State Funded On-Farm Water Savings in Arizona
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In this WRRC webinar, Cooperative Extension agricultural experts Ethan Orr and Robert Masson will discuss how the Water Irrigation Efficiency Program is designed to increase irrigation water application efficiency in crop production by 20% or more and provide info on how approved grantees will receive reimbursement toward the purchase and installation of a system from an approved vendor. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension manages the funding process, including reviewing proposals, funding disbursement, and grant management. Over $2 million has been invested in cutting-edge irrigation and soil research. Those awarded will be required to report their data to further Cooperative Extension’s research efforts related to water efficiency, crop production, and impact on a variety of factors, such as crop yield, soil health, disease, and pest pressure. Designed to conserve our most precious resource—water—the program has already conserved 36,418 acre-feet, which is more water than 400,000 Tucson residents use on an annual basis.
Ethan Orr is the Associate Director for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Economic Development at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, where he works closely with research and programming in water, forest health, crop production, and range management. Orr is also an Associate Professor of Community Vitality and Economic Development and oversees the $63 million on-farm irrigation program.
Robert Masson is the Assistant Ag Extension Agent for Yuma County Cooperative Extension. He attended college at North Carolina State University after serving five years in the US Navy. While working for the USDA as a field technician, Masson pursued his master's degree in plant breeding, and later worked in private industry before stepping into his current role with Yuma County Cooperative Extension.