This shows a seeded wheat field in the Palouse of Washington State that lost 200 tons of soil per acre during one rain storm. Nowhere in the Nation has soil and sediment erosion been greater over time than in the nonirrigated grain lands of the Palouse where water, wind, and improper tillage have stripped irreplaceable topsoil for more than 50 years. On-farm irrigation efficiencies of 70-80 percent are feasible with currently available technology and management techniques. Here in Hale County, Texas, a field has been bench leveled so that irrigation water use can be effectively managed. A more even distribution of water will result with minimal waste. Precise amounts of water can be applied with assurance that the total field will receive adequate and uniform amounts. |