Recipient Organization
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LOGAN,UT 84322
Performing Department
Plants Soils & Climate
Non Technical Summary
The Great Salt Lake and Colorado River Basins reached record low elevations in 2022. These basins supply water for over 40 million people. Low elevations are causing extremes concerns for the sustainability of agriculture. The negative impacts of drought are expected to increase in the future as climate changes. This project aims to collect experience, research and extension ideas, and tools from other watersheds to help aid in the optimization of agriculture water in these two basins that serve most of Utah. It will increase my and Utah State University's capacity to serve water managers and users in Utah and the surrounding region. The overarching goal is to learn techniques and build connections to enhance long-term efforts to optimize water use in agriculture through improved irrigation systems, alternative crops, water markets, precision irrigation management, and regenerative agriculture. It will include two trips in 2024 to several areas of the United States with premier irrigation research and Extension facilities, programs, and resources. This sabbatical project will allow me to take large strides towards my goals of i) estimating consumptive use in long-term water optimization trials in Utah to guide water users, managers, and policy makers; ii) connecting my research and Extension programs with surrounding states and other disciplines; iii) developing an effective precision agriculture certificate program that prepares students to advance precision irrigation; and iv) developing a national team of irrigation faculty to elevate the collective effort to improve irrigation management and guide water optimization efforts.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Goals / Objectives
This sabbatical proposal will directly address several of the priorities set by large and integrated task forces in Utah and surrounding areas. It will advance research and Extension programs and will help PI Yost build on his ongoing efforts in the GSL and CRB to advance agricultural water optimization by expanding his network, building new collaborations, and learning new irrigation management methods and technologies for a variety of crops in different parts of the nation. Further, it will directly address the two following AFRI program priorities:a. "Reduction of the use of freshwater and improve agricultural resilience/sustainability by innovative approaches, tools and climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices and technologies (USDA Strategic Plan Objective 1.3), including regenerative practices.d. "Conservation of surface and groundwater quantity through research of agroecosystems in the context of climate change."Objectives 1. Learn new methods for irrigation research and associated Extension programs2. Evaluate and develop precision irrigation course materials3. Lay groundwork for national irrigation Extension team development
Project Methods
Objective 1: Learn new methods for irrigation research and Extension programsI plan to visit several Land Grant Universities and USDA-Agricultural Research Service Units with irrigation facilities and research and extension programs. Some of these are located on main campuses and others are at remote research stations. For the first trip during March to Mid-April, I will visit irrigation research trials and facilities in the following states - Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas (Table 1; Figure 1). These states have some of the most advanced irrigation research facilities and technologies in the nation and world. They also represent some of the areas with the most extreme water issues in the nation such as the lower Basin of the Colorado River, Ogalla aquifer, and the Rio Grande basin. In addition to these, I also plan to visit the Rio Grande Center for Ag Water Efficiency in Harlingen, Texas. For several years, I have led a team of USU extension faculty and other stakeholders (Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Colorado River Authority of Utah, etc.) to lay groundwork and for a Utah State University - Upper Colorado River Basin Research and Outreach Center (UPCRB-ROC). There is no well-established research facility in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This basin represents nearly half of the total water needs of Utah, and another roughly 40 million people in the western U.S. To date, we have established a water optimization trial in Vernal, UT. This effort that started in 2020 has garnered large financial and technical support from several federal and state agencies, along with many industry and local partners. While this has been highly beneficial, it is only a start. The research and outreach needs to expand to include water measurement training facilities, drip and other sprinkler irrigation research, demonstration, and outreach. During my sabbatical leave, I will be visiting several irrigation training and research facilities to refine plans and proposals to develop this research and outreach center in Vernal, along with companion training facilities in the Great Salt Lake watershed.Objective 2: Evaluate and develop precision irrigation course materialsI submitted an approval form for a new certificate at Utah State University called "Precision Agriculture Technology". This certificate was proposed because several agriculture industries in Utah and around the nation are requesting and expecting students with more training in precision agriculture. These include large and small companies that advise farmers and ranchers, like Simplot, Nutrien, Intermountain Farmers Association, Valley Agronomics, Bear River Cooperative, etc. Further, technology developers such as John Deere, Case International, Trimble, Rave Industries, etc. are seeking students with skills in precision agriculture, and the projected growth of precision agriculture and equipment technician jobs is much faster than average (8-11%) (O*NET, 2023). This certificate program will train students that can fill these and related jobs. Further, jobs in agriculture that mention "digital agriculture"--a primary component of precision agriculture--pay, on average, $6,500 more per year compared to non-digital agriculture jobs (Abney et al., 2022). The certificate will include several existing courses at USU and will also include a new 3-credit practicum course that will incorporate industry partnerships so students can gain firsthand experiential learning with the latest precision technologies. This will also lead to greater incorporation in the workforce.I will be helping to develop the practicum course. During this mini-sabbatical, I plan to visit some of the premier precision agriculture programs that incorporate precision irrigation. This will include examining the precision irrigation programs and courses at several universities, including the University of Nebraska, University of Georgia, Auburn University, and several others in both the first and second proposed trips (Table 1; Figure 1). I would learn the structure of their programs, courses, and certificates, along with present in classes, audit classes, and build and strengthen collaborations with industry (e.g., Lindsay Corporation) and university partners. These experiences will be used to develop and improve the Precision Agriculture Practicum Curriculum at Utah State University.Objective 3: Lay groundwork for national irrigation Extension team developmentA primary component of the proposed sabbatical project is to start building a national collaborative working group of extension and agricultural research station faculty. Invited participants will include both agronomists and agricultural engineers. This will build upon existing collaborations through various professional societies.I currently serve as board member of the Modernizing Fertilizer Recommendations - Fertilizer Support Recommendation Tool (FRST) team (https://soiltestfrst.org/) representing the Western Region. This team was formed through grassroots efforts of Extension and University faculty across the nation with interest in fertilizer management. There are over 125 participants across the nation. The working group is establishing fertilizer recommendations and approaches that span state boundaries and are coordinating their approaches to soil testing and nutrient management. A similar effort is desperately needed for irrigation Extension programs in the United States. Many are isolated, short-staffed, and lack recent resources or materials for water users and managers. I propose to utilize my experience with the FRST team the past two years to start building a similar national network of irrigation faculty. This would include garnering interest, contacts, and resources from several universities during the two trips (Table 1). It would culminate in a proposal to help fund the creation of this network at the end of the sabbatical trips.