Drip irrigation research could relieve water shortages and reduce groundwater contamination

With expanding populations in urban and rural areas, municipalities’ water needs continue to increase. As a result, the competition for water between municipalities and agriculture has intensified.

A Texas AgriLife Research subsurface irrigation study could lead to reduced water use -- with the bonus of higher crop yields -- in commercial agriculture. Dr. Tom Cothren, AgriLife Research crop physiologist/Texas A&M soil and crop sciences professor, leads a project that uses a large-scale drip system to water crops rather than traditional furrow irrigation.

"Subsurface irrigation reduces water loss from evaporation that occurs from aboveground applications and places water in the root zone where the crop can make most efficient use," Cothren said. "This system also eliminates runoff associated with furrow irrigation."

Another advantage to the drip system is the ability to inject nutrients and chemicals directly to the root system. This reduces groundwater contamination caused by traditional spray applications. In addition, farmers don’t have to wait for rainfall to apply nutrients such as nitrogen to crops. Directly injecting nutrients at the well house can also save on production costs.

The less water used by producers, the better their bottom line. John Rocconi, a graduate research assistant, said the initial investment for a normal production area would be $800 to $900 per acre.


Cy McGuire ’03 ’05, a former soil and crop sciences graduate student, returned to Aggieland to design the layout for the project. He is a design consultant with Eco-Drip Irrigation, an Aggie company that provided the drip irrigation equipment to Texas A&M at a greatly reduced cost.


A backhoe buries main lines for the irrigation system.


PVC pipe is used for the main lines.


Drip tape lines are buried 16 inches under crops.


Nutrients and chemicals are injected through a manifold system for delivery to crops.


Red tanks filter water and nursing tanks (right) are for chemical injection to keep the lines clean.

Click here for more pictures. Click here to watch a video about Texas A&M’s drip irrigation research.

To learn how you can support research and academics in Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, contact Monica Delisa at (800) 392-3310.

This is an excerpt from an article originally posted in AgriLife News.