Integrated Systems for the West Texas High Plains

V.G. Allen, P. Brown and R. Kellison

Texas Tech University

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Declining water quantity & quality

Growing global demand for food and feeds

Global warming

Increased pressure on agricultural lands

Water Challenges

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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 Level15 Counties around Lubbock, TX

1997-2007 2006-2007 Recharge

Source: High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, The Cross Section, April 2007

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Projected TotalWater Demand and Water Supplies

Livestock

Irrigation

Steam-electricManufacturingCounty-otherMunicipal

Mining

Existing supplies

Needs

Source: Texas Water Development Board 2007

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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 MexicoTexas

Oklahoma

Kansas

Nebraska

Colorado

South DakotaWyoming

MonoculturesEconomy of Scale

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20 – 25 % of U.S. Total

Monocultures Integrated Systems

Complimentarity

Diversification

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Designing Integrated Systems

Brain StormingPreviousResearch

Researchable Needs Producer

Experience

Funding Opportunities

ResourcesAvailable

TeamApproach

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Advisory CouncilRick 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®

MonocultureCotton

Texas High Plains ExperienceTwo systems - irrigated

Rye

Integrated Crop-Livestock

Cotton

Wheat

Wheat

Fallow

Rye

Old world bluestem®

System Irrigation

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Nitrogen Fertilization

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Economics

Net Returns over Variable Costper acre inch of water

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Results

Irrigation use Soil erosion Nitrogen fertilizer use Energy required

Reduced

Profitability Carbon sequestration Soil microbial activity Diversification of income Management skills

Increased

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Photo by: Neal HinkleTexas Tech University

New Directions

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Ethanol

Dairy

Renewable energy

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Corn, Alfalfa, Small Grains

3000 Head Milking Cow Dairy

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

Source: Southwest Plains Dairy Directory (2007)

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Senate Bill 1053

Senator Robert DuncanTexas Water Development Board$6.2 Million

Funded through the Texas Water Development Board

Texas Alliance for Water Conservation

‘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, ChairPlainview, TX

Boyd Jackson, Co-Chair Lockney, TX

Brian Teeple, Secretary Floydada, TX

Keith Phillips Lockney, TX

Lanney Bennett Plainview, TX

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

NRCS & ARS

Texas Tech University

Texas Alliance for Water Conservation

‘Water is Our Future’

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Crops/Livestock (Total 4,300 acres)

CornCotton

CottonMonocultures

Grain SorghumCotton

Cotton-Cattle Grass-cattle Grass seed

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

Drip

Flood

Dryland

Crops/Forage/Livestock GrownTAWC 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 IrrigationFieldOps. Total Per Ton

Corn Silage 29.5 Tons 9,880 4,221 757 15,031 510

SorghumSilage 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

Unique region

Long-term funding

Interdisciplinary teams

Integrating the pieces

Disseminating the information

Long-term systems research

Farm Programs

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