to it until 9, and that pump is running for two to three hours extra.” Despite the automation, he said the
Water flows into a Glenn County rice field through an inlet pipe. The system is governed by a controller on a levee gate that opens or closes based on prescribed settings from water sensors.
systems haven’t eliminated workers but have allowed them to make more effi- cient use of their time. “You still have to check things, but you don’t have to spend all day in water-dis- covery mode trying to find out how much water is on every field and what well is run- ning,” Whitaker said. Rice fields typically are sectioned into paddies, with a levee dividing each one.
A gate on the well outlet, canal or ditch regulates water flow into the top paddy. Additional gates installed in each levee al- low the water to flow via gravity from the top through to the lower ones. The irrigation management system consists of a sensor in each paddy that measures water levels every 15 minutes. It sends information wirelessly to a com- puterized controller on the irrigation gates. Based on parameters set by the user, the
California Marketplace Come shop the bounty and artisan goods of our state and local vendors, enjoy food and beverage samples, and visit sponsor/exhibitor booths. Workshops Educational topics covering three paths: Marketing, Branding & Sales, Policy, and Professional Development. Sunday Activities Join us for fun tours, annual cornhole tournament, and more, as well as the many offerings of the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. Research and Grant Updates Dr. Amrith Gunasekara, CAFB director of science and research, discusses exciting research and grants led by the California Bountiful Foundation. PLUS • Continuing Education (CE) Sessions for Pesticide Licensing • Awards Banquet Recognizing Counties and Individuals • Receptions and Networking • Silent and Live Auctions • YF&R State Conference Workshops, Awards, and Networking
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October 4, 2023 Ag Alert 15
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