Will we be able to source Irrigation Water ? Irrigation is Not Possible Without Water !

Farmers have benefited St. Joseph river basins, rural economies by investing $140,632,345 in irrigation equipment in this nine county area. St. Joseph, MI LaPorte, IN Elkhart, IN LaGrange, IN Branch, MI St. Joseph, MI Kalamazoo, MI Cass, MI Van Buren, MI

Crop need 15.6” total Normal rainfall 34.6 Needed Irrigation 5.5”

Lyndon Kelley, MSU Extension / Purdue University Irrigation Management Agent Irrigation System Uniformity Preventing Irrigation Runoff (comparing irrigation application rate to soil infiltration rate) Irrigation Scheduling Record keeping Avoiding water use conflicts

Irrigation System Evaluations for Uniformity Over and Under applied areas will likely be over or under applied each application multiplying the negative effect. A 30% deviation on a field in an 8” irrigation application year will have areas receiving as little as 5.6” and as great as 10.4” A 15% or less deviation from the average is ideal.

Tower 1 Tower 3 Tower 5 Tower 7 Tower 8 Sprinkler overlap with end gun

Irrigation Scheduling Checkbook Method

Think of your soil as a bank Intake rate: Water applied faster than the soil intake rate is lost. Deletion: Plants may can pull out only 30 – 60% of the water Water holding capacity: The soil (bank) can hold only a given volume of water before it allow it to pass lower down. Rooting depth: The plant can only get water to the depth of it’s roots. Soil type : Heavier soil can hold more water / foot of depth than light soils Water lost from the bottom of the profile can wash out (leach) water soluble nutrients and pesticides.

Annex 2001 States and provinces will manage their own in-basin withdrawals Basin-wide, resource-based standard –flexible application Each jurisdiction will commit to establishing a program, including thresholds, to manage or regulate new or increased withdrawals consistent with the standard.

Indiana Significant Water Withdrawal Facility Regulations Water Rights: Emergency Regulation -Indiana Code Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights -Indiana Code Significant Water Withdrawal Facility (SWWF) Registration - Indiana Code

Water Rights: Emergency Regulation - Indiana Code Owners of small capacity water wells are protected against the impacts of high capacity ground-water pumpage. 1) the small capacity well has failed to provide its normal supply of water due a substantial lowering of the ground water level in the area, and; 2) that the lowering of the ground water level was caused by one or more significant ground water withdrawal facilities, and; 3) that the well and its equipment were functioning properly at the time of the failure, and; 4) that, if installed after December 31, 1985, the small capacity well was constructed in accordance with Nonrule Policy Document Information Bulletin #26 (1986 thru 1990) or Rule 312 IAC 12 (Acrobat pdf file) (1991 to present); Information Bulletin #26Rule 312 IAC 12

The DNR director shall, by temporary order, declare a ground water emergency and require timely and reasonable compensation be provided to the owner of the small capacity well. "Timely and reasonable compensation" consists of, and is limited to the following: 1) The immediate temporary provision at the prior point of use of an adequate supply of potable water. 2) Reimbursement of expenses reasonably incurred by the complainant to do the following: A) obtain an immediate temporary provision at the prior point of use of an adequate supply of potable water; B) the restoration of the affected small capacity well to its former relative capability; C) the permanent provision at the point of use of an alternate potable supply of equal quantity; or D) the permanent restriction or scheduling of the high capacity pumpage so that the affected water well continues to provide its normal supply of water, or its normal supply of potable water if the well normally furnishes potable water.

The DNR Can force you to make it right for the neighbor 1) Provide a temporary source of water, quickly, and till the issue is resolved 2) Pay the cost for the neighbor to : 1. to get temporary supply of potable water at his house till the issue is resolved or 2.to fix his well so he get as much water as he did before or 3.drill a new well at his site equal to his original well or 4.Change your pumping practice so he gets the volume and quality he had before

Water Rights: Emergency Regulation - Indiana Code Over the past 20 years DNR has investigated over 1700 complaints 383 required the SWWF pay for modifications to neighbors well (about 23%) 25 required administrative action to be resolved Compensation was limited to correction of the well problem and temporary water supply

Does your well affect neighbors? Zone of influence Groundwater flow direction Groundwater Flow Irrigation well Home well Home well Zone of influence Home well Irrigation well

Significant Water Withdrawal Facility (SWWF) Registration Indiana Code Ground or surface sources Registration – reporting Threshold >100, 000 gallon / day Combined capacity of one or more withdrawals Dose not include off-stream impoundments Registration within 3 month of completion

Significant Water Withdrawal Facility (SWWF) Registration Indiana Code Water Use Reporting All registered ground or surface sources Report due March 31, for previous years use Customized form sent to each Significant Water Withdrawal Facility owner or manager. Responciblity of the land owner, can be delegated

Methods of Estimating Water Use water application multiplied by # of applications, plus estimate of additional water use, (Acre Inches) pump capacity multiplied by run time: or fuel/power use per hour, flow meter: meters actual flow, note maintenance and calibration concerns, Industry average numbers (Mid West Plan Service or ASAE) with appropriate adjustments (not appropriate for high variable water uses such as irrigation).

Example: Acre Inches Joe farmer has a 160 acre field with 142 actual irrigated acres. He applied.75 inches of water at each application. One application was made in June and 3 during July and 3 in August. 1 acre inch =27,154 gallons (745.5 Acre inches ) 27,154 gallons = 20,243,307 gallons MonthNumber of Appl. Rate in Inches Irrigated acresWater Use June Acre inches. July Acre inches. August Acre inches. Total745.5 Acre inches.

Pump capacity multiplied by run time Larry monitors the hour meter to track maintenance needs and now water use. Larry checked his pumping capacity multiplied by his average run time to irrigate one inch water on a field (1” on 72 acre in 60hrs ) against the total irrigated gallon needed to apply an inch of water to that field and found the to be very close at (543 gal/min.). MonthHours of run time. Pumping RateWater Use June7033,000 gal /hour2,310,000 gallons July21033,000 gal /hour6,930,000 gallons August20033,000 gal /hour6,600,000 gallons Total15,840,000 gallons

Significant Water Withdrawal Facility (SWWF) Registration Indiana Code Minimum stream flows and minimum ground water levels. Can be established by the Natural Resources Commission Reflect seasonal and regional variation Commission has never utilized this provision

Irrigation Water use 2005 Surface water million gallons Ground water million gallons Total million gallons 62 billion gallons of irrigation water About 7 “ per irrigated acre.

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code freshwater lake that contains at least ten (10) acres,at normal level natural origin; or originally constructed to permanently retain water in existence at least five (5) years before the commencement of water withdrawals Significant water withdrawal facility“ withdraw capability (100,000) gallons of water in one (1) day (70 gpm continuous)

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code significantly below the lake's normal level as legally established significantly below the water line or shoreline as determined by existing water level records or by the action of the water that has marked upon the soil of the bed of the lake believed to be caused by at least one active significant water withdrawal facility operated within one-half (1/2) mile of the freshwater lake;

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code If an onsite investigation under section 6 of this chapter discloses that: (1) the operation of at least one significant water withdrawal facility has caused the freshwater lake to be lowered significantly below a level described (2) the lowering of the lake level is likely to result in significant environmental harm to the freshwater lake or to adjacent property; the director shall, by temporary order, declare a freshwater lake emergency.

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code A temporary order may: (1)restrict the quantity of water that is extracted by the causative significant water withdrawal facility; and (2)provide for the restoration of the normal water level of the freshwater lake; as needed to prevent significant environmental harm to the freshwater lake or adjacent property. A restoration order may allow the significant water withdrawal facility to discharge water of an acceptable quality into the affected freshwater lake.

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code Significant water withdrawal facility may obtain relief from a temporary order issued by filing a financial responsibility bond in an amount : not $10,000 for each acre contained in the freshwater lake. - not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). financial responsibility bond are not an option if the lake or an adjacent property contains an extraordinary or a unique natural resource that is likely to be irreparably damaged as a result of the lowering of the freshwater lake.

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code Significant water withdrawal facility and a complaining lake owner may enter into a written agreement for compensation to the lake owner instead of bond forfeiture if: the operator and lake owner have not entered into an agreement within 3 years after a temporary order and the freshwater lake has not returned to normal; The director shall order the forfeit to the benefit of the lake owner of the part of the bond that is needed to provide compensation shall be distributed to multiple affected complaining lake owners on a pro rata basis.

Emergency Regulation of Surface Water Rights Indiana Code Since 1994 DNR has investigated about dozen cases Three cases met the criteria of cause and effect all where public water supplies or quarry mining, two had significant environmental damage

Observations Avoid wells within ½ mile of lakes Keep good records of use Be prepared to plead your case Remember average evaporation from a water surface is > 30” over the summer.