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Oregon Announces Recipients of Ag Irrigation Energy Efficiency Block Grants

"Many of our growers are already using highly efficient systems and many more are interested in making efficiency improvements," says Stephanie Page, renewable energy specialist and project manager with the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

"This program offers a great way for irrigators to get cost-share for irrigation efficiency improvements that benefit the grower, the utility and the environment."

Grant recipients include:

• Wy'East (cq) Resource Conservation & Development Council to focus on scientific irrigation scheduling in the North Unit Irrigation District and the Madras area. Funds will support soil moisture monitoring equipment purchases to help producers decide when to apply water, and the technical assistance to interpret data from the equipment.
• Wasco County Soil & Conservation District to help fund pump upgrades and variable speed drives as well as scientific scheduling in the Fifteenmile Watershed area.
• Columbia/Blue Mountain Resource Conservation & Development Council to support energy audits and efficiency improvements such as pump upgrades and variable speed drives in Gilliam, Wheeler, Moro, Grant and Umatilla counties.
• Klamath Soil & Water District to fund pump upgrades and variable speed drives for growers in the Klamath Basin.
• Three Sisters Irrigation District to upgrade pumps in the district area.

"Scientific irrigation looks at a variety of factors," says Page. "such as the crops being grown, the soil type, what kind of irrigation water application the grower has, and a plan is developed that determines the appropriate amount of water for the crop during the season.

"It also involves installing soil moisture monitoring equipment and using weather information to help make decisions about when to irrigate. Variable speed drives allow the grower to use just the amount of energy they need to pump the water. Without one, a pump motor operates at full speed all the time, even if it isn't necessary."

For more information go to oregon.gov/ODA/energy.shtml.