Soil Conservation and Irrigation Technologies

Darren Richardson

Goal for the research

Save money for the farmers.

Help farmers farm more efficiently by finding easier, more effective ways.

Reduce pests on crops.

Improve soil health by findings.

The goal for this research is to find a beneficial way for farmers to grow crops in cost and effective way.

"It's an interesting project with good producers."

Image ideas

A corn field shot at a low angle.

A photo of the lab.

A photo of test tubes.

Researcher doing their research

"Programs funded through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board have improved irrigation water management on over one million acres in Texas since 2008."

"Irrigation/engineering considerations will include energy savings, water use efficiency, and general weather conditions that can be related to crop evapotranspiration, and water balance (crop water use, soil moisture, etc.)"

The research goes from 2017-2019

Summer 2018

Monitor conditions

Spring 2018

Get soil samples

Collect measurements

Fall/Winter 2017

Collect crop data

Get information over crop management.

Analyze & summarize data for those involved

Fall 2018- Winter 2019

Collect final report and results

Those that are involved in this research

corn growers (Cooperators)

Steve Yoder, Dalhart

Braden Gruhlkey, Deaf Smith County

Kelly Kettner, Lamb County

Agri-Life Extension

Principal Investigator

Katie Lewis

Assistant Professor, Soil Fertility & Chemistry, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, LBK & TTU

Co-Investigator

Jourdan Bell

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist-Agronomy, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Amarillo

Donna McCallister

Research Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Applied Economics, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Lubbock

Dana Porter

Professor and Extension Program Leader, Texas A&M Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and AgriLife Research & Extension Service, Lubbock

Texas Corn Producers

Collaborators

Darren Richardson, Assistant State Conservationist, USDA-NRCS

Brandt Underwood, Conservation Agronomist

Keith Sides, Civil Engineer, USDA-NRCS Lubbock