This week we showcased our first irrigation project focused on water conservation! We installed a variable rate irrigation (VRI) system on the Point of Rocks pivot. We are hopeful this will be the first of many of these VRI systems in the valley.
This is the first of its kind in Idaho, even though the technology was developed at the Unviversity of Idaho twenty years ago. One of the 'tipping points' identified by Bill PLatts at the first enhancement plan meeting was the groundwater level. He said he had seen spring creeks dry up in just ten years from too much groundwater pumping. We need to make sure that never happens at Silver Creek and this may be a useful tool in that effort. Every time the pivot makes a circle (every two days, roughly), with this technology we will be saving over 419,000 gallons of water!! That is 419,000 gallons that can stay in the aquifer for Silver Creek.
