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Integrated Systems for the West Texas High Plains
V.G. Allen, P. Brown and R. Kellison Texas Tech University
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Water Challenges Declining water quantity & quality
Growing global demand for food and feeds Global warming Increased pressure on agricultural lands
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The Ogallala Aquifer Provides 30% of total withdrawals from all US aquifers Texas High Plains Over 95% of the water pumped is for irrigated agriculture Future Constraints: Government regulation Municipal uses Water quality Energy costs
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Decline in Water Level 15 Counties around Lubbock, TX
Source: High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, The Cross Section, April 2007 Recharge
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Projected Total Water Demand and Water Supplies
Source: Texas Water Development Board 2007 Livestock Existing supplies Irrigation Needs Steam-electric Manufacturing County-other Municipal Mining
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Regional Economic Impact
Total Industry Output: $ 26.8 billion Ag Related Output: $ 10.8 billion Agriculture: 40% of Total
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Texas High Plains Agriculture
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Irrigated Crops Over 4 million ac irrigated crops – 70% of total net crop revenue Water source - Ogallala Aquifer Virtually finite water source New Mexico Texas Oklahoma Kansas Nebraska Colorado South Dakota Wyoming
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Monocultures Economy of Scale
20 – 25 % of U.S. Total
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Monocultures Integrated Systems
Complimentarity Diversification
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Designing Integrated Systems Funding Opportunities
Brain Storming Previous Research Researchable Needs Producer Experience Team Approach Funding Opportunities Resources Available
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Advisory Council Rick Kellison, Chair Silver Creek Farm, Lockney, TX
Curtis Griffith City Bank, Lubbock, TX Harry Hamilton Harry Hamilton and Associates,Lubbock, TX Minnie Lou Bradley Bradley 3 Ranch Memphis, TX Tom Sell Lubbock, TX Steve Verett Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., Lubbock, TX Eddie Teeter Producer, Lockney, TX Jim Conkwright High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, Lubbock, TX
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Texas High Plains Experience
Two systems - irrigated Integrated Crop-Livestock Monoculture Cotton Rye Wheat Cotton Fallow Wheat Rye Old world bluestem
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System Irrigation
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Nitrogen Fertilization
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Economics
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Net Returns over Variable Cost per acre inch of water
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Results Reduced Increased Irrigation use Soil erosion
Nitrogen fertilizer use Energy required Increased Profitability Carbon sequestration Soil microbial activity Diversification of income Management skills
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Photo by: Neal Hinkle Texas Tech University
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New Directions Dairy Renewable energy Ethanol
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Corn, Alfalfa, Small Grains
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3000 Head Milking Cow Dairy Water required per year:
Source: Southwest Plains Dairy Directory (2007) Annual feed and water required Feed (all types): 44,686 tons Land to produce: 6,348 ac Water required per year: Irrigation: 2.3 billion gallons Animal Consumption: 67 million gallons
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Texas Alliance for Water Conservation
Senate Bill 1053 Senator Robert Duncan Texas Water Development Board $6.2 Million Funded through the Texas Water Development Board ‘Water is Our Future’
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Objectives of Project Reduce Total Water Use
Enhance System Profitability Identify Systems that meet objectives 1 &2 Understand system behavior
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Producer Board Glen Schur, Chair Eddie Teeter Lockney, TX
Plainview, TX Boyd Jackson, Co-Chair Lockney, TX Brian Teeple, Secretary Floydada, TX Keith Phillips Lockney, TX Lanney Bennett Eddie Teeter Lockney, TX Mark Beedy Floydada, TX Jeff Don Terrell Floydada, TX Jody Foster Lockney, TX
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A Cooperative Venture with TWDB
Texas Tech University NRCS & ARS
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Texas Alliance for Water Conservation
‘Water is Our Future’
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Crops/Livestock (Total 4,300 acres)
Corn Cotton Cotton Monocultures Grain Sorghum Cotton Cotton-Cattle Grass-cattle Grass seed
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Site Monitoring Data logger Satellite Telemetry
Rainfall Tipping Bucket Temperature Sensor Water Flow Meter System Pressure Sensor Solar Panel with backup battery Neutron Probe Access tubes
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Irrigation Methods Pivot Flood Drip Dryland
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Crops/Forage/Livestock Grown TAWC Sites
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Irrigation Water, System Inches
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Nitrogen Fertilizer per System Acre, lbs
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Net Returns per System Acre, $
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Returns (US $) per inch Irrigation Water
System
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Site 20 - 2006 Field 1 Corn silage Field 2 (double cropped)
Forage triticale Sorghum silage
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Site #20 – Yield and net returns ($)
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Site #20 – Irrigation
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Energy - Site 20 Forage (MJ/Ac)
Yield Fertilizer Irrigation Field Ops. Total Per Ton Corn Silage 29.5 Tons 9,880 4,221 757 15,031 510 Sorghum Silage 26.4 Tons 4,939 1,532 564 7,208 273 Triticale 21.3 Tons 2,453 1,703 961 5,290 248
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Cotton Monocultures (2 sites) Energy (MJ/Ac)
Yield Fertilizer Irrigation Chem. Total Per Bale Drip Irrigated 4.1 Bales 3803 3235 2005 9556 2333 Sprinkler Irrigated 2.2 Bales 3549 1703 1500 7124 3252
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Meeting the Challenges
Technologies Unintended consequences Economics Environmental costs - index Farm Programs Disseminating the information Long-term systems research Long-term funding Interdisciplinary teams Unique region Integrating the pieces
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