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Date: June 12, 2006
Release No. 0203.06
Delaware Contact: Stuart A. Lee
Phone: 302.678.4179
Subject: USDA RELEASES WEB-BASED IRRIGATION CALCULATOR TOOL AS PART OF
OVERALL ENERGY STRATEGY
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2006- Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced
the release of USDA's "Energy Estimator for Irrigation," a Web-based calculator
tool designed to help producers manage their irrigation water resources more
efficiently. The tool is available at
http://www.usda.gov/energytools.
"Today we are providing yet another tool farmers and ranchers can use to achieve
significant energy savings by modifying their irrigation systems," said Johanns.
"The Energy Estimators provide real energy and cost saving solutions that
support the long-term goals of President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative and
help to reduce the impact of high energy costs for farmers and ranchers."
As more than 55 million acres of agricultural land are irrigated nationwide,
according to USDA's 2002 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, proper irrigation
management can result in significant energy savings for producers individually
and collectively. For instance, a producer can move from a high-pressure
irrigation system to a low-pressure system and save up to $66 per acre based on
spring 2006 prices. Improving water efficiency by just 10 percent could reduce
diesel consumption by 27 million gallons and save farmers and ranchers $55
million annually.
The "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" evaluates opportunities to save on energy
costs and improve efficiency of irrigation management. It allows producers to
estimate the energy cost of pumping water for irrigation on their farm.
Producers can select their irrigation system and their power source. Followed by
well lift, pressure and price-per-unit of energy and select whether they use a
flow meter, irrigation scheduling or a maintenance program. They must also
select a crop from a list of commonly irrigated crops for their state, their
irrigated acres and their gross application of irrigation water.
Once this criteria has been entered, the producer receives an analysis of
current water use, the reduced water use associated with various treatment
options, as well as the energy costs and savings of these treatment options. The
analysis also identifies potential energy savings that can result from carrying
out the recommendations of a pump plant evaluation.
USDA intends for producers to use the "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" for
guidance rather than as a sole source for decision-making on irrigation water
management. USDA recommends that producers take their irrigation analysis to
their local USDA Service Center, extension office, irrigation or water district,
or pump or utility companies for more field-specific assistance.
This is the third tool USDA has developed as part of its overall energy strategy
to reduce the impacts of high energy costs and develop long-term solutions for
agricultural producers. On December 7, 2005, USDA released its first Web-based
tool-the "Energy Estimator for Tillage"-to help farmers and ranchers calculate
diesel fuel use and costs associated with various tillage practices. The "Energy
Estimator for Nitrogen Fertilizer," released Feb. 24, 2006, estimates savings in
nitrogen fertilizer applications and use.
Since launched in December 2005 through the present, the "Energy Estimators for
Tillage and Nitrogen Fertilizer" have received more than 160,000 page views from
38,000 U.S. and international visitors. The "Energy Estimator for Tillage" has
received the most page views-more than 105,000 from nearly 27,000 visitors since
its release. The "Energy Estimator for Nitrogen Fertilizer" has received more
than 55,000 page views from nearly 11,000 visitors.
Additional information about USDA's "Energy Estimator for Irrigation" can be
found at http://ipat.sc.egov.usda.gov/.
Additional information about the USDA Energy Initiative, including the other two
estimators, can be found at
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/energy.
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