Collecting and monitoring on-farm water data using satellite data collection technology in the Arkansas Delta

Excerpt

Only a small portion of eastern Arkansas's yearly rainfall of 45 in (114 cm) occurs during the growing season, making irrigation a requisite for economically viable agriculture, which contributes more than $3 billion to the Arkansas economy. In eastern Arkansas, irrigation now covers more than 4 million ac (1.619 × 10⁶ ha), making it the fourth ranking irrigated state in the nation. The primary source of irrigation water is from groundwater wells on individual farm tracts, accounting for 85% of the water use. This rate of groundwater pumping is not sustainable. Large areas of eastern Arkansas are now being designated as critical groundwater zones, with rates of decline averaging more than 1 ft yr^-1 (30 cm y^-1).

Arkansas rice is entirely irrigated and makes up more than 50% of US production on 1.6 million ac (648,000 ha). Farm gate receipts for all crops in eastern Arkansas exceed $3 billion. On average, irrigation in Arkansas uses 7.5 million ac ft (9.251 × 10⁹ m³) of water yearly, 85% of it from groundwater pumping. Aquifer overdraft is on the order of 20%. More than 1.6 million ac (648,000 ha) of eastern Arkansas land is designated as critical groundwater areas due to overdraft …