Faced with a recent climate study that predicts a serious drought for Colorado, local farmers are turning to technology to find ways to better conserve irrigation water.

A study released in November by the Colorado State University Climate Center said that the region could experience a prolonged drought soon, based on the history of wet and dry periods in the state.

The report states that overall, Colorado has enjoyed 17 years of relatively wet years, with the exception of the severe drought of 1989-90 in southwestern Colorado. From 1982 to 1999, Colorado experienced the second longest sustained wet period in the state’s recorded history, and the most drought-free period since 1890. Between 1898 and 1904, Southwest Colorado experienced the most severe multi-year drought, receiving 60 percent of the long-term average precipitation.

Record-breaking wet spells and no multi-year dry periods in the last 96 years could be an ominous clue for drought here that has some climatologists fearing the worst. In light of that dismal prediction, CSU scientists at the agriculture research center in Yellow Jacket are taking a pro-active stance with a recently completed study of new moisture-sensor tools that can better conserve irrigation water.

Using electronic soil-moisture sensors, farmers can get more accurate data during irrigation scheduling while conserving the valuable resource, said CSU agriculture researcher Abdel Berrada. The device, inserted into various sections of a farm at different soil depths, accurately records water content through a sensor imbedded in gypsum which measures the electrical resistance of moisture. From there a farmer can read an electronic readout that is calibrated to show if a certain type of crop requires an irrigation cycle.

Each sensor costs $27, with one to three units installed for every 40 acres. The meter runs for $270.

"This technique can be more accurate because it measures at different depths that are difficult to reach otherwise," said Tom Hooten, an associate researcher at CSU. "The old traditional ways will tell you if there is water, but it won’t really tell you quantitatively. These are more specific and aid with the decision of exactly how much water to add."

Farmers typically use rod probes or shovels that are pushed into the ground and go as far as the moisture level; people who have decades of experience can determine moisture content by sifting soil through their fingers. Researchers said the moisture sensors have been improved lately, will last ten years or longer, and will provide an easier to use, more accurate profile of soil moisture throughout the field. The technology is an especially good option for the less experienced farmer, or for those looking to better preserve irrigation water.

Another device, called an atmometer, was also studied during the Yellow Jacket project. The calibrated tube is filled with distilled water and measures precipitation and evaporation through a specialized cover designed to mimic the alfalfa plant transpiration thresholds. Over a period of time, this data can be compared against pre-determined soil moisture profiles to tell a farmer how much water the crop has used. The units cost $140, and only one is needed for each farm.

Both the soil sensor and atmometer were utilized on 12 demonstration farms at the Yellow Jacket Research Center over a three-year period. The results will be published soon.

The technology has not ever been used in this area, so researchers are calibrating the device for the specific needs of alfalfa crops so that a farmer will have "action threshold" data to refer to when reading the meter.

"When the meter reads at a certain point, it’s time to irrigate," Hooten said.

During drought years, the technology can help stretch the water allocation (22.5 inches per acre) for farmers irrigating off of the Dolores Project.

"We’re just offering another option for farmers," Berrada said. "These tools can be very effective and our job is to make them suitable for local soil conditions and also to help with installation and analysis. It’s a good way to conserve irrigation water so that it is not wasted."

That’s important, especially in the case of a major dry spell. A frightening example of what Colorado could experience in a "worst case drought scenario" was predicted in the CSU Climate Report: Strong westerly and southwesterly winds will blow frequently, kicking up more and more dust as agriculture production falters. Giant dust clouds will blow through our cities and across fields. Reservoirs will be too low, heavy use of irrigation will deplete Ogallala aquifer and forest fires will race through thousands of acres of dry timber, clouds of smoke will turn sunsets a deep blood red."