Ag research has done a lot for the High Plains, but it’s not getting the recognition it deserves, according to a senior irrigation engineer at Texas A&M University. Thomas Marek says today’s irrigated agriculture is capable of producing 40 percent more grain with 90 percent less energy and 60 percent less water than in the past, reports agjournalonline.com.
Marek spoke at the Oklahoma Irrigation Conference. It’s an event that provides farmers with education about how to make existing irrigation systems more efficient and profitable.
While declining aquifers dominate the conversation, irrigation technology has come a long way. Some farmers are upgrading directly to subsurface drip systems, for example, rather than installing center pivot systems. There are also modifications available to convert center pivots to more efficient drip-style systems. Marek, who’s based in Amarillo, said aquifer depletion is getting better.