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Agricultural Water Use and Permitting

Agricultural Water Use and Permitting. Flint River Basin Water Conservation and Development Plan Technical Advisory Committee – Jim Hook, presenting. FRB Regional Water Conservation and Development Plan Needs. Understanding of why water use for irrigation (Who benefits)

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Agricultural Water Use and Permitting

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  1. Agricultural Water Use and Permitting Flint River Basin Water Conservation and Development Plan Technical Advisory Committee – Jim Hook, presenting Flint River Basin TAC

  2. FRB Regional Water Conservation and Development Plan Needs • Understanding of why water use for irrigation • (Who benefits) • How did it develop, how is it regulated • (who will have to change in response to the plan, who can be affected by changes) • What is the nature and extent of the use • (when, where, how much, which water sources are tapped) • Potentials for reducing water consumption • (what changes can be made to the existing irrigation infrastructure to reduce water use, if necessary) • Potential of resource to sustain current and further use. • (How well are the water sources supplying the system now; how will they be affected in the future; collateral damage)

  3. Irrigation Development in Georgia • Relatively recent • Individuals farm decisions • Water resource put to work • Water efficient • No government regulation • Economic benefit to region

  4. Why irrigation in a humid area • Water resource put to work • Risk aversion, banks and farmers • Economic benefit to region • Multiple efficiencies (land & fertilizers)

  5. Irrigation Growth timeline

  6. Types of irrigation in Georgia • Portable pipe & guns or sprinklers • Permanent sprinklers (Solid set) • Travelers • Center Pivots • Drip & microirrigation • What is not used – surface and subsurface • What is being done and can be done to minimize wasting water during application

  7. Solid set/portable pipe

  8. Trends in irrigation equipment • Strongest driving factor is labor savings • Second highest is flexibility • Trend is towards water application efficiency through system change-over • Upgrades in existing equipment (save money through energy savings) • Precision timing and application

  9. Water resources tapped • Farm ponds • Stream direct – not large rivers • Other surface water resources – lagoons, wetland ponds, cypress swamps, bayou, sink holes, springs • Groundwater – “deep” wells • Refilled sources – well-to-pond • Water supply “systems”

  10. Water Regulation • 1972 legislation – Non Ag Permitting • 1988 legislation – Ag Permitting • 2000 legislation – FRDPA • 2003 legislation – Meters required

  11. Sources of Information: Irrigation Amounts - depths • Farmer estimates • Irrigation research • Irrigation surveys • USDA, CES, IA, NRCS, USGS • FSA data • Water Withdrawal Permits • Crop Models • Field monitoring studies • Benchmark • Ag Water Pumping • Comprehensive water metering • Available Water Use Reports

  12. Irrigation Amounts - depths • Ag Water Pumping • 1999-2004 • Monthly • Meters

  13. Sources of Information: Irrigation amounts - area • Irrigation surveys • USDA, CES, NRCS, NRI • FSA data and imagery • Water withdrawal permits • Field paper based mapping • 1980, 2003 (CZ) • GIS-based mapping • UGA aerial • Permit mapping • Meter mapping

  14. Lower Flint Basin

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