Notice: This project page is no longer being updated as of January 2023.
Studies at the Warrington Irrigation Research Farm are aimed at using water to maximize crop yields and improve profits.
Water is one of the most critical crop needs. By improving water management, farmers can be sure that their crops receive adequate water throughout the growing season. A more efficient irrigation system can save money, energy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In the Mid-Atlantic region, high heat and droughts are likely to become more common as the climate changes. Irrigation is widely used to protect crop yields during these extreme events. More efficient use of water will help growers maintain or increase their crop yields under changing climate conditions and better protect the environment.
“Weather information makes it possible to be more precise in how you apply some of your water for your irrigation system. So, as we become maybe more dependent upon technology to help us with the management of some of our irrigation systems, weather station data like this will increasingly become more and more important as part of that future.”
- Kevin Brinson, Associate State Climatologist for the State of Delaware
Available resources from this tour:
- University of Delaware: Full Season/Double Crop Soybean Irrigation Response Study
- University of Delaware: Irrigated Corn Research Project
- University of Delaware: Improving Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Using Soil Moisture Monitoring to Improve Irrigation Management
- University of Delaware: Subsurface Drip Irrigation
- NASS 2017 State Agriculture Overview: Delaware
- USDA NRCS Web Soil Types Survey
- USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program
- USDA NRCS Irrigation Water Management
- University of Delaware Extension Blog Posts on Irrigation
- SARE Managing Water: Irrigation and Drainage
- Delaware Environmental Observing System
- Delaware Irrigation Management System