As water users look for ways to conserve water, Rob Sharpnack, state CREP manager for the Soil & Water Conservation Commission, outlined the benefits of Idaho's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) during the Idaho Water Users Association summer meeting in June.

Take a closer look at the tools that, combined with thorough preparation, can help reduce the impacts of drought.

While new irrigation technologies can be valuable tools, improving irrigation efficiency does not always require a major investment. In many cases, small management changes can have a significant impact on water use, crop performance and overall profitability.

Across much of the U.S., ranchers are dealing with a shift that’s been building for years: The patterns they’ve relied on are changing.

Even small improvements in how water is applied and managed can make a noticeable difference in irrigation efficiency and crop performance. Utah State University (USU) is currently studying four types of wheel‑line sprinklers (traditional impact sprinklers and newer rotator styles) to see how they affect irrigation efficiency and yields in common forage crops.

As heat events become more frequent and more intense, dairy producers are reevaluating when – and how – they cool their cows.

On June 16, Gov. Brad Little and Idaho Water Resource Board (IWRB) Chairman Jeff Raybould visited American Falls Dam and the Highline Canal south of Buhl to highlight two major projects funded through the state’s Modernizing Water Infrastructure grant.

Soil surfactants when utilized correctly, can optimize soil moisture that would otherwise be limiting and leave the cool-season grasses vulnerable to heat stress. When coupled with well established “best management practices” for irrigation efficiency (i.e., proper maintenance, moisture monitoring, irrigation scheduling based on evapotranspiration and other precision irrigation practices), soil surfactants can be implemented to fully optimize irrigation water supply and improve efficiencies.

Nationwide, 14.6 million acres are cultivated for alfalfa. Critics argue this is too much for regions with limited water, yet they fail to compare these numbers to other staple crops.