Irrigation Management & Technology Workshop

The Texas Water Resources Institute, or TWRI, is hosting two identical workshops focused on improving irrigation management techniques and technologies for producers in the Rio Grande Valley on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26. Lucas Gregory, Ph.D., TWRI senior research scientist, College Station, said the workshops will highlight irrigation management techniques and technologies that have the potential to add efficiency to producers’ operations, improve profitability and conserve water resources.

Presenters and topics will include:

• Dana Porter, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agricultural water management, Lubbock. Irrigation scheduling tools and approaches.
• Danny Sosebee, Netafim USA; Jeffery Kleypas, Toro Irrigation; Ken Whitley, Trellis, Inc.  Irrigation management and technologies panel.
• Luis Ribera, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension specialist – agricultural economics, College Station. Economics and value of irrigation water.
• Leyon Greene, Ph.D., hydrologist, Texas Water Development Board. Texas Water Development Board TexMesonet overview.
• Ronnie Ramirez, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board conservation planner. Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board technical and financial assistance opportunities.
• Girisha Ganjegunte, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research associate professor, El Paso. Salinity management in irrigation water.
• Juan Enciso, Ph.D., AgriLife Research associate professor, Weslaco. Chemigation and fertigation irrigation options and considerations for growers.

There also will be a presentation on  U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service technical and financial assistance opportunities.

The Sept. 26 event will be 8 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 7:45 a.m. at the Echo Hotel and Conference Center, 1903 S. Closner Blvd. in Edinburg.