CSREES PNW Region Water Quality Program logo Spring 2003
PNWWATER 015

Water Conservation and
Agricultural Water Management

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Photo of onion field under irrigation

Overview

Pacific Northwest and Alaska rivers, lakes and groundwater sources provide water for industry, agriculture, residential uses, and recreation, as well as support a diversity of ecosystems. Increased demands from an expanding population, industrial growth, increases in agricultural production and ecosystem management have resulted in localized, temporal shortages of available water. Agriculture is the single largest water user. However, inefficient irrigation methods are being replaced by modern science-based water saving techniques. Additionally, efficient water management reduces soil erosion. Land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest are engaged in research and educational outreach in water conservation techniques for agricultural operations. Regionally, there are also ongoing, community watershed planning efforts in which many local Cooperative Extension faculty are actively engaged. Members of the Pacific Northwest Water Quality Coordination Program have a broad range of research activities, education materials and outreach programs to assist agriculturists and others to manage water quality and quantity.

Desired Outcomes

  • Agricultural water users implement water-saving irrigation methods
  • Individuals employ water conservation techniques
  • Water conservation mitigates the need for increased numbers of water storage systems
  • Water resources are better managed
  • Soil erosion is reduced to sustainable levels
Washington State University logo University of Idaho logo Oregon State University logo University of Alaska Fairbanks logo Northwest Indian College logo Environmental Protection Agency logo USDA-CSREES logo

Pacific Northwest Conservation Tillage Handbook
Much of the effort in the Pacific Northwest to control soil erosion and effectively manage water in agriculture promotes the use of conservation tillage. This technology developed by scientists associated with the Solutions to Environmental and Economic Problems (STEEP) program is summarized in the Pacific Northwest Conservation Tillage Handbook. This handbook contains chapters covering soil erosion, conservation tillage systems and equipment, residue management, plant diseases, weeds, fertility and fertilizers, plant development and ground cover, wheat variety development and alternate crops, erosion control on irrigated cropland, economics, and application of new technology. This handbook can be ordered from publication offices at Oregon State University, Washington State University or the University of Idaho.
Pacific Northwest Regional Publications (note: these publications can be obtained from publication offices at Oregon State University, Washington State University and the University of Idaho):
PNW 0286 Offsets for Stationary Sprinkler Systems
PNW 0287 Irrigation Runoff Control Strategies
PNW 0288 Irrigation Scheduling
PNW 0289 Converting Sprinkler Systems to Lower Pressure
PNW 0293 Walk-Through Irrigation Systems Analysis
PNW 0323 Stretching Irrigation Water Supplies
PNW 0354 Agronomic Zones for the Dryland Pacific Northwest
PNW 0475 Soil Water Monitoring and Measurement

ALASKA Contacts
Michele Hebert, Land Resource Agent, Fairbanks,
(907) 474-2423, fnhmm@uaf.edu
Tom Jahns, Land Resource Agent, Soldotna, (907) 262-5824, fftrj@uaf.edu
Phillip Kaspari, Ag. Extension Agent, Delta Junction, (907) 895-4215, fnpnk@uaf.edu
Roseann Leiner, Horticulture Specialist, Palmer, (907) 746-9466, pfrml@uaa.alaska.edu
Jeff Smeenk, Extension Hort Specialist, Palmer, (907) 746-9470, jeff.smeenk@uaf.edu
Circle irrigation patterns viewed from the air
Water paddle in streamALASKA Publications
FGV-00242 Strong Fundamentals
FGV-00242A Soil Fertility Basics
FGV-00648 Trickle Irrigation for Alaska Gardeners
FGV-00649 Managing Irrigation for High Value Crops
GWQ-00547 Protect Water Resource-Understand Pesticide Movement
GWQ-00548 Protecting Alaska's Water Resources
HGA-00053 Home Landscaping Kits
HGA-00236 Lawn Maintenance and Pesticides
HGA-00239 Managing Alaskan Lawns
HGA-00334 Lawn Maintenance
IDAHO Contacts
Robert L. Mahler, Water Quality Coordinator, Moscow, (208) 885-7025, bmahler@uidaho.edu
Hans Kok, Extension STEEP, Moscow, (208) 885-5971, hanskok@uidaho.edu
Bradley A. King, Precision Irrigation Management, Aberdeen, (208) 397-4181, brad@uidaho.edu
Howard Neibling, Extension Irrigation Management, Twin Falls, (208) 736-3631, hneibling@uidaho.edu
View of field patterns under irrigation

IDAHO Publications
BUL 784 Climates of Idaho
BUL 787 Economics of Low-Pressure Sprinkler Irrigation Systems: Center Pivot and Linear Move
BUL 788 Economics of Low-Pressure Sprinkler Irrigation Systems: Handline, Solid Set and Wheeline
BUL 800 Evaluating the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Farming Practices on the Palouse using PLANETOR
BUL 807 Irrigation Management in the HUA
BUL 808 Erosion Control Progress in the HUA
BUL 811 Groundwater and Wellhead Protection in the HUA
CIS 587 Reducing Soil Losses with Filter Strips
CIS 638 Five Point Program: Soil Erosion Control under Dryland Crop Production
CIS 696 Reducing Soil Losses by Sediment Retention
CIS 887 Idaho's Water Resource
CIS 893 Household Water -- Dos and Don'ts
CIS 900 Groundwater in Idaho
CIS 1039 Irrigation Scheduling using Water-Use Tables
RES 133 Economic Evaluation of Practices for Reducing Sedimentation Under Irrigated Agriculture in Southcentral Idaho
RES 139 Costs and Benefits of Improving Irrigation Return Flow Water Quality in the Rock Creek, Idaho, Rural Clean Water Project

Drip irrigation hose

OREGON Contacts
Marshall English, Extension Irrigation Management, Department of Engineering, Corvallis, (541) 737-6308, englishm@engr.orst.edu
Clint Shock, Irrigation and Nutrient Management, Malheur Experiment Station, Ontario, (541) 889-2174, clinton.shock@orst.edu
George Clough, Irrigation Management, Hermiston Research and Experiment Station, (541) 567-6337, cloughg@bcc.oregonstate.edu
John Selker, Soil Water Movement, Department of Bioengineering, Corvallis, (541) 737-6304, john.selker@orst.edu

OREGON Publications
EC 628 How to Take a Soil Sample . . . and Why
EC 1094 Calculating the Fertilizer of Manure from Livestock Operations
EC 1368 Measuring Well Water Levels
EC 1369 Estimating Water Flow Rates
EC 1374 Rural Domestic Water Supply
EC 1426 The State of Water in Oregon

Sprinklers watering lawnWASHINGTON Contacts
Christopher Feise, Environmental Stewardship, Puyallup, (253) 445-4626, feise@wsu.edu
Diana Roberts, Sustainable Agriculture, Spokane, (509) 477-2167, robertsd@wsu.edu
Troy Peters, Irrigation Specialist, Prosser, (509) 786-9247, troy_peters@wsu.edu
Carol Miles, Sustainable Agriculture, Vancouver, (360) 576-6030, milesc@wsu.edu
Pacific Northwest Regional Water
Quality Coordination Project
Partners

Land Grant Universities
Alaska
Cooperative Extension Service
Contact Fred Sorensen:
907-786-6311
http://www.uaf.edu/ces/water/index.html
University Publications:
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/publications/

Idaho
University of Idaho
Cooperative Extension System
Contact Bob Mahler: 208-885-7025
http://www.uidaho.edu/wq/wqhome.html
University Publications:
http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Catalog/catalog.htm

Oregon
Oregon State University
Extension Service
Contact Mike Gamroth: 541-737-3316
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
University Publications:
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/

Washington
Washington State University
WSU Extension
Contact Bob Simmons:
360-427-9670 ext. 690
http://wawater.wsu.edu
University Publications:
http://pubs.wsu.edu/

Northwest Indian College
Contact Michael Cochrane: 360-392-4299
mcochrane@nwic.edu or
http://www.nwic.edu/

Water Resource Research Institutes
Water and Environmental Research
Center (Alaska)
http://www.uaf.edu/water/

Idaho Water Resources
Research Institute
http://www.boise.uidaho.edu/

Institute for Water and Watersheds
(Oregon)
http://water.oregonstate.edu/

State of Washington
Water Research Center
http://www.swwrc.wsu.edu/

Environmental Protection Agency
EPA, Region 10
The Pacific Northwest
http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/

Office of Research and Development,
Corvallis Laboratory
http://www.epa.gov/wed/

For more information contact
Jan Seago at 206-553-0038 or
seago.jan@epa.gov

The Project
Land Grant Universities, Water Research Institutes and EPA Region 10 have formed a partnership to provide research and education to communities about protecting or restoring the quality of water resources. This partnership is being supported in part by the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System (CSREES).

Our Goal and Approach
The goal of this Project is to provide leadership for water resources research, education and outreach to help people, industry and governments to prevent and solve current and emerging water quality and quantity problems. The approach to achieving this goal is for the Partners to develop a coordinated regional water quality effort based on, and strengthening, individual state programs.

Our Strengths
The Project promotes regional collaboration by acknowledging existing programs and successful efforts; assessing program gaps; identifying potential issues for cross-agency and private sector collaboration, and developing a clearinghouse of expertise and programs. In addition, the Project establishes or enhances partnerships with federal, state and local environmental and water resource management agencies, such as by placing a University Liaison within the offices of EPA Region 10.

WASHINGTON Publications
EB 1090 Water Home Gardens and Landscape Plants
EB 1102 Soil Management in Yards and Gardens
EB 1304 Simple Irrigation Scheduling Using Pan Evaporation
EB 1305 Sprinkler Irrigation: Application Rates and Depths
EB 1579 Landscape Plants for the Inland Northwest
EB 1716 Farming Practices for Groundwater Protection
EB 1722 How Fertilizers and Plant Nutrients Affect Groundwater Quality
EB 1730 Pesticide Mixing and Loading Options to Protect Water Quality
EB 1810 A Ready Reference for Irrigation Manual of Practice
EB 1852e Conserving Water Indoors
EB 1858e Hot Water Conservation
EB 1895 Soil Management for Small Farms
EM 3522 Interpretation of Chemical Analysis of Irrigation Water
EM 4828 Surface Irrigation Systems
EM 4830 Vegetable Crops
EM 4832 Drought Advisory: Set-Move and Permanent Sprinkle Irrigation Systems
EM 4834 Water Conservation in Gardens and Landscapes
EM 4856 Drought Advisory: Water Conservation and Weed Control Go Hand in Hand
EM 4885 Irrigation Management Practices to Protect Groundwater and Surface Water Quality in the State of Washington
EM 4915 Managing Irrigated Pastures and Hay Land
MISC0091 Application of Herbicides Through Irrigation Systems
MISC0224 Conservation Farming in the United States
MISC0294 Dry Land Gardening
XB 1021 The Furrow Irrigation Erosion Simulator
National Water Quality Program Areas

The four land grant universities in the Pacific Northwest have aligned our water resource extension and research efforts with eight themes of the USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension System.

  1. Animal Waste Management
  2. Drinking Water and Human Health
  3. Environmental Restoration
  4. Nutrient and Pesticide Management
  5. Pollution Assessment and Prevention
  6. Watershed Management
  7. Water Conservation and Agricultural Water Management
  8. Water Policy and Economics
CSREES is the Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service, a sub-agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, and is the federal partner in this water quality program.

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Download the 11x17 informational PDF flyer or download the 4-page PDF version.

A cooperative program consisting of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
and
the Land Grant Colleges and Universities.

- a Regionally-Based National Network -

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USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
CSREES PNW Regional Water Quality Program