Companies share smart irrigation stories

July is Smart Irrigation Month, the Irrigation Association’s initiative to recognize and promote the benefits associated with smart and efficient irrigation. The IA is focusing on the people behind smart irrigation in 2020, celebrating the professionals who make our industry great. Throughout June and July, the IA asked irrigation professionals to share their stories of smart irrigation. Read about these companies working hard to promote smart and efficient irrigation.

WiseConn Engineering Inc.

Fresno, California

Our automated irrigation system helped a farm management company in Bakersfield, California, save an acre-foot of water on young almonds compared to the season prior. The growers were able to use an online software that allowed them to remotely schedule irrigations as well as view water penetration in several soil moisture depths which correlated with the water that was applied in the field. The use of soil moisture monitoring and remote irrigation not only helped save labor costs, but the trees saw higher growth rates in 2019 than 2018 with an entire acre-foot less of water that was applied.

Methods for Irrigation and Agriculture

Amman, Jordan

We at Methods for Irrigation and Agriculture, MIRRA, introduced the use of automatic irrigation in different regions in Jordan. Farmers were pleased with the use of automatic irrigation instead of manual irrigation since they saved time and money.

WaterBit Precision Irrigation

San Jose, California

WaterBit delivers automated irrigation solutions that combine IoT sensors, in-field hardware and cloud-based software so growers can control and execute irrigation remotely with precision down to the sub-block level. In the picture, we are installing our WaterBit MicroBlock valve, which allows growers to control irrigation directly from the dripline to sections in the vineyard with pinpoint accuracy by using their mobile phone. WaterBit translates technology into real value for growers by improving yields and crop consistency, while optimizing water and labor.

Netafim USA

Fresno, California

Netafim USA, along with project partners Sustainable Conservation, De Jager Dairy, McRee Dairy and Western United Dairies, has received the 2020 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for Outstanding Community Impact for its innovative Effluent Subsurface Drip Irrigation system for forage crops. The collaboration resulted in the development of an innovative system that uses advanced filtration and proprietary, patent-pending technology developed by Netafim to blend dairy wastewater with fresh water at an optimum ratio through monitoring of the electrical conductivity in the water as it passes by a sensor. As the EC of the water changes, Netafim’s NETBEAT system is able to make real-time adjustments to the blending valves in order to keep the fertilizer mixture in a prescribed ratio as it is delivered to the plant’s roots though drip irrigation tubing buried below the surface.

McCrometer

Hemet, California

McCrometer’s core mission is to provide flow solutions for efficient management of the world’s natural resources — and tackle the challenges that customers face in acquiring accurate and reliable flow measurement. For more than 65 years, we’ve worked with global customers to understand their unique flow application and provide meters that help them achieve their project goals. Listening to our customers and continuously improving our products allows irrigators to get the flow data they need to make informed decisions about their daily operations. Our team promotes efficient irrigation and flow meters that accurately and effectively inform irrigation practices.