Supplemental R-E Funding from Innovative SARE Coordinator Programs

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: cucurbits

Practices

• Crop Production: irrigation

Water access, availability, and rights to use and manage it are likely to become daily considerations for many of Washington’s citizens. Most WSU agricultural faculty and staff have had little to no training in water issues including irrigation technologies, have limited access to up-to-date resources, and are therefore not well prepared to assist clients or provide informational programs. We conducted a drip irrigation workshop series, developed and coordinated a website for ongoing support, hosted field days, and established field demonstration sites to train extension faculty/staff, agricultural professionals, growers and home owners regarding the use of more efficient and effective irrigation systems.

1. Host water and irrigation workshop series to promote new irrigation techniques.

   Coordinate workshop with Yakama Nation to highlight sustainable irrigation and soil and water conservation practices.

   Develop and coordinate new website information to provide Extension faculty and staff and other agricultural professionals with current irrigation information.

   Establish demonstration sites to promote adoption of new and sustainable irrigation technologies.

   A few progressive growers will adopt new sustainable irrigation practices and this will result in more efficient use of irrigation water and less runoff from grower's fields.