Keeping Up with… Getting Better!
technology Tools for EFFICIENT irrigation systems
Probably the most significant change since I entered the workforce back in 1982 has been the amount of information and means to access it. Just the ability to locate, reproduce, move data and share it with the folks that “need-to-know things” is incredible. Not to mention studies and trials done around the globe are available for others to share and try variations to improve producing food in their local climate. Sometimes paring down available statistics that are most applicable is as daunting as any part of the deciding process. Have you tried to select a suitable tube of toothpaste lately? The options are... ridiculous!
Let’s look at some of the updates that can be applied to selecting new and upgrading existing center pivots. Granted there are also many more options for irrigation solutions, but I am going to stick with the pivot.
Sprinklers – from legacy impacts to current wobbling and rotating devices we have improved efficiency by over 30% in the last 20 years(more pumped water reaching the crops root zone)
Sprinklers – simultaneously we have improved water uniformity, more evenly reaching each plant while reducing kinetic energy with slightly larger, slower moving drops
Water application/ Pressure regulators – Saving energy by dramatically lowering the system pressure required while helping with uniformity
Remote Panel Operation – The ability to monitor and control your pivot with a cellphone, tablet or computer without driving to the pivot point… that will save time and miles!
Electric Valves – Switch your water supply from one pivot to the other without a physical trip and valve switch
Crop Links for remote well control and monitoring
Variable Frequency Drives – operate your pump based on demand by the pivot to save energy when every sprinkler isn’t needed, or your end gun is off
Variable Frequency Drives on each tower drive motors to allow for continuous movement and decrease application time.
Variable Rate Irrigation to accommodate changes in varying soil types and moisture holding capacities within a field
Components to change heights of sprinklers to accommodate varying crop canopy levels
Boom backs to reduce wheel tracks by applying water behind the drive wheels boom backs & turf tires
Additional tire and wheel options for challenging topography and wet areas
Secondary end guns to fill in areas on field edges where end gun patterns are less than ideal
High-Profile and Ultra High-Profile towers to accommodate varying elevations within the pivot paths
GPS Guidance for corner arms to improve accuracy and eliminate buried wire breaks from tillage practices
Benders and drop spans to pick up additional acres where obstacles prevent full turn pivot revolutions
Bridges to cross waterways and gain acres with more complete revolutions
Adding an injection pump to spoon feed nutrients to your crop as plant demand requires throughout the growing season
Using an injection pump to apply fungicide to combat tar spot
Utilize Artificial Intelligence with satellite and on pivot cameras to identify pests, weeds, diseases and nutrient related uniformity issues.
Pivots can last for decades. If you haven’t looked at options to improve your existing pivots, you may be missing irrigatable acres, using more energy than needed, giving up improved uniformity and efficiency, or spending too much time driving to your pivot.
For an interesting project we completed last year, check out our video below on the River Ridge Farms project on the update with new sprinklers, VFD’s, electric valves and telemetry.
To watch some of our other videos, click here.
Not keeping up on your own? Give Michigan Valley Irrigation a call at 989-762-5028, we would be happy to help you increase the value of your pivots and the total yields you are achieving!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pete is the marketing manager for Michigan Valley Irrigation, having joined the company in 2016. He was raised on a dairy farm in western New York and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in agricultural economics. His entire working career of over 37 years has been involved in agriculture. A farmer helping farmers. When away from Michigan Valley he operates, Joyful Noise Farm, a small livestock and produce farm and spends time with his family.
